SHIELD Academy: Loki Hates People
by Blueberry01120
Summary: Loki never asked his mother for a new life, to move to America, to start at a new school, for people to want to be his friend for once, or for a step-brother. He certainly didn't ask for said step-brother to be built like the Norse god he's named for. Loki makes "friends"—using that term flexibly—fast, and that's all great except for he's falling faster and faster for 'him'.
1. Chapter 1

1. Loki Laufeyson: Lonely Loser?!

Loki hates people, and if that is a sweeping generalization then it also happens to be the truth. He really does. They're ignorant and judgmental of things that they don't understand which usually leads to them lashing out to try and make themselves feel better. It's why he avoids people he doesn't know and prefers keeping to himself to even talking to them.

It's why he's so misunderstood. People automatically assume that Loki is just a snob—he isn't snobby, just particular, okay?—because he would rather have stimulating conversation instead of jeering about opposing sports teams or inane topics like that. He's not saying that he's _deep_. He just prefers to converse with those who have some depth to them, people who are more than what they look like.

He wishes that more people thought like that. Maybe then he wouldn't have to reign in his behavior to not offend those who are too afraid to broaden their horizons.

Home was always the place where Loki could do what he wanted without worrying about some hulk with a bone to pick with him because he looks like a "fag". Now, he's not too sure about that with the point that there will be a hulk under his roof now. That's probably not even the right word to describe him, all muscles and height.

"Loki, there's no need to be so worried," his mother says when they get into the car.

Their flight was eight hours from Sweden to New York, and Loki slept the entire time. His mother, on the other hand, flipped through pictures of their new house excitedly and prodded him awake every few minutes to tell him what she was going to hang there. He only nodded before shutting his eyes and drifting back off.

"I'm not worried, Mother," he replies. He puts his seatbelt on immediately, having seen enough of the statistics about automobile accidents to know that he's less safe than he ever was back home. He didn't like much of what he saw. "I'm actually pretty fine if you notice my calm state."

She drives out of the parking garage. "I know, Loki, but I also know that you're you. You don't do well with change."

"No one does, Mother. Humans are known for their adaptability, but that doesn't mean that they enjoy it. I don't, and it's simply a preference. I'm completely capable of adjusting to our new life without having a mental breakdown of sorts."

His mother always underestimates his capability to deal with things, and it angers him. Loki has always been a fairly independent person, much more independent than his peers ever were, and he wishes that she would see it and stop coddling him. It reminds him of the fact that his mother thinks that he's weak even if she doesn't explicitly say so. Loki is not weak, far from it.

He leans on his arm and glances out the window. America looks a lot like it did in the pictures, and he can't say that he's impressed in the smallest. It's just buildings and cars, nothing that remarkable.

It sounds cynical of Loki to think so, but he doesn't understand how America is even considered a place that people move to on purpose—see exhibit A: his mother and B: that husband of hers Odin. They're an economic powerhouse, he gets that, but societally, they're very, very behind. Back in Sweden, life was progressive in comparison to the United States, and he often found himself wishing that it were more liberal.

He finds himself growing more and more resentful of the entire situation. He never wanted to move to New York with his mother, and he hadn't even been asked. She simply told him that he had to pack because they were moving in two weeks, and Loki only stared after her, dumfounded. Of course it wasn't such a surprise when she told him that Odin and his son were coming along as well, so they could try to be some kind of _family_.

Loki doesn't want to be a part of his mother's new family. He would be happy to stay with a distant relative who would ignore him and only address him when needed. He got along fine with how his mother used to work. Now, he is stuck with some family he never asked for.

The landscape starts to become denser and denser as they drive, and Loki knows that they're getting close to the city. Why his mother even decided to land in Newark boggles his mind. Maybe she thought that he needed to be eased into the situation. He wants to go up to his room and mope while his mother plays house with Odin.

Traffic gets especially bad when they reach Lincoln Tunnel or something proudly American. They're garish with their history, and Loki loathes it. He understands pride, but there's no need to name states and places after one person who didn't change much. Now, he would understand if they named something after an inventor, but a president. Gods, these history classes are going to truly be torture for him.

The car emerges from the tunnel, and they're suddenly surrounded by tall buildings that seem like walls enclosing in all of the roads. He's been in cities, but they've never been like this. He's seen _Sex and the City_ on Netflix, and this, this is what it reminds him of. It makes sense since it was set in Manhattan.

Loki just watches the people walk on the sidewalks, phones usually pressed to their ears or wearing an expression that can only be described as disdain for everything.

Eventually, his mother pulls into a parking spot amidst lines and lines of vehicles that barely don't get hit by the constant traffic and grins like a madwoman as she steps out of the car. She's clearly excited to see her son miserable about this entire thing.

He rolls down the window and peeks out his head and looks up at the house. Technically, it's a townhouse, and it looks just like it did in the pictures, red brick and black steel. It's nice, he'll admit that, but it's not _his_ house.

He steps out of the car and glances around him. It's a lot noisier than it was in the car, and the air smells like car exhaust and just all things city-like. Where he's from, it's a suburb with quadrants and planning and all of that systematic, organized stuff. Here, it's the same yet amplified and shoved into an American shell.

He goes up the steps and into the door his mother had half the mind to leave open for him, which is surprising since she's seemed to have had no problem forgetting him the past few months.

It's the same as the pictures, overcompensating and modern and _American_, and Loki peeks his head into the archway that turns out to lead into some sitting room already furnished. He makes a sound of derision before stepping back into the foyer. When he hears voices coming from the entry way down the hall, he decides that he's had enough human interaction for the day and heads up the stairs.

It turns out that all of his stuff has been unpacked into the exact same arrangement as it was back home. It's probably some kind of peace offering from his mother or even that husband of hers, but Loki sees right through it. Somewhere, something is in the wrong position, and he'll find it and casually slip it into conversation.

He turns around in a circle, glancing at everything. The walls are bare white in contrast to the evergreen they were back home. It bothers him a bit that someone was in his room to scrutinize everything enough to make sure that they got it right. It's unlikely that it was his mother, and that only makes it worse.

Some say that privacy is only for those who have something to hide. Loki disagrees. He enjoys his privacy because he hates when others know things about him without his consent. Really, it's a control thing, and Loki admits that. When people know things out of your control, it makes things go to hell. It's like those tabloid celebrities who are followed everywhere, every single move of theirs documented for the world to see. Even thinking about that makes a shiver go up his spine.

"Loki."

He spins to the door and sees _him_ there. Thor, his new stepbrother, who he knows absolutely nothing about other than he looks like some kind of Olympian with his massive biceps and triceps and pectorals that make his shirts fit perfectly. Loki isn't jealous of him by any means. He's just… prickly about him. He blames Thor's overall aura of yellow and red like the sunshine in the late evening of autumn just when the sun is setting. Red-yellow and green do not mix.

He stares at Thor like the interloper he is, one toe just over the threshold of Loki's door and his hands braced on the doorjamb. He takes up the entire space and makes Loki feel much smaller than he is. His father's the same, which explains it. The Odinson genes breed giants.

"I see that you have arrived safely," he says, and Loki groans inside. He's one of those people who like small talk. "My father and I are ecstatic for your arrival. We've been waiting hours."

"There's no need to be so formal, Thor. We're"—he swallows—"home." The truth to the words almost make him wretch. This is his new home.

Thor smiles at him. "Yes, I guess you're right. I didn't want to seem too familiar to you. My father says that it's a problem of mine. It makes people uncomfortable."

"He's right about that," Loki mumbles under his breath. "Is there anything you need?" he asks, growing impatient. He could use some alone time right now.

"No, of course not. I was dropping by to say hello." His smile falters at the look on Loki's face. "If you need anything, I'm down the hall," he replies, pointing to his right. "See you at dinner?"

Loki goes to the door and nods. "Maybe," he replies, closing the door and locking it.

If Thor is going to be like that all of the time, Loki knows that their relationship is not going to get off on a great start. He's obviously charismatic, and that'll do him good when they start school, but at home, it will only dig him deeper into the hole he's already created. It's not like Loki even has to befriend Thor. He'll be off to college at the end of the year, and Loki will have the house to himself for the most part.

There's no way he's going to dinner, he realizes as he soaks into the familiar textures of his bed. He has no intention of getting up anytime soon, and he has the weekend, Saturday and Sunday, till he has to get up at the crack of dawn to drag himself to school.

Adjusting to a new school… he doesn't even want to think about that right now.

Loki's eyes open at the sound of a knock, his body jolting up from the bed. For a second, he's panicked, looking around in the darkness of a room that he doesn't recognize as his own even if he can barely make out nonthreatening shapes of furniture. He desperately clutches at the sheets as he tries to gain his wits.

He scrambles up from the bed, waiting for someone or something to pop out of the shadows and seize him as he struggles violently against nothing. Nothing, he realizes. There's nothing for him to be afraid of. He's alone.

A thin sheet of sweat covers his face, and he takes a deep breath in as he wipes it away with the back of his sleeve. He's still wearing his clothes from earlier, the Henley and jeans that he wore when he boarded the plane. He must have fallen asleep.

His eyes adjust to the lack of light. He sees that everything in the room is his in the blue light of his clock display, which shows the time being 8:56. "There's nothing to be afraid of," he repeats to himself. He's safe.

There's another knock, and he pushes himself off of the bed to go to the door. He doesn't recognize the knock as his mother's, soft and familiar, so he doesn't open the door. Putting a hand on the doorknob, he asks who it is.

"Loki, it's Odin," he says, and Loki recognizes the gruff tone of his voice. "You missed dinner, so I brought you a plate. Would you mind opening the door?"

He hasn't seen Odin since he laid a kiss on his mother's cheek and waved goodbye to him at their old home, Loki only staring at him in return. His mind hasn't seemed to process that Odin is now his stepfather, and he still thinks of him as his mother's boyfriend. It's ridiculous that his mother even had a boyfriend, and he told her so, earning him a glare and the silent treatment until his mother realized that he was not going to be the one to acquiesce.

"He's a good man," his mother always says, but he doesn't believe her. He'll make up his own judgments of this man with time.

He tries to turn the doorknob and opens it to reveal Odin taking up much of the doorway with his bulk. He thinks back to earlier when Thor was there, taking up as much space, and looks at him.

His manners take over, and he nods a thank you to him as he reaches for the covered plate. Keeping your enemies close is a motto that Loki has always lived by. It's protected him since he realized that people wouldn't ever accept him for what he was. Facades and masks is what he lives behind.

Odin shakes his head and grins. "No, Loki, it's fine. I'll set this on your desk," he says, and he's taking a step into Loki's room before he can object. Loki has no choice but to step backward. "There a light in here?"

Loki blindly feels for the light switch and winces when the room is flooded with bright light.

Odin sets the plate down before turning to Loki, still grinning. His aura is like Thor's yet there is saturation to it that Loki can guess comes with age and life experience.

"Thor came up here earlier and told you that we were happy that you're here. You probably think that he was simply being nice, but he meant it. We mean it, Loki. We're happy to have such a bright young man like you as a part of our family. Thor's always wanted a brother," he says. "He's ecstatic that he has one."

"Well… the feeling is acquired with time I guess," Loki replies.

"Yes, yes, you and Thor are very different people. Having different outlooks on this can be expected," he replies. "I do not think that Thor blames you for your hesitation at all. He understands that his reaction to this entire situation is rare. Many people feel the same way as you do, Loki. Your entire world has changed, so understandably, you are going to be closed off to the change. I do hope that you will give us a chance. We are grateful to have you in our lives, and eventually, we hope that you will feel the same."

Loki suppresses a flinch as Odin claps him on the back, but he can't hold in the choked sound he gives when he is pulled into a bone crushing hug. Yoga has trained him for many things and has molded his body into the perfection that it is, but it has not trained him for being crushed into bone meal by a Norse god like Odin.

Odin chuckles as he lets go of Loki and pats him on the shoulder. "Young man, I think that this arrangement will work out quite fine," he says. "See you in the morning?"

Loki nods and lets himself fall backward onto his bed when Odin closes the door behind him. He stares up at the ceiling, willing sleep to take him again but feels the grumble in his stomach. He didn't even realize that he was even remotely hungry. Come to think of it, he hasn't eaten since dinner at his old house.

Whoever cooked has earned Loki's admiration and gratitude because it's the best thing he's tasted in a while. He doesn't acknowledge if he thinks about thanking his stepfather for bringing him food.

The weekend passes much faster than Loki would like. Odin and his mother cook massive breakfasts each morning that make Loki take up two extra sessions of yoga out of paranoia that somehow he'll acquire an artery blockage from all of the grease and fried everything.

The rapport between the four of them is mostly filled with comments on the cooking or the adjustment to American culture although the subject deviates to things that they hope to do with Loki and Thor in the future. Loki merely nods along in acknowledgment at each suggestion, knowing that if he rejects them, he'll be given the pity eyes from all three of them.

He spends most of his time in his room, looking through all of his belongings to make sure that everything is in its right place, coming up empty handed each time in his search for something misplaced. By Sunday evening, he vows to find something missing and bring it to his mother's attention but gives up on the search for the time being.

At Sunday dinner, his mother is gushing about how excited she is for Thor and Loki to start at their new school. She covers all of their requirements in length and gleefully recounts Loki's first day of school back in Sweden, grinning and attempting to touch Loki's face and pinch his cheeks the entire time. Thor and Odin laugh, Thor going so purple in the face that Loki is afraid that he's stopped breathing. In retaliation, Loki asks Odin about Thor's first day, and he tells the story about how Thor wanted to bring his pet rabbit with him, smuggling it inside his backpack only for Odin to find it. Loki makes sure to chuckle while staring Thor directly in the eye, causing him to blush bright pink.

Monday morning, Loki is woken up by the blaring of his alarm, but he quickly makes sure to hit the snooze button. Each following time it goes off, he slams the snooze button down and drifts back off into sleep. He doesn't dream each time, only a blanket of black surrounding him, just like every time he takes a nap.

Something soft strikes his back, and Loki groggily mumbles into his pillow, closing his eyes tighter as if that will help him go back to sleep. Again, the softness strikes him, but this time, Loki opens his eyes and stares into the darkness, finding nothing there. His eyes shut again, and he prepares to get hit by the softness, but instead, he is exposed to the cold air around him as the blanket is dragged away. He retreats into a fetal position, hugging his knees to his chest, and opens his eyes to yell at whoever keeps hitting him.

"Loki, get up," a voice drawls, and he recognizes it as Thor, sounding as sleepy as Loki feels. "Get up now. You're not going to have time to eat breakfast."

"I don't need breakfast, Thor," he growls. "I need more sleep."

"It's the most important meal of the day. Get up." And without any warning, the room is flooded with light.

Loki shuts his eyes, but it's no use. His eyes are already burning, and he sees purple spots all around his vision. "I hate you," he says, holding his eyes with palms. "You are truly evil."

There's a chuckle from the doorway. "Okay, Loki. Get up and get ready."

He opens his eyes and slides out of the bed. It's no use in just lying there. He can't go to sleep with the light on like that, and he's too disgruntled to go to sleep anyway. The only thing to look forward to is the shower.

He feels himself smile just thinking of it. The shower in the bathroom is the best shower that he's ever used in his entire life. The It makes giving up his entire life over in Sweden worth it if he's able to stand under that portal every morning.

He turns on the shower and lets out a low moan of satisfaction. He only stands there for about ten minutes just taking in the absolute beauty of the head above him and begins to wash himself when his fingers start to prune.

On his scalp, the water kneads it in just the right way that Loki feels himself get turned on. It's probably a kind of fetish of his, and he's fine with it as long as it's the shower head doing it.

As the water runs over his head, he reaches down a soaped hand and relieves himself of the hard-on, shutting his eyes hard enough so he can only concentrate on how the water feels hitting his scalp. When he first used the shower on Saturday, he made the mistake of getting _too_ relaxed, and the image that flooded his mind—blond, muscles, blond, more muscles—made him come down from his post-jerkoff haze hard and fast.

Even if an image slips in, Loki schools himself by thinking of Thor calling him "Brother" as he's taken to. He and Thor are not brothers and nor will they ever be, but he is appreciative that is wards off the thoughts.

He's never been one for honoring social constructs or whatever, but there are certain places Loki won't allow his mind to go. Even if he were to just let himself go, it would feel wrong to be around him afterward. If Thor were to look at him with those eyes, he'd break down and end up telling him of his deed, probably earning himself a beat down like no other and a ticket to go live with a great aunt. He'll be damned if he's giving up this showerhead for _that_.

He grabs his towel and moves to his room as fast as he can. He almost ran into Thor on his way out of the shower Sunday morning, and he would rather not repeat that. Even if Thor was just coming up the stairs as Loki was shutting his door behind him, he felt like Thor had seen everything. If he had… Loki feels a shiver go up his spine at the thought.

He grabs the SHIELD blazer from his closet. There is no point in wearing the blazer if it wasn't a part of a whole uniform. Maybe it was an American thing.

He shrugs on his blazer over his dark green henley and glances at himself in the mirror. The blazer's navy blue and on the left breast the school logo, and a bird surrounded by the words "SHIELD Academy of Greater New York" is massive and clearly visible.

As he descends the stairs, he wonders what the school is actually going to be like. It's a private school funded by some government organization, and Loki knows that the endowment they get is huge because of some of the students' parents. He doesn't even want to think about what they'll be like because the thoughts that will form will not be good, and he will end up hating people he doesn't even know.

Thor's drinking his morning tea when Loki grabs a glass of orange juice. It surprised Loki that Thor didn't drink some kind of protein shake mixed with raw eggs in the morning, and he openly stared at him the first morning.

He leans on the counter and stares into his cup, avoiding Thor's eyes. It's strange to be in such silence when Thor, one of the noisiest people he's ever had the chance to meet, is standing not far from him. He sets his cup in the sink and allows his eyes to wander over to the boy who happens to be staring at him.

The eye contact is brief and awkward, but Loki doesn't look away, not allowing himself to show weakness. Instead, he uses the opportunity to size him up and take in his outfit.

Something Loki learned about Thor was that he was not shy about showing off the product of days obviously not wasted in the gym, tight shirts and equally as fitting jeans. Loki catches his eyes slipping sometimes, and he can't believe that he shares a roof with _that_. It makes sense that the blazer only adds to Loki's slipping control around the boy, dark jeans and a long-sleeved powder blue shirt that makes Loki think for a second that Thor might know something about color coordinating.

He turns away from Thor and dumps his orange juice and cup in the sink. He will not allow himself to blush, but he almost does because he can feel Thor's eyes on his back. He wonders what Thor even thinks about his looking. A normal guy would think Loki was either looking for a fight or checking him out, but Thor's not a normal guy.

Wordlessly, they both depart to school, Thor hailing a cab effortlessly with only the raise of a hand, and Loki loathes how easy it is for him to act like a New Yorker. Thor points out inane things they pass such as buildings and shops that he's seen in the backdrops of movies set in New York—"Well, we are in New York, Thor."—and chats about how different he thinks American schools will be after catching some series about teenage pregnancy. Loki only rewards him with a few nods and snorts and steps out of the taxi when it pulls up in front of the building he saw in the Google search.

Loki has seen the show Gossip Girl a few times, mostly reruns of course, but the building is similar to their school except for the massive logo, exactly the same as the one on his blazer, above the entrance. He feels as if he's just stepped into the show with how everyone looks around him, lounging on the rock railings and with the god that is Thor beside him. It's surreal.

"Wow, nice," Thor says, and if that isn't an understatement, Loki doesn't know what is.

Loki schools his face before he makes any more movement. He makes it up the large steps without tripping or outwardly staring at any of the other students, so he considers it a small personal victory.

The entrance hall is massive and completely covered in dark marble and black metal. There's a large SHIELD logo shaped carpet in the center of the room and large television screens cover most of the walls, the SHIELD logo and other images and diagrams he doesn't recognize flitting across the screen in intervals.

People seem to be constantly in movement, and those who are standing still stand out like a sore thumb. One boy in particular who is leaning against one of the walls and tapping at the screen of what Loki assumes is a phone contrasts extremely with the urgent people around him, lazing and unserious. He's shouting at the screen loud enough that Loki knows that he's shouting _at the screen_, and no one pays him half an ounce of attention as they pass in and out of the doors. He guesses that it's probably a regular occurrence, or they simply don't care enough.

He finds the office up the set of stairs at the end of the entrance room with Thor not far behind him—he checks behind his shoulder every few seconds—and goes up to the front desk.

A grim-faced brunette woman comes out of a side door, holding papers by her side and talking into a Bluetooth headset at a million miles a minute. Loki can barely make out her speech though words like "serious" and "important" making their appearance more than once in each sentence.

She reaches up and taps the headset once, and her entire demeanor changes to project radiance. "Hello, young men, how can I help you?" she asks. "Oh, my—dear, I'm so, so sorry. You're Loki and Thor. I can't believe I forgot."

"Oh, it's fine-"

"Really, this never happens. I—there should have been someone waiting for you. My god, I'm going to kill Barton for making you find your own way here. He's definitely going to get those extra laps in PE." She ducks down for a moment and resurfaces with a large black file emblazoned with the SHIELD Academy bird. "Here at SHIELD we're much more meticulous than that."

She comes around the desk and takes his hand, her grasp firmer than he expected. "Miss Maria Hill, nice to meet you," she says as she takes Thor's hand. "Welcome to SHIELD Academy. May I show you around?"

"Yes, Madame, please do. I wouldn't want to get lost," Thor says, and Loki sighs.

Miss Hill doesn't seem fazed at all and beckons them to follow her out of the office.

They go down one of the two corridors on either side of the office, and it's much darker in contrast to the open lighting of the front entrance. There are only overhead lights above on the high ceiling lighting the way, and it seems so Spartan. There are no paintings, only small metal placards next to the doors with numbers and letters printed on them.

"This is corridor b," she says, her voice echoing off the walls. "It leads to most of your base classes such as mathematics and history." She stops at an intersection of four hallways. "If you continue forward, you'll be going into corridor C, left is corridor D and right is corridor E. You both have a math class first period, so you'll be going to corridor E. Follow me, so I can show you your lockers."

Miss Hill stops in front of a group of lockers toward the end of the hallway and pulls out a blue slip, handing it to Loki. "Your locker is this one, C5654. Here is your combination," she says, handing him the slip and a thin black file. "This is your schedule as well as any other stuff you may need. Any questions, Mr. Laufeyson?"

"No, no, Miss Hill. Thank you," he replies.

She nods once. "If you need anything, feel free to drop by the office although I expect that any of the other students will be happy to help you. Your first class starts in ten minutes, so be there by the time the bell rings. Have a nice day, Mr. Laufeyson."

"You too," he manages to say before she's already halfway down the hallway with his brother in tow, looking back at Loki over his shoulder with a worried expression. It's almost comical that Thor is worried about Loki, a person he's only truly known for a few days and known about for a few months. Loki doesn't feel anything but burden because Thor is his responsibility even if neither Odin nor his mother said so.

He opens his locker and realizes that it's massive, much bigger than his locker back home. He's thankful that they're floor length, remembering being a top locker during middle school and still not having complete control over his limbs, dropping books on the girl beneath him after every period. He almost felt bad for the girl after his biology book nabbed her right between the eyes. Then again, she was kind of an unsympathetic bitch.

He's much more graceful than he was back then, but he doesn't think he would be able to resist the temptation of dropping books on someone's head and not getting in trouble for it. They wouldn't be able to prove that he was doing it on purpose, would they? Too bad, he thinks as he examines the books already loaded into his locker.

He shrugs to himself and kicks his locker shut. Back in Sweden, he went to a private school where he was allowed to accelerate to his full potential. His mother made sure that it carried on over here.

The lack of windows means that Loki is unable to see into the classroom. He pauses outside of the door, room E104, to try to prepare himself for whatever is coming. He's seen television shows and movies—Mean Girls is one he's seen too many times for his own good—and he knows how people treat "the new kid." It's annoying and some kind of American tradition to alienate someone who has been thrown into a completely new environment.

He goes to open the door and pushes, but nothing happens. Loki pulls to see if that was the issue. Still the door remains shut, and Loki remains on the outside.

"They're sliding doors," a voice says from behind him, and Loki turns to see a small blond boy stand there, holding his books in front of his scrawny chest and grinning up at him. "You're new. I've never seen you around."

Loki feels outrageously taller than he actually is next to him and thinks that's what Thor must feel like around everyone. If he reaches out, he thinks he could snap the boy in half with little to no effort. "Yes, I'm not originally from here," he replies. "Do you have Dr. McCoy, as well?"

The boy nods, and Loki is amazed at his immaculately styled his hair although it is old-fashioned. "Calculus BC. You should be glad you didn't come too late in the school year. Would have been a disaster."

"Well, my mother planned ahead. We moved around the school year, so I'm assuming that school has already been in session for a week?" he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah," he replies. "We only have about a minute or so until class starts so we should go find some seats." The boy is smiling at him, and Loki's heart almost melts at the sight. How is this boy so weirdly endearing even if he appears as if he is bound to fall into a pile of skin and flesh at any moment?

Loki's never been a fan of children or those who remind him of children with their neediness and fragility because he's always been seen as a child even in his age of 16. This boy has the body of a child yet he seems almost manly. It has to be that old-fashioned demeanor of his.

He slides the door open and steps inside of the classroom. It's so much unlike the hallways with its futuristic furniture and bright lights. There are few seats filled, a lot like home where most of the kids weren't in the advanced courses like he is.

Loki's always found the futuristic trope tacky, but it doesn't appear so here.

He walks to the desk completely covered with scattered bundles of papers and pens littered across the surface.

A head of mussed black hair appears from under the desk, and Loki almost jumps backward in surprise. It's a young man with smart glasses and a pen in his mouth, and Loki almost chuckles to himself at the realization that this is his Calculus teacher. A man who barely looks like he's 25 years old is teaching him math.

He clears his throat causing him to jump, and a few snickers come from around the room. He looks around confusedly before his eyes find Loki and widen. "Oh, I-"

He glances down at his desk and flushes a pink before pushing up to his feet and extending a hand over the desk. "You're Loki," he says, nodding more to himself than to Loki. "I'm Dr. Hank McCoy, and I'll be your Calculus BC teacher for the rest of the school year. It's nice to meet you."

Loki shakes his hand firmly before pulling away. This young man is nothing but a boy in man's clothing. Loki doesn't think that he will bring himself to respect him right away. This Dr. McCoy will have to prove himself to Loki if he expects him not to mock him in his mind.

"Loki Laufeyson," he replies. "I hope you don't mind, but I didn't bring my book since I was unsure that I would need it-"

"Oh, that stupid thing. That's just so the state will get of SHIELD's back about the whole private curriculum thing. I make up my own curriculum with the rest of the math department, and none of us actually use our books just in case you think I'm insane or something." He smiles briefly. "We've only been in school for a week or so, so you don't have much to catch up on. We don't get into the full swing of things for a few weeks anyway, so… Yeah, you only need to know that you're obligated to, uh—what was that again?—oh, yeah, you have to pass the state administered test which is the only thing that we're required to do, and it appeases them, so… yup. Yeah, I think that's all.

"You have any questions or…?" He trails off, looking at Loki anxiously.

"No," he says. "Thank you, for… thanks."

Dr. McCoy smiles briefly again and nods at Loki. "Yeah, uh, you're welcome. You can go find a seat anywhere since as you can see, we're pretty vacant."

He turns around and spots the boy from the hallway making a motion to the empty seat next to him. He knows no one, and there's someone being openly friendly to him. He should enjoy it while it lasts. Too bad the boy doesn't know what he's gotten himself into.

He slides into the chair and turns to see the boy smiling at him. He must like smiling, but Loki still returns the smile as he turns forward to see that their teacher is standing up with a tablet in his hands.

"Okay, class, the bell should be ringing-"

A bell rang overhead from the speaker.

"Yeah, so anyone not here is late, and I'm sure that all eight of you are here. For good measure, I should take traditional attendance so here goes nothing." Dr. McCoy tapped at the tablet a few times before looking up at them again. "Amadeus Cho?"

A boy with a mop of unkempt black hair raises his hand lazily.

"Jane Foster?"

A girl sitting two seats in front of the blond boy raises her hand.

"Justin Hammer?"

There's a "present" from a bored looking boy sitting a seat away from Loki.

"Loki Laufeyson?"

He raises his hand, and everyone turns to look at him. He can feel their scrutiny, and it doesn't bother him as much as he thought it would.

"You're new," the boy Justin Hammer says, and Loki resists the urge to tell him that he's pointing out the obvious.

"Peter Parker?"

"Here," a voice accented heavily says. The boy is leaning on his arm and still glancing in Loki's direction even though everyone else has turned back to face forward. Loki openly stares at the boy. In fact, he kind of enjoys looking at him. He's… attractive.

"Steve Rogers?"

The blond boy next to him raises his hand, and Loki finally knows his name. Steve Rogers, it's so average and old-fashioned that it fits him perfectly. He can imagine the American flags waving over his head. It's the name of a president.

"Betty Ross?"

A girl with dark black hair raises her hand, and Loki sees how full her lips are in her side profile. It's almost outrageous, but the rest of her features balance it out.

"Jose Santini?"

"Right here," a boy says, running a hand through his voluminous hair.

"Good," McCoy says. "We can get started then."

The Parker boy turns and faces forward, and Loki lets himself smirk.

It turns out that McCoy actually knows what he's doing even if he does only talk about mathematics related things that he's done before he taught and recounts anecdotes from his time in high school math classes. It's entertaining to see him violently flail his hands around with his words and vomit words so fast that if Loki tunes out, he'll be lost in the story.

Loki glances over and sees Steve staring at McCoy enraptured and leaning on his elbow. Loki thinks that it is the real-life version of Sixteen Candles except it's two men and not the nineties. Perhaps he is just daydreaming.

The bell rings, and McCoy returns to his place behind his desk while the students file out.

Loki stands up and pulls out his schedule. He has French III next with Mr. Wagner.

As he's walking out of the classroom, he doesn't realize that Steve is next to him until he begins to talk about what McCoy's discussed the previous days. He's surprised that Steve has stuck around so long, but the introvert inside of him desires to be alone. He doesn't say anything though and uses the opportunity to ask Steve for directions.

"Oh, that's upstairs," he replies as he looks down at Loki's schedule. "Go up the stairs at the end of the hall"—he points—"and keep going until you find R108. I have Physics next, so I guess I'll see you at lunch. Wait, I'll just come and find you. Have a great day!"

Loki finds his way up the steps and to R108, and the class is much more filled than his last one. It's much more normal and familiar to Loki, and he lets out a sigh of contentment.

"Eh, Monsieur Laufeyson has arrived mes amis!" A thick accent says, and Loki looks around to see a man with actual navy blue hair standing in the back of the room. Just when he was okay, something or better yet, someone like him happens. "Welcome!"

Mr. Wagner is clearly not American himself, perhaps German or Austrian. He hasn't had the chance to place the difference between the two accents, having encountered only a few Germans in his life. Austrian seems likely since they speak French and German there.

"My Swedish friend, I am charmed to meet you," he says, bowing. "I am Monsieur Wagner although the students call me Monsieur Soir for my hair which closely resembles the night. Come, come, and I shall show you the ways of my classroom."

The bell rings just as the last student comes in.

He leads Loki to his desk decorated in flags from all across the world and phrases in many languages. "We have not done much save for tell each other about the culture we grew up in, in French if you can of course. Some things we do not know yet, and I plan on changing that." He claps his hands and the room goes silent. "Friends, amigos, we have a nouveau étudiant, and he is not from here. He is un Suédois or Swedish. Come on; repeat it with me, Suédois."

The students repeat the word with him, most flowing through it beautifully.

"Bien, bien! Now, Loki, tell us about your life in Suéde!"

The words flow from his mouth like he's said them millions of times before which he hasn't. He's never had to tell someone about his life because no one has ever cared much, but the times when he's had to give some insight onto his upbringing to one of his mother's colleagues or girlfriends, he's done it flawlessly. It's not a surprise that he skates through the one sentence introduction of who he is and where he was born. He slips a few good-natured American and Swedish paradigms in, and a few students laugh, so Loki feels pleased with himself.

"Bravo, bravo!" Mr. Wagner says, clapping with the students. "I see that we have a witty man here, and it brings me great joy to have him in my class. Now… Natasha! You will be his buddy for today, and I expect you to help him when you can, okay?"

Loki can see that he's pointing at a red-haired girl with an expression that makes him want to go on defensive mode. It's the hard look in her eyes that says that she's been through trials of life that Loki can relate to, and Loki does not like feeling "familiar" with someone he hardly knows. For him, being through similar situations does not automatically make someone closer to someone else. Dwelling on his colorful past is not a basis for friendship.

She nods, her curls bouncing. "Of course, Monsieur." She smiles, and the sheer beauty of it makes Loki nearly rethink his previous thoughts. "It'd be my pleasure."

"Good. Now, take a seat next to Mademoiselle Romanoff, and we'll get to business."

He takes his seat next to Natasha and feels more confused than he has in his entire life. He's unsure of whether to be frightened by her or to be relaxed by her friendliness, so naturally, he resorts to wariness. He's going to keep an eye out for Natasha.

French passes in a whir of "Franglais" as Wagner dubbed it partially through a recount of a trip he took to Haiti in his youth. The stories are a lot like he is, all over the place and hard to comprehend without some context. And it turns out that Loki was right. He's from Austria, raised bilingual by a gypsy, which Loki believes considering what he already knows of Mr. Wagner.

When the bell rings, Loki waits for everyone else to leave, so he won't be caught in the rush

"What class are you going to?" Natasha asks, surprising Loki.

He doesn't immediately reply, only stares at her to calibrate her intentions. He gets nothing other than simple interest. "Chemistry," he replies, "with Professor Lensherr."

She smiles, one that looks genuine, and her eyebrows rise in accordance. It's a beautiful expression on her face, and Loki knows that if he were attracted to women, he would already have crush on her. "Ah, I have him as well. Let's walk together."

And so they do, Natasha leading the way a few steps ahead as she talks to him. She's extremely short yet Loki doesn't feel like he is the one with the upper hand here. She projects this intimidating power that makes him seem like he is the shorter one. She talks about Professor Lensherr with nonchalance to her voice, and he wonders if she is naturally that "cool."

"And beware. He's German too, and he's got a temper to match," she says as she pulls open the door to room T112. "Just raise your hand every once in a while, and he'll like you."

When the door opens, Loki is stricken by the glint of black and silver metal and winces at the reflection of it in his eyes. The flasks and beakers on the desks are the only things that appear not to be metal in the entire room.

He turns—his eyes are still squinted—to the desk in the front of the classroom and sees that there is a man sitting there, head rested on the curve between his thumb and fingers and legs crossed over the top of the desk. His eyes are a piercing blue that Loki doesn't think he's ever seen except for in the choppy seas on the coast, and they're staring straight at him, unwavering and emotionless. If Loki's ever met a staring adversary, it's this man.

"Guten morgen, Herr Lensherr," Natasha says, nodding once to him.

He nods back in acknowledgment but his eyes remain on Loki.

The bell rings somewhere, sounding much quieter than Loki remembers, but then again, his heart is racing in his ears, hard and fast. _Hard and fast._

Professor Lensherr stands up simultaneously, all feline movement and grace that makes Loki's throat ache for something he doesn't know of, that he's only felt around certain people. He seems to dance around his desk as he walks, sliding past Loki with only centimeters between their bodies and leaves a static charge on Loki's skin as he does so.

Loki can only follow his gaze by moving his head, and he has a feeling that he is letting every emotion show, but he doesn't care. He can't stop staring.

"I've never seen you around before," he says. He turns around and leans again the desk, casting Loki one more look before looking at the students. "Thank you for your silence children. Now, if you will, excuse me. I have business to attend to."

Professor Lensherr takes Loki's hand in his and shakes it, caressing it as he lets go, and Loki bites down on his lip to keep from moaning. This man has some kind of spell on him. "I'm Professor Erik Lensherr. Professor's a lot more… sophisticated than mister although you can call me Herr Lensherr. Whatever works. So you're the new student… Loki Laufeyson. I read your file. You're… smart."

Loki nods and swallows before he says anything. "Yes, it does have an air of sophistication that mister lacks. It's the way it seems to roll," he says, accenting the r," off your tongue, you know?" He knows he's getting flirty, but he has no intention of stopping. "And yes, I am Loki Laufeyson, Professor Lensherr."

Professor Lensherr is looking up at him from beneath his lashes as he bends over the desk to look for something. He knows that Loki is doing obviously, and Loki also knows that he has won this battle. "Well… I have something to give to you," he says. "Maria dropped it by last period—ah, Banner, nice of you to show up."

A tall, lanky boy with glasses is scrambling to his seat in the front row, and Loki smiles at the sight. He's clearly anxious about something, and a part of him says that this is not Banner's first time being late. There's always the kid who shows up late every day, and he's probably it. "Sorry, sorry, Stark—he kept me waiting for him. He had to close the lab, and Richards and him got in an argument again"—he sighs—"and I… Sorry."

Professor Lensherr chuckles, sending a chill up Loki's spine. "Since when does Stark not keep you late? Where's Richards-?"

"I'm sorry, truly, Professor Lensherr," a boy says as he walks in. Loki spots gray patches above his ears that make him look like he knows more about the universe than any of them ever hope to learn. "Banner was right. Stark kept us waiting… again, and I… I lost my temper. I'm sorry for being late again, but I can't make any promises that I won't be late again tomorrow. You know Stark."

Whoever this Stark that they keep talking about is, Loki has a feeling that he will not see eye to eye with him. He sounds like a person who Loki would write-off from the start, arrogant and selfish like the kids who used to taunt Loki in primary school. The fact that both boys speak so… negatively of him seems to not be a coincidence.

"Yes, Richards, I know Stark… sadly. Are von Doom and Pym on their way as well, or do I have to wait for them to stumble in with some kind of excuse that points to Stark? I don't expect Stark to make an appearance since he is supposedly helping out with a demonstration down at NYU."

Richards takes a seat in the desk right of Banner. "Stark managed to sucker them into his demonstration, so they won't be showing up. Sorry."

Professor Lensherr sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "This happens every day if you're wondering," he says, eyes finding Loki's. "When you have some of the smartest children to grace the planet in your class, they ruin things… a lot."

"We don't ruin things," Richards says. "We're simply changing them for the better-"

"Reed, I've heard this… how many times already in the past week?" Professor Lensherr sighs. "Loki, here is your tablet. Maria gave it to me to give to you this period." He sets a metal and glass tablet in Loki's hands, and he's surprised at how lightweight it is. "We don't use paper here. The books are only there for show really."

It echoes what Mr. McCoy was talking about earlier.

"You can take a seat next to Banner," he says. "Hopefully, he can fill you in on the stuff you've missed which is minimal since interruptions are not conductive for learning," he says, raising his voice and looking pointedly at Banner and Reed.

Loki gives him one last look before turning and walking to the seat next to Banner. Back home, he had lab partners, and they were always social outcasts who hardly talked to him about things not pertaining to the project, and he liked it that way. Here, he knows that isn't going to be the case, and he isn't sure if he's happy or sad about that.

He sits down, and Banner looks over at him, eyes scanning his face like he's making calculations. Banner is the stereotypical "nerd" that he's seen used on so many television shows, glasses, striped button down shirt, and hair suited more for an adult professional. However, Loki sees something in his eyes that scares him and makes him wary of Banner like he's wary of Natasha.

Loki is surprised when Bruce extends his hand under the table and takes his, shaking it firmly.

"Bruce Banner, future nuclear physicist," he says.

"Loki Laufeyson," he replies.

Bruce tilts his head to the side. "Laufeyson? You're not from America, are you? Wait… Sweden. You're from Sweden. I've always wanted to go there. What's it like? You run on clean energy there, so tell me-"

"Banner," Professor Lensherr says, his tone warning.

Loki's thankful. He doesn't think he would have been able to answer all of those questions enough to satisfy Bruce.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll explain to him what we've been doing instead-"

"Bruce, you should just let me do it." Reed stands up from his chair and leans over the side of the desk. "I'm Reed Richards, polymath," he says. "What Bruce should have told you was that he is already a nuclear physicist. Being modest does nothing but produce misinformation."

"I know, Reed, you always say that-"

"Anyway, we're part of a project focused on producing clean energy for the city. It was Anthony Stark's idea, but Bruce and I joined and improved it drastically. It was a disorganized wreck that was looking to level the East Coast when we first arrived. Now, there's a few of us, and we're almost there. Loki, do you have an aptitude for nuclear physics?

"Wait, of course not. Why would you? Our parents were all physicists, so we grew up in an environment conductive to learning. It's only natural for us to be so… smart."

"Reed, you're being pompous," Bruce says.

"No, I'm being honest," he replies. "Laufeyson, wait… I've heard that last name somewhere. Obviously in the mythologies, but in reality… wait, I know!" He points his finger to the ceiling and grins. "Your father was-"

"Richards and Banner, do I have to do everything myself, or do you not understand simple directions? You two are as bad as Stark, really, you are. You deviate from the topic-"

"I'm not as bad as Stark!" Richards exclaims. "That's ridiculous. You're over exaggerating! Stark is worse than any of us!"

"Well then tell him what you were supposed to, not stroke your own ego," Professor Lensherr replies, and he's grinning as Reed glowers at him.

"Fine," he replies. "We're supposed to learn the properties of the elements in order of importance since the teachers here don't believe in learning ones that are not even related to us. Carbon is what we're spending the most time on. It's arbitrary since most of us already know the periodic table backward and forward-"

"Richards."

"Okay, okay, but Carbon is the element of life"—he makes air quotes—"so we're starting with that. Arbitrary, illogical, pointless, really, but no…" He rolls his eyes. "There's already an application on your tablet with the courseware. Bring your tablet to every class unless you get one of those teachers that don't actually use any of the provided materials and improvise. Those ones are the most intelligent though-"

"That's unsupported, Reed," Bruce says, interrupting. "Your source is biased."

"But _I'm_ my source, so clearly I'm reputable. I'm one of the smartest people in the world, Bruce. Accept it like you need to accept that you're one of the smartest people, too. So you're informed now, Loki. Carbon, periodic table, got it?"

He nods, and Reed pats him on the back.

"Good, you're looking smart already."

"…the atomic orbital model will show you that…"

Loki leans against the hard metal back of the chair and watches Professor Lensherr explain, moving his hands as if to demonstrate a nucleus and the electrons revolving around it. He's never found himself enraptured in a conversation where he has no idea what he's saying. Maybe it's the lull of his voice of the curve of his lips as he forms words, but he can't seem to grasp the words he can saying, not hearing where the sentence ends or where the words split into consonants and vowels. He's fluent in English yet he understands none of it.

The muscles in his arms ripple as he moves and Loki can imagine how they would feel in his hands, firm and strong. He can imagine how those hands—those perfectly sized hands must feel-

The bell rings, and somehow the fifty minutes of class have passed in a flurry of late geniuses and amazingly sexy professors.

He sits there for a second to gather his wits which have escaped him during the speech of gibberish and science, and Natasha touches his forearm to get his attention.

"We don't have the same class next period, but I'd be happy to show you to it."

"No, no, I'll be fine," he says, and he's watching Professor Lensherr shuffle through the things on his desk, peering up at them every few seconds. "It's just the gym, and that's right down the stairs, but thank you, Natasha. Really, it was nice meeting you."

She smiles at him and nods, glancing at Professor Lensherr and back at him. Somehow she knows everything without Loki having said anything, but he trusts her not to tell anyone. "Bye, Loki."

He stands up from the desk and grabs the tablet. He's biting on his right to cheek to stop himself from looking up and smiling at Professor Lensherr. He's not going to show him what he already knows.

As he passes his desk, he winks, and the hormonal boy inside of Loki groans and writhes on the ground, opening his legs in invitation for Professor Lensherr to slip in between them. Loki can only imagine what that would be like, having that lean body above him and those eyes looking down at him like _that_. He knows what his shower time is going to be like tomorrow.

In the doorway, Loki encounters a small man in a sweater more fit for someone twice his age. He grins at Loki as he passes.

"Erik, you should stop trying to seduce the students-"

The door shuts behind him, and he's thankful that he doesn't have to hear his reply to that.

"Loki, there you are. I thought you were going to loiter all day," Bruce says, appearing from nowhere. "I have gym next, and I overheard that you do too."

Loki does not understand why people seem to think that he makes a good walking partner. There's nothing that screams, "I am good companionship," on him. In fact, everything about him is the opposite, his dark clothes and slicked black hair. He looks like someone mothers tell their daughters to stay away from.

They walk side by side down the hallway, and every few seconds, Loki casts a look over to Bruce as he changes the subject to something else relating to science or Tony Stark's antics. He manages to make it to the beginning of the story of how he met Tony when they reach the gym doors, and he cuts himself off to change the subject again but to something actually pertaining to Loki.

"Fun fact… or not so fun fact, the teacher here is kind of harsh, so be prepared to go home and stare in the mirror feeling insecure," he says, and he looks completely serious. "I'm pretty sure that I've done it at least twice a day since I've met him freshman year."

They walk into the gym, and Loki feels small in comparison to how massive it is. The ceiling has to be hundreds of feet from the ground and the bleachers, black and blue which seem to be the SHIELD school colors, extend far above the ground, tons and tons of rows of seats. It can probably support thousands of spectators.

Glass balcony boxes line the very top of the ceiling, the SHIELD logo hanging down in front of them on fabric banners of silver, black, and blue, and a white balcony extends down the middle of the bleachers and encircles the entirety of the gym, glass topping it off.

"Impressive, right?" Bruce says.

Loki nods. "Yes, massively."

Bruce leads the way over to a group of students on the far end of the gym.

The group of students is comprised mostly of boys except for three girls, a blonde girl and two red-haired girls.

He recognizes the boy from earlier, the one who'd been shouting at his phone, and he's standing against a wall, chipping at his nails.

"Who's that?" Loki asks Bruce.

"Oh, that's Clint Barton. He's…. strange," he replies. "I'm guessing that you saw him shouting at that phone of his earlier?"

"Yeah," he replies.

He whips his head around at the sound of heavy footfalls and sees a man stomping across the gym in their direction, silver whistle bounding against his heavily muscled chest. He looks furious, but his body language says that he's somehow relaxed. Loki suddenly understands what Bruce was talking about. He can tell that this man is going to rip apart his self-confidence… or try to.

"What are you maggots doing just standing there? Get in alphabetical order now!" he shouts, his voice gruff. "I don't have time for you kid games."

Loki is pulled along by Bruce's hand, and he's surprised at the strength displayed. Bruce has to be at least three inches shorter than him yet pulls Loki along like a rag doll.

"Stand here between Billy and Osborn."

Loki's shoved between a red-haired girl and a smug looking boy who looks like he would rather be anywhere else. The smug boy is definitely one of the more attractive people that Loki has seen all day, and maybe the smug expression is from him knowing how he looks.

"Banner!"

"Here."

"Barton!"

"Here."

Loki cranes his neck and sees the boy who was screaming at the phone is in fact Barton as Bruce said. Miss Hill mentioned a Barton earlier and more laps…

"Also, Barton, you have to run ten laps. Miss Hill—nice lady she is—said that you didn't do your duties. Too busy screaming at that hunk of wires!"

"But, Coach Logan, I didn't see the-"

"Quiet!"

So he was the boy that Miss Hill sent to help him. It explains a lot.

"Cage!"

"Here," a manly voice says. Loki sees that a boy with muscles ridiculous for their age group is the one who spoke.

"Danvers!"

The blonde girl he saw raises her hand. "Here."

"Grey?" The name actually sounds like a question, and it isn't shouted. Coach Logan isn't frowning at her, just looking with a blank expression.

"Here, Logan," says the girl beside him.

"Laufeyson!"

"Here," he says, and Coach Logan is standing right in front of him, somehow shorter than him and taller than him at the same time.

"New kid, eh? Whe're you from?"

"Stockholm, Sweden," he replies.

"Swedish Chef," he says. "A noodle is what you are."

"Then a meatball is what you are," Loki replies, smirking. He couldn't let him say anything without getting a reply in. Bruce said that he would try to tear down his self-confidence, but he can't tear down what is un-tearable. "…sir."

He stares at Loki for a moment, looking him up and down. "Coach James Logan," he finally says, shaking Loki's hand in what reminds Loki of a German handshake. "Call me Coach Logan like the rest of these bums, Chef."

"Osborn!"

"Here," smug boy says.

"Shepard!"

The boy with the white hair replies, "Here!"

"Storm!"

"I think he likes you," Osborn says, smirk still on his face. He extends his hand, and waits for Loki to take his instead of just shaking it like everyone else has done. "Harry Osborn."

"Loki Laufeyson," he replies. "Do you always look this smug?"

Harry laughs. "Yes, yes, you do when you have what I have in my pants-"

"Osborn, stop talking to your sixth boyfriend this week and face front! Wilson!"

Loki rolls his eyes pointedly at Harry, grinning as he does so. This Harry Osborn is someone that he finds he likes already. He's admittedly smug and clearly cocky about _whatever_ he has in his pants, and confidence is attractive. Well, his face is attractive too, so that's a bonus.

"Originally I was going to have you fairies and princes get dressed today, but Fury got on my ass and said that we couldn't because Chef had to get all acquainted with the system. Today I expect you all to do ten laps around the gym walking, but, Barton, not you! Go get suited up or leave here sweaty, not my problem, but you're doing ten laps running. Act like you're chasing the god of arrows or something like that dammit because you stop, I'm adding two more laps each time! Go!"

He does not want to get sweaty if it does not involve some Californian yoga instructor on TV and some odd body stretches but getting exhausted next to Harry Osborn seems like a good compromise.

"Loki, wow, that was hilarious what you said," Bruce says as he walks over to him and Harry. "And I see you've met our resident James Dean."

Harry chuckles. "No, but he has met Harry Osborn, Sr."

Bruce and Loki exchange a look of confusion.

"Your father is Norman Osborn," Bruce says.

"I know," Harry replies, grinning madly.

Harry Osborn, Jr.? He can't have a child, can he? He doesn't appear the type to go off and get someone pregnant while still in high school.

Oh.

_Oh_.

"You're crude," Loki says. "You're absolutely and hilariously crude."

"Wait, Harry, you're talking about your—oh, Harry, you're disgusting, you know that? You're going to scare off Loki."

"He's still here after the first thing I said, so I think it's a pretty good indication that he's staying. Are you two _coming_ or am I going to do these laps alone?" Harry walks backward a few steps before turning around.

Loki and Bruce start off after him.

"Is everything you say an innuendo of some sort?" Loki asks.

"It's only an innuendo if you have the dirty enough mind to decode it."

"That makes no—wait, that actually makes sense," Bruce says.

"You aren't the only one with half a brain around here, Banner. So, Chef, tell me about this little life of yours over in Switzerland?"

"It's Sweden-"

"He knows," Bruce says, rolling his eyes at Harry.

"Osborn, you're a strange boy, you know that? I've known you about ten minutes, and I know that you're smug, perverted, and kind of an asshole. So much for first impressions."

"Yeah, so much for those. Don't need 'em when you've got a face like this." Harry smiles, holding his chin out proudly.

"Harry!" The girl with the lighter red hair is walking back toward them, a soft smile on her face. "Hey, do you mind if I walk with you guys?"

"Of course not, MJ," Harry says. "Banner knows you, and new kid will be glad to know you."

"Aw, Harry, you're such a sap," she replies, shoving him away lightly. "I'm Mary Jane," she says to Loki. "I've never met someone from Sweden."

"Hm, we're nothing special," he replies. "Just unusually tall and beautiful."

She giggles, covering her mouth like a school girl. Everything about her is so… Japanese school girl, from the way she wears her hair behind a hairband to the almost risqué length of her skirt. The knee high socks don't do much for disproving that.

"Quit before you make her fall in love with you," Harry says, and he tries to make it sound joking, but Loki knows better. Harry's threatened by Loki and thinks that he's come to steal her away. Too bad he doesn't know that she has three things wrong, two are on her chest and one is between her legs.

Harry starts to go on about some art exhibit he went to over the weekend, and he clearly knows what he's doing since Mary Jane remains enthusiastic the entire time, asking what the exhibit is called and when it closes. She accepts the bait, and he snatches her up.

"Oh, a day or so. I can take you tonight," he says, grinning at her, and she tries to act bashful, but Loki knows that she's ecstatic.

"If you don't mind, yeah, that'd be great."

He and Bruce exchange a knowing look and start a conversation of their own about some of their favorite paintings. Bruce is a fan of van Gogh and went to the exhibit at the New York Museum a few months ago. Loki's a fan of museum visits himself, and a fan of van Gogh's works from his post-impressionism period.

Of course Harry has to find a way to use it to his advantage.

"I've seen Self-Portrait 1889 at a private art exhibition in Marseille over the summer," he says. "My father donated a few million dollars to their foundation, so I got invited. I must say that up close and personal it is much more striking than on some computer monitor."

"Of course it would be, Harry. It's a van Gogh," Mary Jane replies. "You've gotten to see a van Gogh up close. That's simply amazing."

"I know."

Loki and Bruce groan.

"Move Chatty Cathys! A man has some laps to run!"

They move aside and let Clint run pass, running faster than Loki's seen most people ever run.

"Laufeyson!"

It's like everyone is out to get a piece of Loki.

A boy who looks eerily like Steve if he were about 6 inches taller, 100 pounds heavier, and styled for modern America struts—yes, struts—in their direction, hands in fists at his sides. Under his blazer he's wearing a leather jacket and jeans that seem way too tight in all the right places.

"Johnny Storm," he says, and he claps Loki on the shoulder. "My sister's Susan—don't know if you met her, blonde hair and perpetual disapproving look, or maybe that's just for me. Whatever, Reed, yeah? You probably met him. Everyone knows who Reed freaking Richards is, the geek. Him and my sis have this thing going on, so yeah, you've met some of my family?" He pauses, but it's not enough time for Loki to answer. "I'm the cool one and the awesome one and the stylish one, so you should know that by now. 'How does someone pull this off?' you might say, but then you see the face, and everything falls into place. It's just because of the pure awesomeness that I exude. The only other person who even knows that awesomeness is Tony freaking Stark, the douche mower he is. He and I are alike yet so different. I'm awesome, he's…"

"Douche mower-y?" Bruce suggests.

"Yeah, thanks, Banner my man," he replies. "You look like the type who attracts people of all ranks, and I can appreciate that from a distance. Sorry, but you're not my type as in you're missing thing 1 and thing 2 for one, and you have something in your pants that I don't want to get anywhere near, 'kay? I suggest that you stick with Banner. He's sensible, nerdy, and responsible. One of Reed's friends, so he's always around, yeah. My sister thinks I could use some tips on how to stop being so irresponsible. I'm Johnny Storm. I don't need to be responsible with a name like that and a face like this. She's such a prude really. Don't know what Reed sees.

"Any who way, yeah, that's that, and you've officially been welcomed to the school by the awesomest person to ever walk these halls," he says, walking away. "See you around, dude!"

"What was that?" Bruce asks. "Johnny… he's so strange."

"He's 'awesome'," Harry says, shaking his head. "He's Stark minus the brain cells."

"Harry, don't be so mean," Mary Jane says. "Johnny's… nice when he tries."

"But he's a complete jackass the other 90% of the time, right?"

Loki tries to process the word vomit that Johnny just dumped all over him. He said something about having a sister Susan who dates Reed Richards. He understands that, good. Now, he said something about being like Tony Stark.

Oh gods. Loki definitely does not want to meet Tony Stark now. He doesn't want to ever have to talk to Johnny again if he can help it. He feels like his intelligence has been diluted by all of the "awesomeness" and "yeah."

Thor. Loki wonders what Thor's day has been like. Has he met Tony Stark?

"How many laps have we done?" Mary Jane asks.

"Nine… I think," he replies.

Loki has only been keeping track in the back of his mind. "We've done nine and a half," he says. "We have half the gym left."

"Wow, how the hell have you been paying attention?" Harry asks.

"It's simple. I counted.

"Ten," he says when they pass the starting point. "We did ten laps."

"TEN LAPS BABY!" Clint comes running past, his arms raised over his head in celebration. "YOU MAD, LOGAN?!"

Coach Logan appears from behind the balcony, holding his clipboard above his head. "Fine, Barton, you get the points, but that doesn't mean I forgot about those ten walking laps that you have to do tomorrow because you missed them today."

"But—that's bull! I ran ten laps while these sloths walked around this massive gym! Where's the justice in that?"

"Do I look like a man of justice, Barton? This isn't a Superman comic. I rule this gym!"

Clint crosses his arms and frowns. "You're not even tall enough to be Zod!" he shouts.

"How does he even know that?" someone says.

Clint's like a petulant child, screaming at inanimate objects because they don't work and screaming because something isn't "fair." How anyone tolerates him is beyond Loki.

"All of you that finished your ten laps can leave. Fury can take it up with me if he wants me to keep you caged in here like animals when you're not needed," Coach Logan says. "Get outta my sight, go!"

The four of them exit the gym together, Mary Jane touching Harry's shoulder and laughing about something he said, and Bruce at his side, shaking his head in amusement. Loki finds the whole situation to be amusing himself.

"Hey, dude, Loki."

He looks around to see who is calling him and sees Barton jogging to catch up with them.

"Yeah, you," he says. "I was looking for you this morning, you know? Why didn't you like come and get me or something?"

"Because I had no idea that the boy screaming at his phone was supposed to help me around."

Bruce chuckles.

"Yeah, well… you've got a valid point." He scratches at the back of his neck. "But still… you could've like… I dunno just stood there until I finished that level. I would be ten laps less in debt and ten laps less tired."

Loki looks at him, and he's not even panting. It's like he didn't run at all. "No, I don't believe you. You look fine to me."

"Gee thanks," Clint says. "Seriously, wait for me next time."

"There won't be a next time. I know my way around here fairly well."

"Then tell me, what's your next class?" he asks.

Loki pauses and pulls out his schedule, scanning down to fifth period. _Ancient History – Dr. Lactus. _"Ancient History with Dr. Lactus," he says. "Room I107."

"Hey, you're in my class," Mary Jane says. "I'll show you the way."

He walks up next to her. "See, I don't need _your_ help."

"Bye, Harry. I'll see ya tonight, right?"

"Yeah, sure," he replies. "Bye, Loki. Bruce, come. We have a class to get to."

"But you need _some_ help!" Clint calls after him. "I'm supposed to do that!"

They turn to the right.

"This is corridor I," she says. "We're on the other side of the school now. This is where the history and English classes are too."

The hallway appears no different, the same black doors and the same block walls. If he doesn't pay attention, he will probably end up lost. Now there's an idea. Thor. Loki doesn't want to know what he's been going through getting from class to class.

She turns and stops at a door set off from the rest of the corridor in a small entryway. "And here we are."

He follows her inside expecting some normal classroom or a deviation from the ones he's already seen. He was way off base.

They're standing at the highest point of the room, the small space behind the seats which descend down to an area where a single wooden desk is seated in front of whiteboards and blackboards. The stadium seating makes it appear as if he could take a step and jump down to the bottom, but Loki knows that he wouldn't survive that jump and would end up snapping his neck on the stairs.

"Loki!"

Loki walks to the base of the stairs and sees Steve's spiny arm waving him down.

"Come sit next to me!" he shouts.

"Your help has been appreciated," he tells Mary Jane. "Also, have a good time at the exhibit with Harry." He descends the stairs, tablet tucked at his side, and stops at the third row back where Steve is sitting in the center next to someone he doesn't recognize.

"We have another class together. Great," Steve says, and it sounds so sarcastic in Loki's mind, but aloud, in Steve's words, it's genuine and strange. "I was hoping that I'd see you before lunch."

"He walked in with Mary Jane Watson. Interesting," someone says, but Loki doesn't bother looking for whom.

Loki takes the seat left of Steve and sets the tablet down on the table top. "Yeah, I didn't know who to expect in this class. I've had so many different people in the same classes with me that I've had people to walk with to each class. I've met some characters, mind you, and I've heard of some others who I don't think that I'm thrilled to meet."

"Well, I think every school is like that," Steve says. "There are some kids who are just… different."

"I met Reed Richards," he says because he's the only person he can formulate at the moment. "He has gray side patches."

"And that's the only thing you noticed," the guy next to Steve says. He has messy brown hair and is wearing a pair of aviator sunglasses, amber colored so Loki can still see his eyes. He exudes cockiness, an aura similar to Harry Osborn's but mixed in with Reed Richards'. Loki turns and doesn't look at him anymore. He doesn't want to know who that is. Ignorance is bliss.

"Reed can take some getting used to," Steve says, "but I like him. He's quite helpful."

The bell rings overhead, and the entire room goes dead silent. Loki faces forward because his instincts tell him that it's the right thing to do, and Loki has fairly good instincts.

"Some might say that the Egyptians were the very first modern civilization with their vast infrastructure and writing systems," a man says, "and others may reference the Chinese as the builders of several modern devices still in use today or precursors to the technology around us. Today, we're going to talk about the forgotten civilizations of Mesoamerica.

"They may not have inspired Western culture in the same ways as conquers such as Genghis Khan or had pharaohs such as Khafre erect giant statues that still stand to this day, but they left behind many artifacts. Now, if you will, turn on your tablets and go to the classroom application to follow along with the lecture." The man is wearing a purple sweater, a darker purple button down beneath, and it contrasts with the conservative air he casts over the room, voice serious.

This Dr. Lactus is someone he does not want to mess with.

He holds his finger over the small circle—which is presumably the power button—on his tablet. It's a lot like an iPad although it lacks a home button, the screens are roughly the same size, but this tablet is thinner and seems sturdier.

The logo for Stark Industries flashes across the screen, and he sees the blue glow its casting from Steve's iPad onto him in his periphery. It doesn't take much thinking to know that Tony Stark is somehow involved with Stark Industries. He wipes the SHIELD logo wallpaper upward and sees that there are apps, most of them pertaining to a specific class.

"Tap the 'Ancient History' one," Steve whispers.

Loki taps it—he was going to anyway—and it leads him to an introduction slide, the same one that is being shown on the massive wall above Dr. Lactus that Loki didn't know was a screen.

"For our introductory work today, we'll be briefly discussing the general history of the Olmec, a Mesoamerican civilization," he says as he adjusts his glasses slightly. "We start off in approximately 1500 before common era…"

Dr. Lactus flips through each slide, explaining basic facts about the pictures of step pyramids and humanoid statues with an unwavering passion that keeps Loki's attention without pause. The way he speaks of strange statues like they're priceless gold trinkets amazes him. He's clearly in his element even if he appears to be so conventional in the way he teaches.

Teachers in the past always sped through lessons, and Loki had no problem keeping up, but he never actually enjoyed listening to Mr. So-and-so drone on about the achievements of some megalomaniac conqueror. It's not to say that Loki doesn't admire those conquerors—and wishes that he was maybe born in their society; he'd fit in much better—but being interested while taking notes of dates and events isn't conductive for enthusiasm.

"Now, we move on to our main lesson today, Ancient Egypt: Accomplishments of the Old Kingdom."

Now, this is something that Loki can get behind, something that he knows too much for something of such little application, and he plans on displaying his aptitude to Dr. Lactus. Harry didn't seem to care about first impressions, but Loki cares about it. Dr. Lactus is the man to impress.

"Our main exhibit today is Pharaoh Khufu," he says, gesturing up at the picture of a statue of Khufu. "He's well-known for many things, and can any of you tell me about Khufu?"

A quick glance around the room shows a few kids raising their hands, and Loki takes the dive into the water, raising his hand high and steady. If he's going to do this, it will be the right way.

Dr. Lactus looks around the room for a moment, and Loki can see when he makes the decision in his eyes. "Hm, Mr. Loki Laufeyson, I call on you."

Loki drops his hand. "Khufu was the pharaoh ruler of the Fourth Kingdom and ruled under his thought-to-be father and predecessor Sneferu. He was well-known under his Hellenized name, Cheops, and was married to his sister-wives Meritites I and Henutsen. His reign extended from 23-50 years though many different dates are debated." He takes a breath in. "Although Khufu had a pyramid built, statues constructed during his lifetime are few and far between. Khufu is best known for having had the Great Pyramid of Giza built as a part of his necropolis. The Sphinx, a popular figure representing ancient Egyptian culture, was also built as a part of his burial place. "

There's silence for a few moments after Loki finishes.

"Oh, smart," possibly-Tony-Stark-but-Loki-doesn't-want-to-reall y-know says.

"And that, Mr. Stark, is why the Swedish educational system is far superior to our own in the United States," Dr. Lactus says, and the illusion of the boy being someone other than Tony Stark is shattered. He glances at Loki and nods. "Thank you, Mr. Laufeyson. You've done away with much of the unnecessary background information, so we can get to the meat of the matter."

There's a tap on his desk, and he turns and sees Tony Stark craned over Steve's desk, extending his hand.

Loki takes it, shaking it with dread.

"Anthony—just call me Tony—Stark," he says, pulling his sunglasses down to look Loki in the eye. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Loki Laufeyson," he replies, and he withdraws his hand hastily. He's officially met Tony Stark, and he's managed to already make himself apparent on his radar. It's so much for avoiding him until he was unable to. Perhaps he's not as bad as those around six people have said. He's misunderstood like Loki was?

"Since Mr. Laufeyson has already gotten the basics out of the way, we're skipping to the sixth slide, the construction of the pyramids, an interesting topic for the ages. We happen to have our resident engineer in the class with us, so before we start, let's consult him on his theory. Mr. Stark?"

Tony settles back into his chair and kicks his feet onto the seat in front of him. "What me, Doc? Oh, I think it was aliens to be quite frank. Humans aren't all that reliable now, and we were living under the belief that the world was flat less than a thousand years ago, so building durable pyramids like that? Nope, 'it was aliens,' to echo the sentiments of that _Ancient Aliens_ guy."

Dr. Lactus doesn't even look remotely amused. "Well, that's a… colorful theory, Mr. Stark, but it's also a popular one. Many believe that extraterrestrial life forms built the pyramids due to humans being so… primitive in comparison to how we are now. When excavation was in full blossom in the early 20th century, we had only begun building up toward the skies. To them and even to us now, pyramids seem like an otherworldly concept. The accepted theory on the other hand is that a lever and pulley system was utilized by the slave workers of the kingdom. I accept this theory, so it shall be the one that we stick to. Sorry, Mr. Stark."

"It's cool, it's cool, Doc. I know how you truly feel now, and that's okay. You're just sticking to the book, which is great—a cohesive curriculum, right? Well, good for you and the history department. Don't let my shenanigans ruin the lesson."

Loki was expecting someone more… mature, less immature than Tony is acting right now. Stark is actually a clown who wears sunglasses indoors because he probably thinks it makes him look cool. Instead, it makes him look like the goober he truly is. He's harmless.

Dr. Lactus goes on about the lever and pulley system and shows them a demonstration someone made on YouTube. Some Australian boys made mud pyramids and filmed it. By the time they're finished, they're half-naked—Tony wolf-whistles, and Steve says, "Tony, be appropriate."—and covered head to toe in mud. All the while, Dr. Lactus keeps his neutral exterior, no emotional response whatever, not even a curve of his lips.

"You may all converse quietly before the bell rings," he says, and he sits down at his desk, pulling his laptop toward him and shutting off the overhead screen.

Steve turns to Loki, wide-eyed, and his lips are red like he's been biting them. It's a nervous tick from what Loki's seen. "Loki, where did all of that come from?" he asks.

"I enjoy Egyptian history," he replies, and it's the truth. "It's the only history other than European royalty sex scandals that I bother to remember."

"You spat that out like a walking encyclopedia. My jaw was on the ground, really-"

"Steve, no one uses encyclopedias anymore," Tony says, coming to sit on the armrest of Steve's chair. "You're so old-fashioned; it's ridiculous. He meant to say that your little display of knowledge was pretty impressive because it really freaking was. The kids around here will give a sentence fragment or so of garbled English, and that's the end, but that was like a college thesis—well, no, not really. I've read a few of those, and they were, phew. You sounded like Richards for a second there. He's way, way, waaaaaay worse than that. I'm definitely not trying to insult you. That'd be harsh to even pull out the Richards card.

"You and me, we're going to get along. I can see it. You're the Theon Greyjoy to my Robb Stark. Wait, that was a pretty bad comparison since Theon goes all woo and stuff. Yeah, scratch all of that mess I just said and just know that we're friends now. You, me, and Steve are a new power trio or something."

Loki laughs. Johnny Storm IS Tony Stark as far as the stream of consciousness. Otherwise, no, he does not see it. "I'm thankful for the offer, but I must decline. I can't pledge myself so-"

The bell rings, and Tony is out of his chair immediately.

"Come on, come on, you two!" he says, waving his hands around like a lunatic.

Loki grabs his tablet and follows Steve down the rest of the row. He hates being rushed more than anything. He goes as he pleases, not rushing for anyone, and Tony Stark is no different.

"Tony can take some getting used to…"

"I'm standing right in front of you, Steve. If you're going to talk about me, let me know, please!"

Steve rolls his eyes as they leave the classroom, Tony holding the door open for him in an expression of old-time chivalry that surprises Loki. It would seem like Steve would be the one holding the doors for Tony. "Tony, please."

"Please, what, Steve? I have feelings too! You should honor them. It's your duty as keeper of my heart and best friend for life and in the afterlife if it exists. You know the rules," Tony says, draping his arm over Steve's shoulder.

It looks like they're some kind of couple, but the banter between them is saying otherwise to Loki. They're clearly not openly exclusive with one another, and some friends are closer than others. Still, it seems as if there is something underneath the surface of their friendship.

"Wow." At Tony's breathlessness, Loki follows his gaze down the hall to see that the cause is Thor's walking in their direction.

All manliness and sunshine, Thor is something out of one of the eighties movies Loki watched during his research in American movie history. There should be some synth-overloaded music with a whiny singer playing in the background with how formulaic it is. His stride is confident yet nonthreatening, and all of the other students are turning to look at him, enthralled with the beauty that is Thor. Loki isn't sure whether he wants to run to him like some cliché love interest or roll his eyes and gag himself.

He hasn't seen Thor since the morning when he turned around and gave him that look full of worry that made Loki want to laugh hysterically because he was the only one who was worried. Loki wasn't worried. He's sure he wasn't. Maybe he was kind of worried, but that's only because Thor keeps calling him "'brother," and the endearment is making him feel like a brother does… and maybe like a brother shouldn't.

"Steve," Tony says.

"Yes, Tony?"

"Stay away from that guy."

Loki chuckles, but it dies quickly when Thor gets within hearing range. He's staring straight at Loki and grinning broadly like he's been searching for Loki, and there is no doubt in his mind that Thor did happen to peek down a hallway as he passed, looking for him in some kind of peril, so he could rescue him like the hero he is.

"Loki," Thor greets, stopping in front of the three of them. "How has your day been so far?"

He stares Thor straight in the eye, not caring if there's coldness in his own. The coldness is better than the alternative for sure. "Fine."

"I see you've made friends," he says, and he gestures lazily toward Tony and Steve, but his eyes are still on Loki. "They are wise in their choice." That's such a Thor-like thing to say that it hurts Loki.

Tony steps forward and takes Thor's hand in his, and he looks so small in comparison. "I'm Tony Stark, and you, Goldilocks, are...?"

"Thor Odinson," he replies.

"Oh, so like the Norse god of thunder." Tony backs away from Thor and looks him over, eyebrows rising from behind those goofy sunglasses of his. "Wow, I can see it. Your parents must have been psychics or something."

"And you are?"

"Steve Rogers," Steve says as he shakes Thor's hand. He's staring up at him like Thor is the messiah, and Loki looks away because it's too much. If he looks any longer, he will end up jumping around like some maniac in an attempt to get them to see that Thor is like them… except more muscular and masculine of course.

Thor laughs, and Loki rolls his eyes, almost hoping that he sees. "Well, I must get going to my next class. I bid you farewell." He bows to them before turning and leaving, walking away instead of strutting like he should be. He knows what he looks like. He should act like it, the hulk of man he is.

"Really, Steve, stay away."

"Okay, Tony."

Loki groans and turns away from Thor's retreating figure. He understands that he means well, but Loki doesn't need to be checked up on. He's going to have his mother's throat for this. He doesn't need to ask to know she pulled Thor aside and threatened him with bodily harm if he didn't protect Loki.

"So, the relation?" Tony asks as they begin walking again.

"Stepbrothers," Loki replies. "His dad and my mother married."

"Oh, so the whole Norse god thing is a coincidence?"

They descend the stairs, Steve leading the way.

"Yes, it is." He's tried not to think about their naming conventions because it is just coincidence like how his parents were both named for Loki, the god of mischief's parents. It's all simply coincidence, not anything illogical like fate or anything.

"Hm... interesting," Tony says, and Loki doesn't even want to ask why. From what he's already seen Tony say and do, he thinks it's best to keep their relationship or whatever on a need to know basis. "You don't like him?"

Leave it to Tony to pick up on Loki's emotions yet not leave them alone. "He's my step-brother," is all he replies.

"That's not a-"

In front of the cafeteria, Clint, Natasha, and Bruce are standing there, and Loki pinches his inner wrist to see if this entire day has been some kind of daydream he's having while locked in a supply closet to hide from bullies, and he's really only six years old again. Those daydreams were the ones that kept hope alive for the remaining year until he realized that hope was overrated and for children. Instead, he has reality.

"The Lok-master, I see you've met Stark and Rogers already," Clint says. "It seems like you have excellent choice in friends?"

"Can it, Barton," Tony says, opening the doors. "I have to take _my_ friend to go get some grade-A SHIELD grub. Follow me to food paradise."

Loki glances around the cafeteria, and for once in his entire time here, it feels familiar. It feels like the cafeteria back at his old school, open and busy. He may not have been content there, but he misses it. He misses it, and this cafeteria is a carbon copy except for the blue, silver, and black coloring.

"I think I'll go find lunch by myself," he says because he needs a moment to himself for the first time since he's come to this school.

"Lok-" someone starts, but he's already headed for the line.

He grabs a tray and passes the dishes of food until he finds something remotely familiar, pizza. He grabs two slices because it's safe, and it's something that he can do without worrying about coating the inside of his arteries with thick layers of fat. He grabs a water bottle on his way out of the line and takes a deep breath, glancing around the cafeteria for somewhere suitable to sit.

He finds an empty table on the edge of the cafeteria and sits down to the general peace and quiet-

"There you are. We thought that you were going to go all wee-woo or whatever." Clint puts down two trays and takes a seat across from him, Natasha taking a seat next to Clint.

Loki counts the remaining amount of seats around the circle of the table, 13, or more than enough for everyone who seems to think that he's a good person to befriend to come over and sit down. Loki almost misses being a loner, _almost_.

Clint picks up a piece of pizza and takes a huge bite of it.

Loki doesn't even remember seeing them in line anywhere near him. They must get their lunch elsewhere or stash it. He doesn't want think about that right now. He wants to try to enjoy his lunch-

"Today's a red velvet day," Bruce says, sitting down on Clint's other side, and there's another one of them come to disrupt Loki's lunch. "Ms. Smith always saves me a plate to take home."

"That's injustice because I had no idea that even existed as a thing," Clint says.

"You're just angry because you never thought to ask."

"Damn right I am, and I have every right to be. I love those cupcakes."

"Mind if I sit?" Harry Osborn is standing with a can of soda in one hand and a bag of chips in some Arabian language in the other.

"Sure," Bruce says.

Loki just stares down at his pizza in disbelief that this is actually happening to him. People do not voluntarily sit with Loki unless there is something for them to get out of it. It's usually test answers.

He sits down next to Natasha. "Heard it's a red velvet day," Harry says, opening his soda. "I love red velvet days."

"Don't we all," Clint says before starting on his second piece of pizza. He has five, five pieces of pizza on his tray, and it makes sense that he runs that fast now. He must need copious amounts of food to even function.

"So, how've you been, Osborn?" Natasha asks, rolling a grape in her fingers, and it's borderline threatening.

"You know, same as usual, perfect and rich," he replies, winking at her. The tone in his voice says that he's both serious and joking.

"Can we join you?" Reed Richards is holding a tray, and there's a blonde girl behind him.

Harry nods in confirmation, and the two of them sit down, Reed next to Bruce and the girl next to Reed. Loki seems to have no authority on this matter at all. Harry has more authority, and he's just showed up.

"Loki, this is Susan Storm," Reed says, gesturing to the girl with his hand.

He thinks back to the description that Johnny gave him, a look of disapproval and blonde hair. She lacks the former, but he sees the blonde hair, shoulder length and wavy. There isn't any resemblance either.

"It's nice to meet you," she says. "I've heard a lot about you." How? He has no idea. Reed only knows the basics like everyone else except Natasha. She knows a bit more than the rest of them because of Wagner. He can't have told her much.

A boy with shaved wavy hair and a ginger-hair girl step up to the table, the girl looking skittish while the boy just looks bored. "Tony said that you were the brilliant new kid, and we should come over and introduce ourselves," he says, sounding as bored as he looks.

"Virginia Potts!" the girl says, taking Loki's hand and shaking it enthusiastically. "You can call me Pepper since everyone does, and that'd be stupid if I didn't let you, so you can anyway. Yeah."

"James Rhodes," the boy says, and he shakes Loki's hand too, much less enthusiastic than Pepper. He sits down next to Harry, nodding a greeting to him, and Pepper follows suit. She's a seat away from Loki, but he still feels the energy drifting off of her. "It's nice to see you all here," James says.

"Yeah, you too, James," Clint says, but he's more focused on his fourth slice of pizza.

"I haven't talked to you in a while," Natasha says. "What class do you have next…?"

"Harry, you have to tell me. What was your father thinking with that keynote speech on Saturday?"

"I don't know, Richards, I really don't know. I'd be happy to ask…"

"Hello, everyone. I've come to join you in these festivities." A boy with brown hair sits down next to Loki, and there is an old-timey swagger to the way he talks like Steve. "I don't know you, so you must be the guy Steve was talking about," he says, looking at Loki. "Bucky Barnes, pleased to meet you." He shakes Loki's hand.

Loki thinks that it has to be the tenth time he's shaken someone's hand today. It's going to fall off soon, and he needs it to survive in that house with Thor.

"S'nice to see you, Buck," James says. "You have to be in one of my classes next. Fury has some kind of vendetta against putting us together…"

"Loki!"

There are certain times when Loki hates to hear his name, and this time is definitely one of them. He's beginning to wish it were something longer and more complicated for their palates to handle, so they wouldn't say it so much. He never wants to hear the name again, which is unfortunate because he was quite fond of his name.

Mary Jane is standing there with the boy from earlier… Peter Parker, and Loki sighs, looking away because he is not in the mood for any kind of sensual eye game with this boy. He wants to stare at someone who he dislikes, and he doesn't know enough about Parker to dislike him. Loki's fair sometimes. "Can we sit-?"

"Sure!" about three different people say, and Mary Jane sits down next to Susan, Peter sitting down next to her.

Loki happens to look over and see Harry staring them both down. Some kind of love triangle is brewing; he can feel it even if he doesn't want to.

Someone drops into the seat next to Loki, and he sees the leather jacket in his periphery and wants to hide away from all of this noise and all of these people. He doesn't know how those popular people back home even did it. It's draining, and he hasn't even said much to them yet!

"Loki, I see you got yourself a gang here," Johnny says. "Ah, you do know my sister and Reed. Fancy seeing you guys here."

"Johnny, what are you doing here?"

"What, Sue, I can't make new friends?"

"The main event has arrived!" Loki recognizes that voice, Tony Stark has finally decided to join the "festivities" as Bucky called them. He was beginning to wonder where he was… not really. "Move, Storm, you took my seat!"

"Your name wasn't on it, Stark."

"Well, Loki's my friend more, so move your ass." Tony's sitting beside him suddenly, a tray bigger than any of the others' in his hands. He sets it down, and Loki can only imagine how heavy it must be with all of that food on it. "See, I had a feeling you would be a picky eater, and I see you haven't even touched your pizza, so… I got you a little bit of everything!"

"Gods, kill me now," he whispers to himself.

"So, Pete, how's Gwen been?"

"Loki, can I have your pizza. You're not even eating it and-"

"Stop being so greedy, Clint."

Loki shoves his tray somewhere in Clint's general direction but keeps his eyes downcast on the table. Taking a risk, he glances up and realizes just how many people are there with him. All 16 chairs are filled up, including his own. It's an overwhelming feeling to be sought out with cruel intentions clearly not key.

"Loki, you okay?" And everything seems to slow down and freeze just for a moment, Steve's voice louder and softer than all of the others. It's like some beacon of hope in a sea of chaos, and Loki follows the beacon, finding Steve glancing at him from one seat over, blue eyes filled with concern that Loki has only seen a few times in his life, one of those times earlier today.

Maybe it's the intent that really gets Loki. Steve was the first of them all to meet Loki, and the only one that doesn't make him feel crowded. It's not because he's small; if that were the case, none of them would make him feel crowded due to them being shorter. It's how Steve genuinely cares. Now, that's something that Loki doesn't want to run away from.

He offers Steve a small smile in return and nods. He doesn't need Steve to worry about him.

"I see you all have welcomed our new student."

The table goes completely silent, and all heads turn to face the man standing behind Bucky. He's wearing a suit with his hands clasped behind his back, hair parted to the side and earpiece like Miss Hill's on his ear.

"I'm Vice-Principal Coulson," he says, and Loki thanks the gods that he doesn't extend his hand or anything, simply stands there. "I hope that you've enjoyed your time here thus far, Mr. Laufeyson. We hope that the transition has been smooth as we planned it to be."

"Yes, it's been very, uh, smooth… so far," he replies. "I thank you for getting my classes correct."

"Well, I think we may have been wrong about Ancient History," he says. "I've been told that you're far advanced in that class."

"No, Coulson, don't take him out of Lactus. He's my friend." Tony pouts at Coulson like a child.

"Stark, please, stop with the pouting. It does not fit with the sunglasses."

"Well, our curriculum is different in Sweden," Loki says. "We cover many of the topics in primary school, so I have a little background in history. I have an unfair advantage actually."

"'Unfair advantage.'" Coulson smirks. "Tell that to half of these kids at your table. Their parents have been spoon feeding them calculus since birth. I'll see you around, Mr. Laufeyson. Enjoy your lunch."

Around the table, a few people are sputtering and looking offended at Coulson's words, and Loki finds it all too amusing. There were the privileged kids at his old school, pompous about their upbringing, and they were always foreigners who didn't understand the socialist system. It was a shock for them when they realized that having wealth wasn't necessarily seen as a good thing.

Tony is having some kind of difficulty at finding the correct response. "Coulson, I'm, I'm offended at your stupid—it isn't even calculus!" he shouts.

"My father didn't even teach me calculus," Harry says. "He made me read the Wall Street Journal."

"It's not my fault that I've been given an opportunity to use my father's resources!" Reed says. "For his information, I would have been a genius even if my father had been some everyman. Difference is I wouldn't be here, and that's not much of a difference, is it?"

"Coulson's wrong." Tony picks up a spoon and what looks like mashed potatoes and hands it to Loki. "Howard Stark had shit to do with who I am."

"Looks like Coulson hit the berserker button," Clint mumbles, and he gets many glares. "Tellin' the truth, jeez!"

"Bruce, how are you so calm about all of this-?"

He stands up, tray in hand, and there's tension in his every movement. "We all know that Coulson is wrong, so let's not dwell on it," he says firmly before going off to dump his tray.

"That's the best thing I've heard all day," James says, and Bucky nods in agreement.

"Hey, Bruce, bring back some cupcakes!" Clint shouts after him. "He better brings us some back. I think I'll be worse than Tony if he doesn't."

"Clint," Natasha says.

"Shut your whore mouth and eat your food, trash can." It seems Stark is a fan of _Mean Girls_, too.

"I'm so wounded, Stark. That's an old one from middle school, right?"

"Can't we all sit down and come together to realize how stupid Stark looks in those sunglasses."

"Johnny, please, don't be so… stupid," Susan says, flicking her hair out of her eyes. The expression of disapproval is actually there.

"Sis, I'm being honest. Just look at them. He looks like someone from an eighties gangster movie minus the porno mustache. Surprised you don't have one of those already, Stark."

"You look like that all the time though, Johnny. Mad that I stole your style?" Tony slaps his knee as he laughs at his joke, and Loki begins to chuckle too.

This situation isn't something that Loki has ever imagined being in, sitting at a table full of people voluntarily or partially-voluntarily there. His reality has always been empty seats filled with the occasional acquaintance before they grew impatient at Loki's disconnect with them, and he accepted that life would always be that way or at least he thought. Now look at all of these naïve people around him who believe that Loki is actually worth their time or vice-versa.

"The glasses give you character," Loki says.

"See, this man has some sense-"

"They show that you're truly a goofy man, inside and out."

Tony sucks on his teeth. "Eat," he replies.

Loki isn't even hungry, so he makes no motion to go and touch the copious amount of food Stark unnecessarily got for him. He was wrong to assume that Loki would even accept it.

"Aw, Loki hurt your feelings, Stark?"

"I think that Tony has accepted that his choice of eyewear wasn't the best now that so many people have pointed it out," Pepper says. "After so many mentions of dubious sunglasses, one can pick up on the fact that maybe everyone else is right."

"Gee, so much for calling me stupid, Pep. It does wonders for my feelings."

"Tony, please, take off the glasses. You look…" James makes a face and shrugs. "It's not a good look."

"Steve, disagrees with you all. He loves me for who I am, and that's why he's the love of my life and none of you are." Tony blows a kiss to Steve who looks away, blushing. "He's going to bring home to bacon and give me those excellent back massages that he's so good at. Trust me, Steve has hands like magic. They're just the right size to fit right in the hard places, and when he smooths out those kinks"—Tony groans, and his head falls backward—"it's heaven."

"You realize that it doesn't sound like you're talking about… massages."

"I think it's pretty obvious, Pete," Harry says, and the venom in his voice is as clear as day. Loki was right about the love triangle causing some problems. "Sounds like he's talking about hand jobs-"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Tony claps his hands over Steve's ears causing him to groan in protest. "Don't talk like that in front of Steve! He is my angel, you demons!"

"Oh, clever," Clint remarks.

"Yeah, sounds like you were setting up for that one, Stark," Johnny says.

"You all know I don't have that kind of dedication…"

"Loki."

He almost jumps out of his seat when at a feather-light touch on his shoulders but calms down enough to see that it's just Natasha. It's not entirely comforting that she can sneak up on him like that and practically get a scare out of him. Loki's always been very deft at being aware of his surroundings.

"If we leave now, we can make it to Psychology early," she says. "I have it next, too."

"And so do me and Steve!" Tony shouts, clapping Loki's shoulder. "We're coming with!"

"Wait, with Strange?" Bucky asks.

"Duh, who else?"

"My schedule has that class now too," he says. "I guess I have to come as well."

"This class is like one big party!" Pepper pulls James up by his sleeve. "Rhodey and I both have Strange, too!"

"How big is this class?" Clint asks. "Am I the only one without it?"

"I don't," Mary Jane says.

Peter stands up from the table. "I'm comin' with you guys. I've got Psychology next."

"Why did they change all of our schedules?" Harry asks.

"It was fate," Tony says. "We were fated to meet Loki and end up in this class."

"CUPCAKES!" Clint is running toward Bruce, arms stretched over his head when he falls to his knees and begins waving them erratically like some peasant worshipping a god. "I thought I was going to have to kill you, Bruce."

Bruce bypasses Clint completely and sets down the massive tray of cupcakes on the table. "I have to hurry up and get to biology, so I can't stay-"

"Told you it's a party!" Pepper squeals, and Loki looks at her in disbelief. How can someone be so energized over trifles?

"Well, okay, we'll just have to hurry up and eat them." Tony grabs one and gives it to Steve, picking up another and turning to Loki. "But we have one more important matter to address before we leave. You need to taste these beautiful masterpieces of life."

Loki takes the red cupcake from him and unwraps it from the paper. It looks like the generic cupcake with icing, but he knows that the simplest looking things are the most interesting. He can feel all of their eyes on him as he closes his eyes and takes a bite, prepared to taste the most amazing cupcake he's ever tasted in his entire existence on earth.


	2. Chapter 2

Thor Odinson: Genuine Human Being!?

"How can you not like them?" Tony's screaming isn't as bad as it was when Loki did not fall to his knees and bow down to the tray of cupcakes. That screaming accompanied with the shouts and jeers of the others was almost deafening. Natasha only narrowly pulled him out of the cafeteria in enough time for his ears to recover. It didn't take long for the "mob" to find him and start yelling again.

He shrugs because Tony isn't really looking for an answer. "I don't know. They're nothing special to me."

"Your taste buds are defective. Maybe it's a Swedish thing," Harry says.

"A Swedish thing? Well, the Swedish are stupid if they don't like those bites of heaven. Maybe it's because he was under pressure. Maybe next time he'll like them. Maybe-"

"Maybe you should accept that people have different opinions such as the opinion of those sunglasses," Natasha says. "I actually think they look good on you, Stark, but I'm not going to break anyone's arm if they disagree. Differing opinions are what make us unique."

"Being unique is stupid then, and thank you for seeing the truth behind my sunglasses." Tony lifts up his hand to ruffle her hair but drops it when he sees the look on her face. "You were always the sensible one. Freshman year, Chem lab, mega explosion, and you ran for the extinguisher."

"Isn't that the only proper response?" Loki asks, cocking an eyebrow.

"No, cupcake heathen, some of us like to scream and cry when there's a fire. It's the human experience."

"More like the human dilemma." Bucky and Steve appear from the stairwell, Bucky's hand on Steve's lower back as if he's steadying him.

Immediately, Tony goes over to Steve and begins to poke and prod him as if he's searching for a defect. "Yeah, Barnes, not anyone else's fault but yours," he says, and it lacks enough sense for Loki to know that he's not talking about the human experience anymore. "Look me in the eye."

Steve opens his eyes and stares straight into Tony's sunglass-hidden ones as if it's the most normal thing ever. "What are you talking about?"

"The fire in Chem lab back in freshman year," Tony says in a tone that says he's not paying attention to them. He's concerned about Steve for some odd reason, and Loki can't see any reason why Steve would have been in danger.

The door slides open into a dark classroom, and Natasha enters first.

"Well, she definitely doesn't care about safety," Bucky says as he goes in.

Loki takes one more glance at Steve and Tony before he goes into the classroom. It's dark and the only light comes from red and blue curtained windows, making everything it touches appear slightly hypnotic. He glances around for Natasha and Bucky but doesn't see anything except for shadows. He doesn't panic though because he knows that they're in there somehow. It's impossible that they're anywhere else.

"Shit, it's dark," Tony's voice says from the shadows.

Loki turns to the light coming from the hallway, expecting to see Tony and Steve there, but he doesn't see anything but the light. "Tony?"

"Yeah, Loki, you might want to hold onto yourself if you get what I'm saying because anything is up for touches or grabs in the dark."

"Tony, stop being so crude," Steve says. There's a gasp from him. "Tony!"

"What, Steve, you heard my speech!"

"Will you please be quiet?" Natasha says from somewhere on the other side of the room.

Loki looks in the direction and see's nothing but darkness and dim light which only reveals slivers of flooring. "Natasha, where are you?"

"Stay where you are," someone says. "This is some kind of psychological experiment. We _are_ in Psychology."

No one talks, and Loki guesses that they're all trying to place that voice.

"Richards?" Bucky asks first.

"Yes, it's me clearly. Now, will you all stop being so loud?"

"When the hell did you sneak in here?" Tony asks. "You didn't even tell us you were in this class."

There's no response from Reed.

"Reed, reply to me or I will-"

"Stark, I don't need to tell you when or where my classes are," he says. "You have eyes. You would have eventually figured it out when you saw me enter the threshold."

"Threshold." Loki recognizes that as Harry's voice. "Richards, you should be a vaudeville comedian or something."

There's a frustrated sound somewhere next to Loki. "Osborn, please, keep your opinions to yourself!"

"Wait, Rhodey, hold onto me, please!"

"Pepper, come on, just follow my voice."

"But, I can't. I can't find you, Rhodey! Come on and—oh, thank god, you didn't leave me."

"I told you I wouldn't."

"Nice of you to join our party," Tony says. "Rhodey, hold onto your woman like I hold onto my Steve."

"Where the hell is everyone?" Peter asks. "Wait, I can kinda see people. I can see you guys. Phew, thought I was in the wrong classroom or something."

"Stop being so stupid, Pete."

"What do you have against me today, dude? What did I do?"

"You should ask Loki, Pete. Loki, who did I ask out on a date earlier today?"

"Yeah, Loki, tell us." It's Tony clearly trying to disguise his voice and failing.

"Mary Jane Watson." There's no point in getting further involved in this love triangle.

"What—Harry, I didn't know. Wait, what does this even have to do with anything? We're just friends, Harry! Does she suddenly become off-limits because you're taking her on a date-?"

"My god, you people are annoying!" Reed says. "Do you have to drag your personal issues around with you?"

"Not everyone is a robot, Richards," Harry says. "Some of us like to take care of our problems head-on."

"Finally got that damn door open," someone says.

"Oh, shit, we got ourselves the nutcase-"

"Fuck off, Stark. Why is it so fucking dark? Do they want us to murder each other or… do we just wait?" Well, he sure sounds like he's awfully mild-mannered. Loki knows that he's going to get along with him just fine, ignoring all of the unnecessary profanity.

He's never been one to swear unless he needed a quick discharge of verbal rage as he's a fan of the more archaic insults in Swedish and English. He doesn't mind swearing at all, but he also doesn't want to carry on a conversation where one side is entirely compromised of swear words. He's thankful that none of his close acquaintances are dirty mouths.

"Wade, I'm sure they wanted us to murder each other, totally."

"I'm all for murdering someone, especially people who are backstabbers," Harry says. Now, he's getting far too worked up over a girl. Loki does not see it at all.

"Everyone should just calm down. If anyone tries to murder someone, I'll be forced to stop them."

"Reynolds, that won't be necessary," a stoic voice says. Loki can imagine who says it, brooding and proud, and he's happy someone has half the brain to intervene. "We're going to all wait until this experiment is over."

"Von Doom, you can go fuck yourself," the guy Wade says, and it's completely unnecessary. "You've always been a gigantic asshole."

"Stop being so insolent. Wilson, you sound ridiculous."

"Maybe because I am, Altman. Got something to say about it? How about if I tell your boyfriend—OW! What the hell was that for?"

"You need to learn to shut up, Wade," Natasha says. "Your mouth is going to get you in trouble in the real world."

"I thought this was the real world! Wait, are you saying that this is the Matrix-?"

Loki rolls his eyes. Wade Wilson is ridiculous.

"Dude, you're crazy," Tony says, "but you have been since I first met you, so nothing you do is a surprise. Just waiting for you to try and kill someone."

"Don't put ideas in his head, Stark," Harry says. "Or maybe I can just hire him-"

"You first, Lady Jane."

"Seriously?" he whispers. Loki cannot hold in his reaction at the fact that it's Thor in this room with him in the dark. Thor is actually in one of Loki's classes, and Loki is definitely not happy about this new revelation. He thought that the fact that they were in two different grades would guarantee minimal interaction. It looks like he was wrong… again. It's as if his intuition is broken.

"Hey, I know that voice… Thor!" Tony shouts. "What is up, my Norse god? Is it just weird that I realized that I've always wanted to say that all my life?"

"You realize you could have said it to Loki this entire time," Bucky says. "Loki is a Norse god."

"But he would have probably killed me… right, Loki?"

He freezes in place and doesn't reply. If he just pretends to not be there, Thor won't realize that he's there with them.

"Oh-kay then, I'm guessing that's out of commission. Someone know the funeral hymns?" He's so dramatic, and Loki rolls his eyes. It looks like Stark is going to be making him do that often.

"Shut up, Tony."

"Why is it so dark in here?"

"Ah, Ms. Foster, a woman of science, it's great to see someone else in here isn't missing half of their brain." Loki should be offended, but it's Reed. He's demonstrated many times Loki's been around him that he believes those who aren't nuclear physicists are imbeciles, and he's wrong, but he probably doesn't care.

"Oh, Reed, thank you," she replies, and Loki remembers what Thor called her, "Lady Jane." Who is she, and why does he already have an endearment? What has she done to warrant it? Is he interested in her already? He thought Thor would be the type to take it slow or court her like they used to do. "I'm guessing this is some experiment?"

"Yes, I guess that with all of the schedule changes, Dr. Strange wants to see how his group of students acts around each other without any visual reference. It's amazing how different people are in the darkness."

"Yeah, I saw a porn video where these swingers-"

"Stop right there, Parker. We don't wanna hear about this."

"No, wait, Rhodey, some of us do. Continue, Parker. Tell us about this… video."

"Please, don't," someone mumbles.

"There were these guys who wanted to experiment-"

"And stop right there because I don't need to ever hear this," Bucky says. "I can go without hearing about this video if it is leading where I think it is."

Loki doesn't want to hear about this video with Thor in the same room because he doesn't want to see his reaction. He's not even sure that Thor knows he's gay—and he's pretty sure that he doesn't—so that would make for an awkward moment in front of everyone if he shouted out some homophobic slur, and Loki responded with personal offense.

"Barnes, you're a spoil-sport. Some of us like watching man meat on the old boob tube."

"Shut up, you're all disgusting!" von Doom shouts. "Talk about your sex lives elsewhere."

"Oh, wow, what have we walked into, Thor?"

Loki wants to shout at her and tell her the obvious that they walked into an inappropriate conversation, but he clenches his fists and rocks back and forth on his heels. If he exhibits his rage in other ways, it'll be better.

"Ten minutes has passed since class begun," Pepper says. "I feel like a caged animal wanting to be let out. Why are we doing this? I hate this so, so much, and I have to pee my pants so much. This is pointless and so weird."

"Then find your way to the door," Harry says. "Get on all fours and crawl."

"No, don't do that. Wait, I'll help you find it. Just keep holding onto my hand."

"So, Loki, tell us about the wedding," Tony says, and of course he hasn't forgotten about Loki.

Loki stands there, and in the darkness he can still feel eyes on him. It's eerily creepy yet thrilling at the same time. He feels like he could tell them to all kneel and many of them would do it for some odd reason. "What wedding?" he asks.

"The one between you and Thor, duh! Does the darkness make everyone forget about conversations or something?"

"They're married?" Peter asks, sounding confused. "Is that even legal?"

"Oh, Loki's gay too, Altman! Maybe you can all have some big gay fiest-Ah! Ouch!"

"Be quiet you fools!" von Doom shouts, and Loki wants to applaud him. "It's obvious that they're not married. They would both be Odinsons or wear some type of jewelry. Young weddings are always flashy like that. They get married so young for a reason."

"I'm talking about your parents. Was it a big affair, or…?"

"They married at the civil authority. We were present. It was more of a preventive thing since they were already planning to move here at the time. They're having a ceremony—a traditional one like you have here in America—next year."

"I'm invited," Tony says. "Steve's my date. I call him."

"Loki… I had no idea we shared a class," Thor says.

"Yeah, me neither," he replies, and he holds out his hand for somewhere to sit because he needs to sit down from all of this commotion. His leg catches on something, and he almost falls to the ground but catches himself and ends up with his butt in a chair.

"Ha, did someone almost just fall because that sounded like someone almost fell," Peter says.

"That was a terribly redundant sentence that showcases the intelligence presence in this room," Altman says. "You are all so strange."

"Look who is talking—Shit, Natasha, give a man a warning!"

"Wilson, you should probably shut your mouth altogether, and realize how stupid you sound when you open it," Bucky comments. "She'll end up taking out your tongue by the time this class is over."

"Loki, are you doing well? You like the darkness at home-"

"I'm fine, Thor, gods." He pinches the bridge of his nose. "There's no cause for concern."

"I sleep in the dark, too, Loki." It's that Jane Foster talking, and Loki rolls his eyes. He doesn't want to relate to _her_. "It's more conductive for sleep."

"This wasn't known…?" Richards asks, sounding as exasperated as Loki feels. "Doesn't everyone sleep in the darkness?"

"Rhodey, I think I'm going to pee my pants!"

"Calm down, Pep! You're clawing my wrist to death!"

"Steve, where are you?" Bucky asks. "You haven't spoken out loud in a while."

Loki realizes that Bucky is right. Steve hasn't said anything in ages.

"Steve?" he asks again. "Are you okay-?"

"Jeez, shut up, Barnes, he's sleeping, god!"

"Three minutes until class is over."

There a few moments of silence as everyone probably just looks around in the darkness.

"You can be a real dick sometimes, Stark."

"What, for wanting him to sleep peacefully? Calm yourself down, and think about Steve. Let him sleep in peace."

"Wait, can anyone else see other people?"

"Oh, shit, I see you people," Wade says, chuckling. "Ugly ass bastards."

Everyone is starting to come into view, their silhouettes highlighted by the light coming from the window which is now pouring in more than it was before. It's as if someone is opening the curtains or somehow lightening them. Whoever is Dr. Strange is aptly named.

Loki squints his eyes and sees the faces of people he recognizes, and the other new faces who he only knows by their voices and names. Wilson, the one he knows is too blunt for his own good, is some boy with ridiculous hair and a handsome face which does not match his mouth whatsoever. Reynolds resembles Wilson in more ways than one. They look like brothers.

"You resemble each other," Loki says, pointing toward the two of them.

Wilson raises his eyebrows and looks over at Reynolds. "I look nothing like that cat. New kid is blind."

"I'm offended," Reynolds says.

Altman steps in front of the two of them and inclines his head to Loki. "I'm Teddy Altman," he says. "You may have met my, uh, significant other Billy… he looks like the guy with the white hair, but it's black."

It turns out that Wilson was telling the truth, and Altman is gay. He's unsure whether Wilson is merely the only intolerant one, or if everyone else is too cowardly to say so. From what he has seen and heard though, they have no problem voicing their opinions. Back home, people had no problem telling Loki that he was a "worthless fag".

"No, I don't think I have." He turns his head and sees Thor standing next to the small form of a girl who he dwarves by almost a foot. She's petite and cute, and it irritates him to no extent. The self-satisfied look on her face that everyone probably thinks is just her being friendly makes him want to shove her away from Thor. She's standing much too close for Loki's comfort. It's just that… Thor hardly knows her!

Loki knows him a lot more than she does, and he's only truly known him for around two days!

Everyone is more visible than they were before, actual facial features and colors coming into view. Loki was right about Reynolds and Wilson. They even have the same hair color. Altman is blond and has ear piercings up and down his lobes, an air of confidence about him different than Osborn's or Stark's.

He's one of the few seated, von Doom—a dark haired boy with sharp eyes—and Reed both sitting across from each other at a table on the other side of the room. It seems that they're surprised to be there if the similar facial expressions are any clue.

Harry and Peter stare at each other, Harry baring his teeth like some kind of animal.

And Steve is leaning against Tony's shoulder, his eyes closed and his arms wrapped around Tony's bicep. It's incredibly adorable, but also suspicious and non-platonic. Loki's suspicions about their relationship earlier are resurfacing.

"Why is the door locked?"

"We have exactly nine seconds until the bell rings, Potts. You're bladder can surely manage that-"

The bell rings overhead and the door opens, light from the hallway pouring into the room and lighting everything.

The room is set up like a children's classroom, tables and chairs arranged around an open space where mostly everyone stands. The room is covered with curtains, some hanging over walls where they cover nothing but white and others strung across the ceiling.

"Steve, come on wake up…"

"Shitty class, shitty class, shitty class…"

"Which class do you have next?" Loki looks up at Natasha. She doesn't even look fazed at all by the experiment they've been through. It's incredible.

"Uh… English with Professor Xavier. You?"

They linger near Tony and Steve, Steve blinking away sleep and yawning.

"Yep," she replies. "Stark, Rogers, come on. You two are walking with us."

Tony glares back at Natasha but grabs Steve's arm anyway and begins pulling him along. "Come on, Steve. Next class with, Professor X."

Steve yawns again, and Loki finds himself holding back one. "Sorry, I'm just so tired."

Natasha leads the way, and Loki maps the course in his head for later use. He doesn't want to become dependent on others to help him to classes when they decide that they don't want to spend time with him any longer. It's best to be prepared.

She looks back at him, raising an eyebrow as if she read his mind, and Loki is almost afraid that she can. She pushes open the door to the third floor and stops at the first door, tapping her foot impatiently. "Barton…"

"Sorry, coming!" Clint appears in the doorway of the classroom, hair disheveled. "You brought Cupcake Satan with you I see."

She gives him a look that Loki grins at before continuing down the hallway.

"So how was psychology?" he asks.

"Terrific," Tony says, and Loki looks back at him and Steve, seeing that Tony is trying to straighten up the collar of Steve's blazer. "Strange is still strange, nothing new."

"Oh, guessing it was fun then."

"Hey, wait up." Bruce walks out of a hallway… corridor V or W. "Going to English with you guys."

"Cool."

They go up another flight of stairs, and Loki is confused, sure that the school was only three floors and the basement. He's sure that they aren't going to have class on the roof… are they? The teachers have all been a little quirky but class on the roof?

She pushes open the door to a hallway or a room to be more technical. It appears to be a lobby of some type, windows on one wall with the covers closed, and the doors on either wall are massive. "To the right is auditorium b and the left is the ballroom. We only use those for assemblies and dances."

Natasha doesn't go for either door like he expects her to. Instead, she leads them across the lobby to a glass door, opening it and revealing stairs.

Loki steps through the door and sees that the stairwell is glass and spans the side of the building. _Absolutely ridiculous, but completely thrilling_, he thinks as he climbs the stairs. He glances down at the cars and the tops of the other buildings. It's madness, the construction of this building, but it's amazing that someone had half the mind to even decide that building a classroom that high would be practical, and to make it even better, add some steps in a glass stairwell.

She stops at the top of the stairs and opens another door, and it reminds him of the halls of a movie theater.

"Unnecessary, isn't it?" Bruce asks him.

Loki nods. "But amazing."

They head to the left, Natasha opening the double doors into a round room that looks a lot like a theater, an actual play theater, stage and all, but the difference is that the stage is in the center. There isn't anything on the stage either, which leaves Loki with the question of where does the teacher sit.

"This is a classroom?" Loki asks.

"No, not technically," Tony says, "but X is pretty much the smartest teacher here, and when he was all, 'I want to teach something new,' they were like, 'What?', and he said, 'English.' He asks for one of the observatories and the board gives him it without thought. Can't say no to X."

"I'm afraid that's false, Mr. Stark, or I would be teaching, much, much farther up into the atmosphere." The man from Professor Lensherr's class steps up onto the stage, hands clasped behind his back, and he's still wearing that sweater.

"You asked for a classroom in space?" Clint asks.

Professor Xavier grins and nods. "Why wouldn't I? SHIELD does have the resources."

"Oh, ambition, Professor X," Stark says. "Wondered why I always liked you."

"Yes, yes, well, thank you," he says. Loki realizes that he's not speaking in an American accent. He sounds English, posh actually. "Please, take a seat somewhere."

Natasha leads them to the first row, and Loki takes a seat next to her, sighing into his seat. He's not quirky, but Loki knows that he saw the way he looked at Professor Lensherr earlier. This class is going to be interesting.

Tony sits down heavily next to him, taking the armrest immediately. "See, this is my favorite class of the day," he says. "It's always unique."

"If you all will take a seat, we will be beginning class in-"

The bell rings.

"Now actually," Professor Xavier says, rubbing his hands together. "Welcome all to English once again. There are a few of you who have undergone schedule changes and others who are new entirely. Hello to all, and may we please begin."

He steps off of the stage and takes a seat next to Clint. "Hello, Mr. Barton."

"Sup, Professor X."

"This year we will be reading _The Great Gatsby_, which is great since there is a movie coming out. We can go to cinema to see it after we finish analyzing the book, of course. This year we will be reading a few books, sorry, but we will also be writing a research paper. Now," he stands up, "we can get straight to business." He starts to walk around the stage. "Can anyone tell me what makes a good murder mystery?"

Loki knows a few things about murder and a few things about mysteries. He's read murder mysteries before, but they're always the same predictable pattern, the person who asks for help solving the murder is the murderer and everyone acts surprised when Loki saw it coming from the second chapter. Perhaps this teacher will have something up those grandfather sweater sleeves of his.

"Yes, Mr. Barton?"

"Well, a good murder mystery has the right amount of murder and the right amount of mystery." Natasha groans next to Loki. "But… it has the elements of a thriller too. Like Sherlock Holmes is a murder mystery or whatever. Law & Order: SVU is usually murder mysteries with rape mysteries mixed in."

Someone giggles, but everyone else is silent and staring at Clint. Loki cannot believe he would think that it'd be remotely smart to even raise his hand if he had something as… trivial to say as that.

Professor Xavier just stares at Clint like he's some wild animal, brows furrowed. "Uh… okay, yeah, that's… Anyone else?"

Tony starts to laugh loudly, slapping his knee. "Professor, you crack me up!"

"Yeah, okay, thank you?" He shakes his head. "Yes, Mr. Richards?"

"Boo!" Tony shouts.

"Tony!" Steve admonishes, slapping him in the arm.

He puts on an innocent face when Professor Xavier glares at him.

"A murder mystery thrives on suspense and unpredictability. The problem with most murder mysteries as of the present is that they are predictable, same Character A comes and says that Character C has been murdered to Character B. Character D looks incredibly suspicious, but we find out that Character A has been the murderer the entire time. There's little to no variety.

"Barton was correct about Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as in it balances the suspense and plot. Each show has some variation of the normal Character D is actually guilty, but they must prove it with concrete evidence. Character A and B usually face their own moral dilemmas and issues with the law as well."

"Very good, Mr. Richards. He is right, but there is one thing missing."

Loki turns around in time to see a shocked expression on Reed's face. Susan is sitting next to him, looking extremely bored at it all.

A row ahead, Von Doom is sitting with the same sharp eyes, but he looks smug this time. He raises his hand. "If I may, the thing Mr. Richards missed was that a good murder mystery has a good murder," he says.

"Yes, correct, Mr. Von Doom. Victor is right. No one wants to read an entire story for the murder to end up simple, do they? Only in certain scenarios that works. Now, for the first week I ask you all to dress as practically as possible. Class is dismissed."

Loki turns to Natasha because he's sure that 50 minutes hasn't passed. "The time?"

"We have over 40 minutes left!" Reed shouts, and Loki hears the anger in his voice. He hasn't gotten over being one-upped yet.

"I know, Mr. Richards," Professor Xavier replies. "I suggest you all use this time wisely. Now, I am going to go get a new cup of tea. You can stay here, but if Fury finds you wondering about the halls, I didn't explicitly say that you were permitted to leave the room."

"Well, that was uneventful," Loki says. He knows that there is some ulterior motive behind Professor Xavier's actions, and he wasn't entirely expecting the class to be some party, but he wasn't expecting a short discussion about murder mysteries either. Professor Xavier has to be planning something.

"Class's always unique. Told you so."

Bruce stands from his chair and comes to stand in front of Loki. "Do you suspect something because I do?"

Natasha nods. "He's planning something clearly. He wouldn't bring up that topic and leave it like that for any other reason than that. He wants us to use this time for something."

"Exactly what I think."

They all turn to see that Victor is leaning against the back of Natasha's chair, craning his head. He's wearing that terribly smug expression as before, but Loki can see the glint of warmth in his eyes. His cheekbones stand out against his face in the light, and Loki's heart flutters. There must be some correlation with this school and attendance of attractive people.

"Doomy," Tony says, grinning. "Nice of you to join us and grace us with your intelligence."

He smiles wryly at Tony. "Hm," is the only thing he replies with, and Loki grins. "As I was saying, I think that you are right, Natasha. It's clear that Xavier wants us to come up with the groundwork for a murder mystery."

Loki stares at Victor because he's clearly brilliant, brilliant in a way different than Reed is, an admirable, non-overbearing way.

Victor looks at them all, but his eyes find Loki's admiring him, and he smiles. Loki feels a satisfied twinge at that, and the thought of whether Victor's even gay comes to mind. He's thinking way too far ahead, but Loki likes to get to the point.

"I'm impressed," he says.

"Psh, not as much as you were when you met me though. This face is the most impressive thing you've seen all day."

"Feel free to keep telling yourself that," he replies, his eyes still on Victor.

Natasha brushes up against his arm, snapping him back to reality, and she gives him a hard look. "You're right. But what exactly does he want? Does he expect something similar to whatever the hell Clint was talking about?"

"Offended, Tasha, so offended."

Victor chuckles. "Funny, but I think he wants what we would call a good murder mystery, not some crime drama."

"Why a murder mystery?" It's the first time Steve has talked in a while, and everyone turns to him. "Why murder? Why so morbid?"

Bucky comes over to them, a blonde girl trailing after him. "I've come to join your group since you guys obviously know a lot more about this than anyone else here."

"Hi, Sharon," Steve says, waving to the blonde.

"Hey, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Victor, Stark, and the new guy! Hey, I'm Sharon Carter, and yes, I am related to Peggy Carter before you ask."

"He hasn't even met Peggy," Bucky says, giving her a look.

"Yeah, sorry, I have no idea who you are talking about." He's not entirely apologetic. He can't control who he meets and doesn't.

"Don't apologize," Victor says, and he's rubbing along the back of his chair. "Never apologize."

Loki just looks at him, about to reply, when he sees the look in his eyes, and he shuts his mouth. If that isn't what Loki wants, then he doesn't know what is.

Tony claps him hard on the back. "Have you met his brother Thor? He's about 6'4", 250, muscles like a friggin Tyrannosaurus Rex."

"That doesn't even make sense," Clint says.

"He's his brother, yeah," Tony says, and Loki rolls his eyes at the threatening undertone there. "You might want to meet him."

"I'm afraid I already have," Victor replies, and there's no fear in his voice. "He's the most amiable person I've met in years. Actually, he told me about you, Loki."

Loki just manages to catch the slight drop in the corners of Tony's and Natasha's mouths.

Steve seems to sense the change in mood because he stands up and goes to stand next to Bruce, his head only clearing his shoulder. "Why does it have to be about murder?"

"It wouldn't be a murder mystery if there wasn't murder in it," Bucky says. "You know how these things are, Steve."

"But-"

"Steve, we're not actually killing anyone."

"I know that, Buck."

"The detective is the murderer," Clint says, holding his hand up as he beams. "How awesome would that be?"

Anything that comes out of Clint's mouth seems to be ridiculous or not germane, but this, this is actually kind of smart. Loki severely underestimated Clint.

"Dude… that's actually kinda cool."

"Cool, Stark, really?" Victor snorts. "That's a stroke of brilliance. Barton, you should learn to use you filter a lot more often. Then ingenious things like that would come out without you putting your foot in your mouth."

"Thanks for the compliment?"

"What have you guys come up with?" It's Susan, and she's standing next to Sharon, arms folded. "Reed and I were wondering."

Loki watches Victor look at her, seeing the underlying _something_ there. "Nothing," he says.

"Victor, we're not planning on stealing anything. We were curious. Really."

Victor licks his lips and grins. "Really," he mocks, and the look he was giving Loki is gone. "What have you come up with?"

Susan flips her hair behind her shoulder. "Well, nothing."

"Get away from here, you idea stealing hussy!" Clint exclaims, jabbing his thumb back to where Reed is sitting. "We aint tellin' you nothin'."

"I see you haven't changed since freshman year, Barton." She turns and leaves.

"That really wasn't necessary at all, Clint," Sharon says, but she's grinning and chuckling.

"I had to make sure that she didn't try and pull her charms here on old Victor like she did back in-"

The bell rings, and everyone leaps to their feet.

"Can you tell me where Earth Science is?" he asks Natasha. He has no idea where he is going from here, and he would rather not take the longest way possible.

"It's-"

"First floor, east wing. It's next to Dr. Lactus's—if you know who that is—room, right before it in the hallway," Victor answers.

Natasha's jaw clenches. "Yeah," she says tightly.

"Slow Poke Johnny Three, come on!" Tony's already at the door.

Loki follows Natasha and doesn't realize that Victor is even there until he glances back to see if anyone is behind him. He gives Victor a small smile and turns around to face the strange looks that he's being given from Tony, Natasha, Bucky, Sharon, Clint, and Bruce. He doesn't need them to try to protect him. He's only known them for a day.

The walk down the stairs is tense, and members of their group begin to drift off to go find their classes until it's only Natasha, Victor, Sharon, and Loki left. Sharon's the only one talking, and she's talking to Natasha, so Loki's left between a tense Natasha and Victor, who is obviously the source of her tension. He needs to figure out why they are so wary if him in the first place.

"None of us have a class around there, Loki, so are you able to find you way there, or…?"

"It's fine," Victor says. "I'll walk with him just in case."

Natasha stares at him, and Loki's surprised that Victor doesn't completely disintegrate under that glare. The hate is practically visible. "Okay," she says. "See you at the end of the day, Loki."

The two of them turn into the next hallway, and Victor begins to talk, the tense air gone.

"Your step-brother is truly a one of a kind person," he says. "I cannot believe how he handled all of the female attention he got at lunch. They flocked to him in droves yet he dismissed them politely and sat with his friends."

Loki doesn't know how to react to that piece of information, and he doesn't know what Victor wants him to do with it. "A product of amazing evolution, is he."

Victor laughs. "He is. And he was right about you."

"He was?" Loki lifts an eyebrow and glances at Victor. "Seriously?"

"Yes, he said you were the most interesting person he'd ever met. And here's your class."

Loki turns to Victor, and he isn't completely sure what the protocol for these types of things is. He's had friends but never friends he's been romantically interested in. His romantic interests were always separate. He settles for a nod and a half-smile. "Thank you for walking with me. You really didn't have to."

"My pleasure," he replies. "See you around."

Loki steps into the classroom and is stricken by the abundance of sunlight coming in from the glass ceiling.

A woman with long white hair stands behind a desk, plants decorating the surface. She turns to him, and she's the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eyes upon. Perhaps it's the contrast between her olive skin and hair, but even her facial features are amazing. She's one of the kinds of women that every straight man, even those with types, is attracted to. "Mr. Laufeyson," she says, grinning a dazzling smile, "come in, come in."

He steps up to her desk and can't stop staring at her. She's impossibly radiant.

"I'm Mrs. Munroe, and I'm your Earth Science teacher. I'm assuming you signed up for this class like the rest of your classmates."

He nods. Back in Sweden, he signed up for a biology class again, but here, they didn't have an elective biology class. His mother signed him up for the next best thing, Earth Science.

"We're only discussing the environment portion of this course now, so you haven't missed much. Um"—she grins sheepishly as she thinks—"we're doing a partner project about weather patterns in the city and its effects this month, so you've been partnered up with no other than-"

"I'm sorry, Madame, if I am tardy." Thor's in the doorway, and he hasn't seen Loki yet since he doesn't have his 100 kilowatt smile on. He looks up, and Loki sees exactly when it registers. "Loki, I had no knowledge that you were in this class in this period as well."

"-Thor," she finishes and greets in one word, one name. "I was telling your step-brother that the two of you were partnered up for an upcoming project."

"Swell," he says as he claps Loki on the back. "I do not have enough classes with him."

Loki disagrees… vehemently. He sees enough Thor in the day, alright. He sees him at home!

"You two can take a seat at the empty table right between Scott Summers and Bobby Drake."

As they make their way to the table, Loki sees the smile, the 100 kilowatt smile, on Thor's face, and he can feel his eyes on him as he tries to keep his expression neutral. Thor's naturally intuitive, he's learned, so he tries to keep himself as calm as possible. If he rises to the bait Thor unknowingly placed, he'll lose this "game."

Loki has no idea who Scott Summers or Bobby Drake is, so he lets Thor sit down at the table first. He takes his seat next to him and does his best to ignore how Thor's eyes keep darting over to him like he wants to say something but doesn't know what to say.

"So, how has your day been?" he finally asks, and Loki is relieved he's gotten it over with.

"You mean since I've last seen you a period ago?" He looks at Thor and smirks. "Fine. I heard you were talking about me to one of your new friends, Victor von Doom."

"Von Doom? You do have a class with him?" Loki nods. "Yes, I told him to look for you. He's a fine person."

Thor doesn't know the implications of those words where Loki is involved, and his smirk deepens.

"Yes, he is," he says, not bothering to hide the undertones there.

Thor's eyebrows raise, and he turns to say something, but the boy in the next desk over with red sunglasses on is tapping the desk.

"Yes?" Loki says.

"I'm Scott Summers," he says, and he points to the red-haired girl next to him. It's the same girl from Loki's gym class. "This is Jean Grey."

"Hi, s'nice seeing you again," she says, flashing him a grin. "He's in my gym class. James's dubbed him Chef like the Sesame Street guy."

Scott makes a face and turns his attention to Thor. "It's nice seeing you again, Thor," Scott says, nodding him a greeting.

"And you as well, Scott."

"If everyone will please turn their attention upward, I would like you all to begin working on your warm-up activities. Document and make observations of this developing rain cloud above us, and when you're finished, we'll share our findings."

"Is this a group activity?" a dark-haired boy asks, gesturing to them empty seat beside him. "If it is, I'm asking if I can move since-"

"I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!" Johnny steps through the doorway holding his hands up defensively. "I totally got sidetracked on the way here, and some nerd dropped his books, so I had to help him pick them up-"

"Mr. Storm, please go take your seat," she says, and Loki happens to see the cloud above darken as if she has control over it. "Billy, please explain to Johnny what our warm up is about."

Billy—the boy that Altman said he dated earlier—groans as if he doesn't want Johnny there. Loki doesn't blame him.

Thor pushes his tablet to the center of the table, pushing the home button and unlocking it, revealing the home screen which isn't the SHIELD logo, but instead, a cat hugging a rabbit surrounded by grass.

Loki looks up at him and begins to laugh. "Cute," he says.

Thor grins back at him, clearly having expected him to make fun of him. Loki's unpredictable. "I agree."

He leans back in his chair to look at the sky. "Thor, write what I dictate to you. Bullet it like notes." He glances down to make sure is listening to him and receives a nod. "Good. Cumulonimbus cloud with a grayish tinge to it. The peaks of the cloud appear to be-" He cuts himself off to look down at Thor and make sure he is actually listening.

Thor looks up at him, eyes wide and innocent, and Loki rolls his eyes out of habit. "Why did you stop talking?"

He shakes his head and looks back up. He's utterly clueless about what Loki thinks of him. He's known him for a small amount of time, and in that time, he has learned enough to come to the conclusion that Thor can get thoroughly distracted if something interests him enough. For some odd reason, Loki interests him, and it's not vanity—maybe it partially is—it's observation.

"Er, the cloud is advancing across the sky rapidly," he says. "The surrounding clouds are starting to resemble the main cloud. I think that's all really. There's not much else to say. Tell me what you have written."

Thor runs a hand across his brow, and Loki notes that it's something he does when he's anxious. "'Cumulonimbus cloud with a grayish tinge. Cloud peaks…' Wait, I had to cross that out after you quit talking." He glances up at Loki, and Loki scoffs. "'Cloud advances across sky rapidly. Surrounding clouds starting to resemble main cloud.' That's all I have written."

He has to admit that Thor isn't _that_ bad when he cooperates and does exactly what Loki tells him to do. "Good," he says. "We're finished then."

"You paid a lot of attention in environmental science," Thor says, leaning on his hand and looking up at Loki. Only when he's sitting does Loki get the chance to tower over Thor. "I hardly remember the names."

"Well, there wasn't much else to do, was there?"

"Has everyone got their notes?" Mrs. Munroe asks. She looks around the class room and smiles. "Good, we're running efficiently today. Who would like to go first?"

Of course Thor raises his hand, and if Loki cared more what others thought and got "stage fright," he'd been done for. Luckily, Loki knows nothing much about these people, and the only person he remotely has to care about is Thor.

"Go ahead, Thor."

"Loki," Thor says, nudging him and sliding the tablet into his hands.

Loki reacts instantly, taking it into his hands and reciting what it says. When he finishes, he looks up from the tablet, confused at all of the looks he's being given. What did he say?

He looks to Mrs. Munroe and finds her positively glowing, and the light from above is brighter as well. "Wow, Loki, that was excellent," she says. "You even know your vocabulary. This project is sure to be a snap."

He purses his lips and straightens up in his chair. He's allowed to feel proud of himself for being so observant, and he hopes that they all see his pride. He doesn't need _their_ praise to feel good.

"You are the most interesting person I've ever met, Loki," Thor whispers, smiling a more subdued version of his normal smile.

Loki only looks at him for a few moments, turning away before he can allow himself to show anything in his eyes.

"Who's next? Alright, Bobby."

The rest of the descriptions are basic, basic vocabulary and basic grammar even for notes. Unashamedly, he smirks as each one of his classmates read their descriptions aloud sheepishly, knowing that Loki and Thor's description is unattainable for any of them. If Richards or Banner were in the class, then Loki would possibly have a problem, but these are mostly average grade twelves.

"Thank you everyone for putting your best foot forward today," she says, "but I have to say that one of you definitely shined the most. If we were in a public school, I'd have to tell you that you all did amazing jobs, but here I am only contractually bound to not totally humiliate any of you. I have to say that there was not a worst, which is a great start. Now that we have classmates who have demonstrated their aptitude for weather patterns, we can utilize them as examples and assistants.

"Today, I would like you to find your partner and begin discussion on your project. You'll have to choose a place in the city where you will base your report on, and I highly suggest you use Google maps, no matter how much Anthony Stark insists that the only map app we need is one that provides only directions and food services. When the bell rings, you're all free to go."

"Central Park," Thor says, staring at Loki so intensely that Loki almost looks away, and he'll be damned if he loses to Thor. "Central Park is perfect for this project, brother."

_There goes that word again_. Loki grits his teeth and turns away from Thor, staring at the back of some kid he doesn't-know-or-care-to-know's head. "Excellent," he says, the word hissing between his teeth.

"In every movie set here, they go to Central Park, and I've always wanted to go. There's wildlife, dogs, hot dogs, and pigeons. What more could a man ask for?"

The corners of his mouth upturn at Thor's simple-mindedness, and instead of annoying, it's endearing… extremely endearing. "You want to choose Central Park, so we can get out of school and eat hot dogs while we look at wildlife?"

"When you put it like that—yes, Loki, that's exactly what I intend."

"At least you're honest." Loki shrugs. "The wildlife does seem fun. This has to be related to the weather. 'How does the weather affect the wildlife in Central Park?' We could go and find out how."

"Yes, you see reason!" Thor touches his forearm, sending lightning bolts up his arm, and Loki is startled until he realizes that Thor shocked him. It must be the static from that shirt rubbing up against his body all day.

He moves his arm away slightly to deflect the thoughts and what comes after the thoughts. "I always see reason, Thor. You just lack the observance to notice."

Thor guffaws. "I am observant! The object of my observation differs from yours on many occasions."

"Tell yourself that if it helps you sleep at night."

He's giving Loki that look again, the one that is skepticism and something else mixed. "Dogs, Loki. We will get to see adorable dogs."

Thor's like Steve in the way that he knows when to change the topic, and Loki wishes that he had the same ability in the past. He could have avoided many awkward encounters if he knew when to drop the subject, but confrontation was his thing, the thing that made him, him.

"I had a dog," Thor says. "He was a-"

"Golden retriever?" Loki asks, and he is hoping to the gods that the answer is no because he does not want to lose his composure in front of everyone like this.

"No," Thor replies, eyebrow cocked, "it was a Great Dane. Father brought him before I was born. As big as a horse really." He smiles fondly. "I used to run with him in the mornings. He'd wake me up from my sleep with a paw, and those paws were quite heavy. I was afraid of getting slapped by him when I was younger, but he was always quite docile with me. Quite protective, too. He outran me for years, all the way up until the end really." He stops and looks away from Loki, and Loki's heart gives pause at the sight of radiant Thor… not radiant.

He takes the natural course of action. Letting Thor brood will accomplish nothing. "What was his name?"

Thor still glances down at the table, but replies, "Slepnir."

The mask, the façade of Loki that handles all of the "PR" decides that touching Thor's shoulder is a good idea, and he touches him gently, offering him what he hopes is a sympathetic look. "I had pets," he replies. "A turtle when I was four. My mother still claims to this day that he ran away, and I'm imagining things. For a short while, I had a rabbit, but we had to get rid of it. Pooped everywhere and the six-year-old me was not thrilled with trailing after if like some kind of maid."

Thor chuckles, and thank the gods, some of the radiance comes back. "How are you so responsible now, then?"

"I grew up."

Their eyes meet for a second, no words leaving either of their mouths, and Thor's mouth opens just as the bell rings overhead.

Loki stands up, careful not to make eye contact with Thor. His instincts are telling him to get as far away from Thor as possibly, so he does, leaving the classroom as fast as he can, not looking back to see if Thor is following him or not. By the time he nears the gym, he's almost in a jog, and he rounds the corner as fast as he can.

He stops and presses himself against the wall in what looks like Corridor C and lets out a relieved breath. On his schedule it only says 'Free Period,' so he has no idea where he is supposed to go or do.

Free period back home simply meant that the students were free to do whatever activity they wanted, and Loki's learned enough that things don't translate as well over the America. He's unsure of whether he's allowed to find some random activity or if he's scheduled for a specific one.

"Loki!"

Relief floods his veins at the sight of Bruce coming around the corner, a bag slung over his shoulders and crossing his midsection. He's carrying a white laboratory coat over his arm.

"Bruce," he says, pushing away from the wall, "you don't know how relieved I am to see you."

Bruce smiles, and Loki falls into step beside him. "I'm guessing you have no idea where you're supposed to go this period, right?"

"Yes, precisely."

"I hate to say this, but free period' is exactly like it's written. God, that sounded so teacher-like, didn't it?" Bruce runs a hand through his hair. "This is the period where you can do whatever you want. Me, I go find Reed and Hank and do something scientific with them. Steve, he's always gone to band with Tony-"

"Band with Tony?" Loki starts to chuckle. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope," Bruce replies. "Natasha and Clint go to the gym and play dodge ball sometimes. Other times they will go to one of the labs and play in the StarCraft tournaments. Clint's pretty good at archery too, so he'll go to one of the training rooms downstairs sometimes. When Reed gets in his moods, I head up to one of the observatories with Hank and Betty."

They stop in the middle of the hallway, turning to each other.

"Gwen Stacy—don't know if you know her, but she's in our English class—and Pepper work on the school newsletter. Peter Parker is in the photography club, and they help out the newsletter. Jose and Amadeus run this little club called the 'Immersion' Team, which is really just an extreme debate/mathlete team where they talk about patterns and correlations. It's not for anyone who likes their sanity. Tony tries it every once in a while, and always quits after a few days. Professor Xavier and Miss Darkholme run the drama club this period, too. Mary Jane usually gets the lead."

"Where is the school newsletter?" Loki asks. It's the least insane thing that Bruce talked about. There's no way that he's going near the 'Immersion' Team while he values his version of normality.

"Ah, so you settle for the closest thing to normal. Smart," he says. "Head down this hallway, and go to Corridor A. It's labeled 'Newsletter' on the little plaque, so you can't miss it. It'll be on your left."

"Thanks, Bruce, I appreciate your help," he says.

"Anytime."

He walks through the quiet corridor feeling strangely alone even if he knows that the rooms around him are teeming with students, and the shock of the entrance hall being so crowded strikes him. There are students standing around, and as he passes, he feels their eyes on him. He turns to flash them a reassuring smile, but sees that none of the students are smiling, all of them looking grim faced.

He enters Corridor A and finds that the room is the second door. It's open, so he goes in without bothering to knock.

A blonde girl is sitting on a desk in the middle of the room, her legs crossed in an effort to preserve whatever modesty she has left since her skirt is barely mid-thigh length. She is talking to a boy, tapping a pen on her lip, and looks up when he gestures to the doorway. She stares at Loki for a moment, her eyes wide, and she looks down at herself as if she spilled something before slipping off the desk. "Uh… hello?"

She covers the distance between them, fumbling with the hem of her skirt the entire way, and she smiles at him. She stops and looks up at Loki, her green eyes wide, and Loki feels incredibly strange with her so close. It's almost uncomfortable. "I'm Gwen Stacy," she says, taking his hand and shaking it gently. "You're the new guy I've heard so much about, Loki."

He nods even if it wasn't a question. "Yes, Loki Laufeyson," he says. "I was told that this was newsletter, so I-"

"No, no, it's fine. We'll be happy to have you," she says quickly. "I mean, you're… You'll be quite the asset here."

He looks around the room and sees a doorway on the wall that leads to another room. There are cubicles lining one of the walls and a long wall-length table covered with paper and other utensils on the back wall beneath a large window. It looks a lot like a newsroom.

"Thank you," he says.

"So, would you like me to introduce you to anyone-?"

"Oh, Loki, hi!" Pepper comes from the other room and practically runs over to them. "You're here. You're doing newsletter?"

"You know him?" Gwen asks, and her brows furrow. The raspy quality of her voice sticks out against the words as if she's not thrilled to say them.

"Yeah, he's Tony's new BFF behind Steve and Rhodey and me."

"Wow, you've made friends with the resident playboy," Gwen says.

He chuckles and nods. "Yes, I have met Tony Stark."

"Great, right?" Gwen touches his arm, and Loki lifts an eyebrow. She's definitely more physical with him than most of the people he's met today. Maybe she's just a physical person? She turns around and goes to sit back on the desk, and he follows her. Leaning back on her hands, she crosses her legs, keeping eye contact as she does, and Loki gulps, feeling very awkward. "This week we've been getting back into the swing of things, so there's not much, but Pep and I've been putting together daily issues to send out through the school app. We only have basic things down like what's for lunch and what projects are due.

"The boy that was in here is Ben Urich. He's a reporter," she says. "You're smart, or so I've heard, so I hope you don't mind, but I plan to utilize you and your charm for reporting."

Loki shifts around under her gaze which is definitely an attempt to seduce Loki, but he's not feeling seduced. She doesn't see that he's not interested in her specifically because she's a female, and he has no interest in females… at all.

"Today, we're not really doing anything just pitching ideas. There are a few reporters out around the school asking questions for our yearly 'Student to Look Out For' profile." Gwen frowns. "Is it bad that I think I should be asking you those questions right now? Because I totally want to. You're someone to watch out for, definitely, so do you mind if I…?"

"Gwen, he works for the newspaper. That's like profiling you as the student to look out for," Pepper says, and Loki is thankful for her presence. If she leaves, he's afraid that Gwen won't wait a minute to ask him out on a date, and he wants to keep this as strictly professional as he can.

She sighs. "You're right, darn it. That would have been one hell of an issue, wouldn't it?"

He only nods, not entirely sure of what she wants him to say. He doesn't want everyone to know little tidbits about him from some article in the school newspaper. He's not a public figure for people to admire.

"Um, am I needed today?" Peter is standing in the doorway, his hand raised in a fist as if he's about to knock, and there's a camera around his neck.

Gwen's expression changes, and her jaw sets in an angry way. "No, actually, you're not."

Peter raises his eyebrows at her but seems to notice Loki there, and he looks him up and down. "You're on the newspaper now, Loki?"

"Actually, yes, he is," Gwen says. "I think he's going to be the best reporter we've ever had."

Loki's being roped into this love—what is it, a rectangle now?—rectangle even if he just wants to find something to do with his free period. It's his first day of school, and he somehow finds trouble.

Peter smiles. "Eh, I actually believe you," he says. "He's smart." He winks at Loki. "Since I'm not needed, I'm heading up to the auditorium to find out what they're doing in drama club…"

She flicks her bangs out of her face. "Mary Jane will get the lead again I bet."

"No one else tries out for it anymore," Pepper says. "Of course she will."

Loki wanders into the other room as they bad mouth Mary Jane, not wanting to hear anything that will end up making him an accessory to whatever animosity between them. The other room is larger, a large wooden table in the center. The walls are covered with newspapers, headlines declaring awards that SHIELD students were given, and there's one that catches Loki's eye "Stark Wins Prize!," and below there's a picture of a mustached man holding an award and smiling, definitely not Tony but somehow related.

"That's Tony's father," Pepper says from behind him. "Good Howard Stark changed the world."

"I've never heard of him," he replies. "I've never heard of 'Stark Industries' before today either."

"I think Tony's glad you haven't," she says. "He's been through the friends for his money thing many times."

Loki laughs because he originally had no intention of befriending Tony Stark. "I didn't even want to meet him. I only knew that he was a pompous jerk according to many sources. I could care less about what money he has or doesn't have. I hardly know him."

"Well, I've known Tony and James since middle school, so I can tell you that it does get better. Tony's not always so…."

"Abrasive? Immature? Melodramatic?"

"Yeah, those."

He turns around to face her, leaning against the wall. For once, she looks like she's not about to explode. "Tony and Steve, is there something I should-"

"What are you two talking about?" Gwen asks as she comes through the doorway. "Oh, you were looking at the newspapers?"

It's so much for learning about the extent of Tony and Steve's relationship. There's probably no point in even trying when he can just observe them himself.

"Those are all old ones from the years. SHIELD's been around since the sixties, so they're tons of them. The ones that have won our student writers and reporters awards are the ones you're seeing."

Loki doesn't know what SHIELD does to attract so many intelligent students or if it's merely a product of their curriculum. Everyone he's encountered today has demonstrated some intelligence, or been in a class that required some. He's usually the smartest person in the room. Here, he's just another brick in the wall. He's unsure of whether he's okay with that or slightly disappointed.

"The New York Times always tries to come here and recruit students about to graduate," Pepper says. "They only succeeded once, and he left after a month for the Daily Globe."

The bell rings overhead, and Gwen grabs a bag from the back of a chair, turning to Loki with a smile. "Where's your locker? I mean, I could walk you there if you want."

"No, I'll be fine," he replies as he goes to the door. He would rather avoid spending alone time with her if he can. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

She grins and nods. "Of course…"

For the first time today, the halls are filled with people racing around. The sheer amount of students he's never seen is astounding. He's had to have met an upwards of 50 people, and yet there are so many he hasn't met.

He uses his height and flexibility to make it through the rush of students, towering over most of their heads as he walks down the hall. None of them pay him much attention, murmuring to themselves or to a companion, and he's thankful.

He opens his locker and slides his tablet inside just in time to hear the familiar footfalls of Thor heading in his direction. He turns and sees Thor weaving through the rush of students.

A boy opens the locker next to him swiftly, jamming an entire canvas bag inside. He catches Loki looking at him and cocks his head to the side. "Haven't seen you around here before?"

"Loki Laufeyson," he says, nodding his head in acknowledgement. If he can help it, he'd rather avoid shaking anymore hands. "I'm a transfer student."

The boy's hair is wavy and messy, coordinating with his messy overall appearance, a worn vinyl jacket in his hands and wrinkled jeans on his legs. He shrugs off his blazer and puts it inside his locker, shutting it. "'M Rick Jones," he replies. "Tenth grader."

"Loki," Thor says as he reaches the two of them. Loki watches him glance at Rick, raising an eyebrow. "And you are…?"

"Rick Jones," he says as he leans on his locker.

"Thor Odinson," Thor says, shaking his hand. Loki doesn't miss the slight tension in the motion. "Are you ready to go home?"

Loki nods because he's been waiting for a chance to be alone as in actually alone by himself for the entire day. "Nice meeting you," he says to Rick before he starts to walk down the hallway.

"You too."

Thor's at his side in an instant, his bulk making Loki feel small as he usually does. His height wasn't as much of a rarity back home, but here, it's abnormal. Thor's even more abnormal in the height department.

They leave the building in silence, Thor rushing forward to open the doors for Loki, and Loki almost says something but sees the indifference in Thor's eyes, not realizing what he's done. It's probably a natural instinct, Loki decides.

"Bye, Loki," Mary Jane says as she passes them with Peter in tow. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you," Peter adds.

"Loki, did you get everywhere fine?" Natasha asks, walking up to them with Clint in tow.

"Yes," he replies. "See you tomorrow."

"_A__djö_," she says, and her accent is perfect. She winks as she grabs Clint's forearm and pulls him down the stairs.

Natasha speaks Swedish, and somehow it doesn't surprise him at all. There was something about her that he saw, and he's still wary of her. Now he has more of a reason than before, and it's almost thrilling. He enjoys knowing her although it's only been a day.

"I see you've made many comrades," Thor says as he hails a cab with the same ease as he had in the morning. Loki pointedly walks around the cab to open his own door when it stops.

"Yes, people seem to think I'm interesting."

"Then they see the same thing that I do."

"Maybe," he replies, turning to look out the window. There are students carrying their SHIELD blazers over their shoulders and arms walking down the sidewalks, their street clothes wildly different. "You've made some friends of your own."

"I have. Luke Cage and I are going to forge a great friendship."

"He's in my gym class. He's rather large for his age."

Thor chuckles. "And I am not?"

He turns to roll his eyes at Thor. He's goading him. "For an American, yes, he is. You're Swedish. Your physique is not a rarity home."

"Home. Home is here now, Loki."

It burns him so much. It burns him how predictable of a thing it is for him to say, and Loki just dies to laugh at how simple it is. It's so simplistic and somehow so true. His home is there now, and it's the truth.

"You're right." He climbs out of the cab and slams the door hard, taking out all of his pent up rage on it. "This," he says, gesturing to the house in front of them, "is our home."

He narrowly manages to open the front door, his hands trembling with rage.

"Loki, wait-"

He takes the stairs three at a time, reaching his room in a blur. He locks his door as the footsteps echo outside on the floorboards and turns his back to it, letting himself fall to his knees.

"I never asked for this," he says, more to himself than Thor. He hates it all. He hates that he was never asked whether he wanted to leave his old home for this new home. He hates that he was never asked if he wanted a new family, given one without any warning. He was fine being Loki Laufeyson, the lonely loser who liked boys and knew too much. It was all fine with him, and his mother just had to fall in love with Odin of all people! Odin who has a son who is too happy and too optimistic and too _nice_!

He never asked for much as a child, maybe only for Christer Sarsgaard to happen to slip on some ice and snap his neck or for Erland Eriksson to come out as the homosexual Loki knew he was. It's not like he got those things either. The gods weren't as generous to Loki as they were to some, and he's fine with that. The person he is, is the person he's chosen to be. He just wanted some stability until he was old enough to go find his own way. Even that was too much to ask for.

"Loki, I understand that you've been having a hard time-"

"I'm not having any time at all, Thor!" he shouts. "I'm fine! Please, go find something else to do."

There's a sigh. "Loki, I'm going to go and make a snack. You are free to come down and eat it." Then there's a few fading footsteps, and Loki is alone on the second floor.

He's never liked talking about his feelings with other people, and he plans on keeping it that way. Thor's niceness will not change anything.

Gathering his wits about him, he stands up from the ground and takes a deep breath. He stands against the door for a few minutes, his eyes closed as he repeats a mantra inside his head. He'd do some meditation, but he knows that the thought of a forlorn Thor will keep coming across his mind. If he just gets it over with, he will be able to focus later.

Thor's in the kitchen as he said he would be, sitting on a stool and consuming a salad, his eyes flickering up to Loki.

Loki grabs a plate and sits on the opposite side of the island, pulling the salad bowl toward him.

Sitting with Thor, a Norse god with ocean eyes, on afternoons is going to become Loki's life—is his life as of now. Acceptance is the next step.

"How did you meet Jane?" he asks, breaking the silence. He knows if he lets Thor talk first, it'll be small talk, making Loki feel even worse than he already does.

Thor's eyes light up, and there's a tightening in Loki's gut at the fact that her name is what caused it. "Oh, Lady Jane? She's in my second class Biology," he says and proceeds to go on about everything that she told him at an absurd length, and Loki finds himself not listening to the words themselves, only the tones of voice Thor uses when saying them or his facial expressions. He has no intention of befriending this Jane Foster, but he wants to know Thor's intentions. So far, he's gotten that Thor is deeply fascinated by her. Thor's fascinated by Loki, too.

Somehow Thor's learned her birthday, favorite color, and hometown within the span of the day, and Loki wonders if Thor knows any of those things about him but realizes that he shouldn't care if Thor does. He shouldn't care if Thor cares about Jane either.

It's only fair since he _does not_ care about Thor. Nope, he really doesn't.

He _does_ only care about the responsibility that Thor comes with, not about the personality and, uh, body that come with it.

At dinner that night, he prods at his food and only half-listens for the questions that his mother and Odin ask about their day at school. Thor dominates the conversation, picking up the half that Loki leaves with is silence, and Loki doesn't mind it at all.

His mother pretends to be relaxed about everything, but Loki sees the slight fidgeting movements of hers that betray how she really feels, scared and worried about Loki. He hides his disapproval with her as much as he can, eating when the urge to break up the happy talk with the truth of how he feels about this entire day becomes too strong. He somehow manages to keep his feelings in until he's excused to his room, taking the stairs three at a time as he did before.

He shoves off his clothes angrily and throws them in a pile for his mother to clean up—he'll probably end up picking them up tomorrow morning himself—getting underneath the covers and pulling them up over his eyes to black out everything else.

It's a childish thing to do, but Loki doesn't care. They deserve his childish actions for everything.

He only needs to find something amiss in his bedroom for the true childishness to come out.

He uses the silence to think about his day or more accurately, the people he met.

He categorizes them in his mind: _funny, strange, serious, pompous, intelligent, daft, annoying_ and finds that many of them fit into more than one category, sometimes three of them. He's not one for liking two-dimensional people, but he doesn't like unnecessarily complex people either like Natasha because they're tricky to understand. It's probably how people feel about him, but his complexity comes from life experience. Perhaps Natasha's is the same.

Then there are people like Johnny Storm who proved himself to be nothing more than another unwarranted cocky person on the long list that Loki's had the "joy" to encounter during his days on this earth. He's a lot like the kids Loki had problems with in his early youth, boys who thought that they were invincible for some totally unrelated reason and treated others accordingly. The difference is that Loki knows how to handle his type.

Victor von Doom, on the other hand, is the kind of person that Loki likes, the handsome genius with wit and confidence. He's what Loki likes in himself, and there's a saying that someone likes someone like themselves. It could be correct.

He closes his eyes and pictures the dark, full head of hair and the smirk…the twinkling blue eyes so full of amusement and naivety that Loki is so afraid to corrupt yet so eager to all in one-

He opens his eyes, frowning deeply. If he can't have a clear waking mind, he's going to sleep. He turns over and thinks of nothing but the broad expanse of nothingness that he usually dreams of.

Thor wakes Loki up again in the morning, shaking his arm gently before yanking the blanket and exposing him to the cool air. He doesn't say good morning or anything, just leaves, and Loki groggily wonders what's gotten into him.

In the shower, he refrains from jacking off because he doesn't trust his mind not to betray him and conjure up images of _him_ in place of someone else. His shower is faster than usual and getting dressed is a hassle with the hard-on in his pants. He wills it to go away, but he finds himself descending the stairs in an awkward way, thinking of anything that will make it soften.

Eating is as much of a hassle too with Thor staring his back down but not saying anything to Loki. It's probably his attempt at giving Loki the space that he thinks he needs, but Loki doesn't need space. What he needs, he won't get, so there's no point in even dwelling on it.

He turns and catches a glimpse of Thor's chosen attire, another one of his ridiculously tight shirts, this one deep red, and it does nothing for the situation in Loki's pants, if not making it worse.

He looks up and catches Thor looking at him, offering him a reassuring smile that he's fine only to take the attention off everything below the neck. He doesn't need Thor to see that, and thanks the stars when Thor smiles back, surprise in his eyes.

"Ready to go?" Loki asks as he shuffles out of the kitchen. His erection has subsided for whatever reason, but Loki doesn't question it. He heads out of the house, Thor on his heels, and allows himself to relax.

Thor hails the cab, and they head out for school, silent during the ride.

They arrive fairly early, and the hallways are mostly empty. Thor walks Loki to his locker, waving to the occasional teacher that Loki doesn't recognize, and he stands there leaning against Rick's locker as Loki grabs his tablet.

He doesn't bother questioning Thor because he knows that they're walking on thin ice here, and any of his actions could mean that Thor will just give up and back off, which is what Loki thought he wanted, but he actually wants Thor to _like_ his company. Yes, yes, he knows how strange it is, but Loki is strange.

He follows Thor down corridor D where his locker is. It's feels like proper thing to do, so he just goes with it, and Thor gives him a small smile for it.

As Thor closes his locker, Loki catches Steve and Tony walking in their direction out of the corner of his eye and grimaces, knowing what's coming next.

"Loki!" Tony shouts, saying the last syllable like "Kay." "Nice to see you in this fine morning."

He turns slowly and smiles at Steve, who predictably didn't shout his name in the quiet of the hallway and disrupt the calm. "Steve, Tony." He inclines his head slightly.

"Thor, my Norse buddy!" Tony goes up to Thor and hugs him, and Thor's expression looks amused. "How's the whole lightning thing going?"

"Um, fine, Tony. How's your morning?"

"Good. Thanks for asking, my dude."

Steve stops next to Loki, rolling his eyes at Tony. "Good morning, Loki. I hope that Tony didn't ruin it for you."

"Watch that mouth, Steven. Tony Stark does not ruin things."

"No, he didn't. I don't think that's quite possible." His erection went down on the cab ride there, and he feels more comfortable in his skin, knowing what to expect today. "Care to walk to class together?"

Steve lights up at that, and Loki's satisfied. "Sure. Bye, Tony and Thor."

Loki nods a goodbye to the both of them. "Why's Tony here in the morning?" he asks. He was sure that Tony and a few of the other boys went somewhere for that project that Reed was bragging about.

"He drives me here first," Steve replies, shaking his head. "He has done it since he could drive and even before..."

Dr. McCoy greets them as they take their seats toward the back of the classroom.

Calculus is average, the teacher discussing his time writing his dissertation for his Ph.D., and Loki thinks that he's a bit overqualified to be a teacher even in his young age. He underestimated Dr. McCoy heavily, and he vows to never do the same to any other teacher at this school.

He sees Natasha in the hallway on his way to French, and the two of them walk together. He's slightly more adjusted to her height, or lack of, and slightly relaxes around her, the weariness still there at the back of his mind. He doesn't mind the steady line of words coming from her mouth as she discusses a book that she's interested in reading and realizes that none of his friends do seem to be fans of small talk either.

Yes, Natasha is his friend, he realizes as he takes his seat next to her in class. He doesn't hate her company and thinks he'll come to enjoy it in the near future. It's not warm nor is it cold, it's perfectly neutral, and Loki likes that.

He walks into Chemistry, nodding Professor Lensherr a greeting and tries to restrain the moan he wants to give at the sight of him alternate biting the lid of his pen and tapping it against his lips. It's a sight that would make the most celibate man fall to his knees, and Loki's strongly thankful that he's not celibate. But Professor Lensherr _is_ a teacher, so that is definitely a relationship that will be making very little advancement.

Bruce smiles at him as he takes his seat and greets him. He launches into a conversation about some program he saw last night about animals and nuclear exposure, and Loki wonders how he knows that he even has interest in animals, but it's Bruce, and he is one of the many geniuses that Loki's met. Loki replies with his concerns about the affect the exposure could have on animals, and Bruce responds with some half-genuine agreement about the topic. Loki doesn't say anything about Bruce not actually caring about the animals involved, only the scientific findings that will come from it.

Professor Lensherr asks them to turn their attention to the projection on the board, and the entire class goes on about Carbon and everything involving it, and Loki has to stop himself from leaning on his arm and staring at him like a teenaged girl with a crush because that is the extent of his interest. He's infatuated with a very attractive and intelligent man is all.

Loki and Bruce stop at Loki's locker to grab the SHIELD-issued gym bag that somehow made its way there after the morning and head to gym. They get changed, and Loki keeps his eyes on his feet as Harry changes a little too close next to him, saying things with obvious innuendos, and Bruce rolls his eyes when Harry accidentally pulls down his underwear, giving Loki a too close look at his ass. Loki has to admit that it's a nice, albeit pale one, but he only finishes putting on his gym uniform, which is just navy pants and a grey t-shirt with the SHIELD logo.

Coach Logan is in an especially bad mood and tries to taunt Loki but fails when Loki just stares at him and replies, "Present."

They jog a twenty laps, Harry trying to talk to Mary Jane about their "not-date" last night, and Bruce talks to Loki about the radiation-exposed animals more. Loki tries to not call Bruce out on his blasé approach to the dying animals, but ends up telling him that he's making his nonchalance obvious, Bruce turning pink.

Ancient History is the same as yesterday, Loki raising his hands when he knows the answers and Tony making comments.

It's after Ancient History when Loki decides that the day is going to be fairly good.

Tony stops them and makes them stand against a wall to "lounge like cool cats and wait for Thor."

Loki doesn't even bother protesting. There's no point in avoiding Thor anyway. He's stuck with him whether he likes it or not.

"Loki," Thor says as walks toward them, hair flowing. "Hello, Steve, Tony."

"Thunder," Tony replies.

"Hello, Thor."

Loki doesn't reply with a greeting, only stares at him. Thor's known him for long enough to catch on that Loki isn't going to reply with a "hey" or a "hi" like a bashful schoolgirl. He may have school girl tendencies, but he doesn't have to succumb to them. It's only the crush on the teacher thing that makes him schoolgirl-ish.

"Are you headed to lunch?" he asks.

"Yup," Tony says, and Loki notices that he's a lot more subdued than yesterday.

"Good, I underwent a schedule change," he says. "I have lunch with you now."

It turns out that the day isn't going to be anything but tiring.

Tony grins and slaps Thor on the shoulder. "Awesome. Sitting with us then."

Loki turns and starts to walk toward the lunch room without waiting to see if they're following him. He did not sign up for this, he reminds himself but remembers that it doesn't even matter. "Stuck," he mumbles to himself, clenching his fists so hard his nails are digging into his palms.

He descends the stairs, taking three at a time, and passes the awaiting Clint, Bruce, and Natasha, heading straight into the lunch room without even paying them heed. He does not want to talk to anymore for a few moments. He has to calm himself down before he has some kind of breakdown.

He piles food onto his tray hastily, grabbing anything that looks like it will put up some resistance to his teeth. If he can't hit anything, he will take it out on his food. He's going to be as passive aggressive as possible, and he hopes that people notice, so they will back off a bit and give him some space.

Natasha and Clint are already at the table when Loki sits in his previous seat.

Natasha sees the look on his face because she gives him a curt nod of understanding. That is why Natasha is one of the only people he's met that he would consider a friend. She knows her place and when to take a step away from Loki.

Clint's eating five slices of pizza again, but there is a bowl of peas on his tray as well. Loki wonders if Natasha put them there and notices the look that Clint gives the bowl, realizing that he was right.

Loki grabs his knife from his tray as Thor, Steve, and Tony take their seats, Thor sitting to Loki's right, and stabs his grilled chicken with more force than necessary. He grabs his fork and does the same, taking a chunk from the chicken and bringing to up to his mouth. He chews as he planned to, and his teeth click loud in his ears.

Clint cocks his head to the side and stares at Loki for a few moments like he wants to say something but is doubtful he should. The doubt loses because Clint opens his mouth and says, "You're chewing awfully loud."

It's a simple and obvious observation, but it makes Loki want to jump over the table and chew right in his ear, saying, "Obviously," as he does so.

He only stares at Clint and takes another bite of his chicken, chewing extra hard this time.

Bruce sits down and immediately looks at Loki, his brow furrowing. "Is there something I missed? Wait, who is this?"

"Thor's Loki's step brother," Tony says.

"Oh, I've heard about you," Bruce says, and the way he says it doesn't sound happy.

Loki lets out a loud laugh.

"What's so funny?" Clint asks. "I want to laugh too."

"Shut up, Barton," Tony says, and he turns and glares at a still laughing Loki. "You too, Laufeyson. Bunch of nutcases."

"Look who is talking, Stark," he replies, grinning. "Is it the lack of sunglasses?"

"Possibly."

"Steve, you're quiet," Loki says, leaning forward to get a better look at the boy.

Steve is eating with a bored look on his face. "I'm fine."

"Who is this?" Harry is standing with the same lunch as he had yesterday. "I've never met you."

"He's Thor, god, Osborn. Late much?"

"I'm sitting here today," he says as he sits down in the same seat. "Miss Romanoff."

"Osborn."

"So, who is he, and what is he doing here?"

"Thor can talk," Loki says, rolling his eyes at Harry.

"I'm Loki's step brother," Thor says. He looks affronted that Harry doesn't know who he is.

"Yeah, yeah, now I remember you. You're…" Harry gestures to him. "Godly, you know that right?"

"Stop flirting with my brother, Osborn," Loki says. He's not jealous or anything. He just wants to see Osborn get mad, and if Thor acts embarrassed, that's a plus.

Thor turns and looks at Loki, his eyebrow cocked, and he's definitely suspicious of Loki. Loki shrugs in response, looking back at Harry.

Harry huffs. "I was not."

"Uh, you kinda were," Tony says. "You don't comment on someone's size—wait that was the wrong term for sure."

Clint and Tony start chuckling like a bunch of immature children.

"He is though. You don't have to be straight to see that. I mean, wow, dude. What do you bench?"

Thor takes a sip of his water and looks a lot like Steve right now, bored. It seems like fitness talk would be something that Thor would enjoy. It turns out Loki guessed wrong.

"Oh, looks like we have ourselves a new person," Pepper says. "Thor, right?"

James takes a seat next to Clint and pulls Pepper down beside him. "Nice to see you in actual light," he says, smiling.

"Ah, the same as well, and yes, Thor Odinson."

It is starting to look a lot like yesterday, and Loki is really hoping that no one else takes Thor's appearance as an invitation for them to come over and sit down. Eating with the seven of them was fine, and now there are ten. That's more than enough.

"You interrupted an important question, Potts. Really, how much do you bench?"

"I don't know, 450?"

"No fucking way."

"Damn."

"Fuck me."

"I told you all. It's god powers."

Loki smirks at Thor, not believing that he's so nonchalant about such an impressive feat. He can lift 450 pounds. For some reason, that bit of information goes straight South with all of his blood. Thor can lift him without so much as breaking a sweat, and gods, is that hot.

_No, Loki, keep your thoughts away from there_, he tells himself. He's not going to get another erection after that one this morning.

He bites down on his lip and squeezes his knees together, counting to ten in his head to clear his mind. He stares down at his hands and thinks of everything but the number 450 and Thor.

He looks up and of course he makes eye contact with Thor. He looks away immediately and regrets it. He lost the staring unspoken contest for the first time because he was too afraid of Thor seeing.

"Don't ever say that in front of the ladies Thor," Tony says. "That's a panty dropper."

"Tony, why do you have such a one-track mind?" Steve asks. "You assume that's all girls think about… sex."

"We actually don't," Pepper says. "We think about cats, bunnies, and boys. Yeah, boys almost all of the time, and we talk about them as much. Cute boys especially."

"Explains why the girls are always talking about me," Harry replies.

"Actually, the girls are talking about Loki," Pepper says. "I mean, that totally came out wrong, and I am going to get lynched since—you guys did not hear this from me."

Loki goes cold. He doesn't want girls talking about him. He doesn't want anyone talking about him. He's not even attracted to them!

"Oh, Pep, you can't start that then just not say anything. Go on."

"Oh dear, I'm so dead. They're really just talking about how attractive he is. Asking him on dates and to the winter formal. Um, it's stuff like that. Yeah."

Loki runs a hand over his face and sighs. Gwen Stacy is enough for him to handle. He does not need more girls trying to talk to him while they undress him with their eyes. "Suggest that I'm entirely socially inept," he says. "Not interesting at all."

"Uh, that's a no can do since you've displayed how smart you are on many occasions already. Tighten up, I guess?"

"Pep, that's something people say to girls before they-"

"Stark," Natasha says.

"Okay, okay, whatever. You guys are a bunch of damned prudes as of late."

Loki finishes eating until he's had his fill and stands up to leave with Natasha.

"Thanks for inviting us…"

They're out of the cafeteria before Stark can say any more, and Natasha's silent for the first few seconds of walking. He knows what she's thinking, but he appreciates that she's not the kind to jump headfirst into conversation.

"I understand that you're not used to this… group thing," she says. "I'm not all that much either. Clint and I have always been a duo. Your brother, he seemed slightly out of place too"

"It was because I was ignoring him," Loki replies. "He understands my moods, but he takes it personally."

"He seems like a good person. I don't know how you feel about him or anything, but I think that you should probably invest something in your relationship. I'd regret not getting close to him if I were you."

"I'm an only child. I am used to being alone. He's… changed things, and I have to change for him. It's not what I've ever planned to do, but there's not much of a choice, is there?"

She smiles at him. "Nope, not really. We've all got to make hard choices."

"Like whether or not to tell every girl in this school that I have absolutely no interest in them?"

She laughs, opening the door to the third floor. "I'd advise you not to do that unless you want them to think you're playing hard to get."

The door to Psychology is open, and there's actual light coming from it.

"At least we don't have another psychological experiment," Loki says, following her into the classroom.

There's a man there in a blue tunic, widow's peak prominent on his forehead, and he's sitting cross-legged in the center of the room. His eyes are closed as if he is meditating, and his breath is loud and regular. The chance of him meditating is rising with each second, but Loki doesn't assume he does. The teachers here have demonstrated strange habits already.

"Miss Romanoff, Mr. Laufeyson," the man says, eyes still closed. "Take a seat in at one of the tables."

They exchange looks and sit down at the nearest table, Natasha across from Loki.

Tony, Thor, and Jane walk into the room together, Tony making a face mimicking shock at Dr. Strange sitting there.

"Mr. Odinson, Miss Foster, feel free to sit down at any of the tables. Mr. Stark, you as well, and I must admit that your antics are quite amusing."

Tony makes another face but sits down next to Loki.

Thor and Jane sit at the table next to them, Jane sitting behind Loki, and he has to contain the sigh of contempt.

The class starts to fill with Dr. Strange greeting everyone from the same position.

The bell rings, and everyone goes silent as if a switch was hit. Dr. Strange doesn't tell them to be quiet either, only sits there with his eyes closed. It's unnerving that even with his visibly closed, it feels like he's watching them all intently.

"As you know, I am Dr. Steven Strange, and this class is Psychology. My methods of teaching are quite different than many other teachers though I hope you learn to cope with it," he says. "Today I will be sitting here while you all converse with each other… or not, depending on your preference. Don't mind me at all, and make yourselves as comfortable as possible."

"So you're saying we can talk?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark, you can talk."

"Kay, thanks." Tony leans in close to Loki's ear. "Dude, he's giving us a free day. This has to be another experiment."

Victor comes from another table and takes the last seat at the table. He looks excellent, dark navy shirt with the first few buttons undone. "It is, Stark. Now, are you going to talk or can I have an actual conversation with Loki?"

"What makes you think he wants a conversation with-?"

Loki leans forward toward Victor, making eye contact. His eyes are orbs of liquid chocolate. These boys are making Loki poetic. "You were saying?" he says, licking his bottom lip.

Victor grins and mirrors Loki, arms stretching over the table in his direction. "Last night I was reading this move script for a screen adaptation of an old Sherlock Holmes novel. It's absolutely atrocious and not true to the novel at all, but there was a romance scene between the suspect and his step-brother. Now that was entertaining. I would watch the movie for it."

"Describe it to me," Loki replies. "Were there any hackneyed one liners or cliché comparisons between the ocean and blue eyes?"

_Hypocrite_, a voice inside him says. _Thor's eyes? Ring a bell?_

Victor chuckles. "No, when he dropped to his knees and began unbuckling the other man's pants, he accidentally confessed to murdering his wife. All atmosphere of romance was gone."

"I don't imagine there was ever a strong atmosphere if whatever the dirty talk was led to that. A novel I read a few years ago included a 'romantic scene' between two friends, and I must say that it was one of the worse things I have ever read. Terribly written romance does nothing for me."

Tony groans. "You're not a forty-something mom, so I doubt you're even in their demographic. Forty Shades of Blue or whatever the hell that book is, is made to get Mrs. Robinson's panties wet, not yours. People don't understand demographics anymore, do they?"

"I read Nora Roberts once, and I can say that it was very romantic even if I'm not one for romance," Loki says.

"Do you know what porn is? God, just go watch porn, not old lady novels."

Victor glares at Tony. "Keep your own indiscretions to yourself, Stark. Some of us like a build up."

"I like those!" Tony exclaims. "But I also like to get straight to the point. I don't want to wait for Mrs. Johnson to realize that her husband is having some affair with his secretary to get her groove back and have sex with the gardener Javier. Give me some sex!"

"I'm sure that there is an actual novel with that story line," Natasha says. "Care to share the title?"

"I don't read erotica!"

"A thriller I read without much romance was _Out of the Dark_. One of the best, I must say."

Victor's eyes narrow slightly and the brown of his eyes smolders in a way that makes Loki's pants a little bit tighter. "We should discuss this novel of yours another time. I'd love to hear about it. We could make plans for a discussion over dinner."

Loki sees Natasha and Tony exchange a look, but he ignores them in favor for dazzling Victor with a well-earned smile. He practically asked him out on a date, so they could discuss literature. If that isn't what Loki desires, then what does he? He's dreamed of having someone take him out for something besides an ulterior motive of sex, and here Victor is laying that out for him on a silver platter.

"Sounds great," Tony says. "I'm definitely coming. Have to grace you guys with some Assimov. And Natasha too. She has to come, so the waiters won't think we're in a polyamourous relationship."

Loki turns to glare at Tony, unleashing all of the contempt he can muster with his eyes. He knows what Tony is doing, and he _is not _okay with that at all. He should learn to mind his own business or at least keep his own opinions to himself.

Tony shrugs at him, and he does the unthinkable, turns around and taps Thor on the shoulder. "Wanna come out to dinner with us? It's a book date."

Thor looks at Jane, and Loki wants to rip Tony's head clean off his neck for inflicting this upon him. "Lady Jane, would you care to come on this book date?"

She giggles like a schoolgirl—that's Loki's thing; he's the schoolgirl!—and nods. "Of course, Thor. I'd be happy to."

Tony claps. "Good, good, now this is a real party! Natasha, bring Clint because we all know that his comedic relief will be needed. And um… Steve! Steve, hey, wanna come on our book date with us?"

Steve's eyebrows raise slightly. "What?"

"That's a yes? Yes, that's a yes. Bucky, come along too! And Pep and Rhodey, can't forget about my besties! You two better get your asses to this date, or I'll have your heads."

"I'd like to have yours," Loki mumbles. He can't believe that this is happening, and he does not mean it in any good way.

"Who else? Wait, Parker and Osborn, bring your asses too! We need some rich boy humor cause god knows that I can't provide that." Tony makes a hair flipping motion. "None of your girlfriends or boyfriends either. There's too many of us already. Richards!"

Victor groans. "Stark-"

"You see Bruce today. Tell him that we're having a book date when you see him. I'll probably forget by English, so tell him that he's invited."

"How about we just forget about this book date thing, okay?" Victor asks, and it's disappointing to hear but obviously the proper choice. "It's clear that it is not a date any longer."

"You know what? You're right. Everyone the book date is off!" Tony shouts. "It's done because Doomy doesn't want to come, and it was his idea originally! Sorry, folks!"

When the bell rings, Loki walks with Victor, ignoring the looks Natasha and Tony give him when he leaves without waiting. He has no intention of talking to them as long as he can. They're obstructionists.

"That turned bad quickly," Victor says, and the hallway is mostly empty with their head start.

"Yes, Tony Stark is quite the monster."

Victor makes an affirmative noise, clearly agreeing.

They go into the observatory and take seats in the second row. Loki does not want to sit with his "friends" today after that fiasco.

"We should really meet out of school and discuss more literature," he says as he turns to Loki. "I'm genuinely interested." There's a flash of something in Victor's eyes, and Loki feels inclined to lean forward, but instead jumps backward slightly at the sound of the door banging open.

"Loki, you leaver!"

They turn to face forward, and Loki sees Victor's frown in his periphery. He feels the same way about all of these interruptions. Loki's not one of rushing things, but he wants Victor, he knows that much. He's attracted to the little part of him that he already knows, and that's a great sign of what's to come.

Tony sits down in front of Loki and huffs loudly, definitely trying to let Loki know of his distaste. Loki has distaste for Tony Stark as of now, but he isn't huffing melodramatically. He's tactful enough to eject his feelings in more subtle, impacting ways.

"Hello, class," Professor Xavier says from the stage. "It's nice to see all of your faces."

"Feeling is mutual," Tony shouts, and Loki rolls his eyes. Does he know when to shut his mouth?

"Some of you may have already guessed this, but we're going to be writing a murder mystery for our first major project this term. I expect some of you have already planned the foundation of this mystery, and I'm excited to see them, but today you will be getting into groups to further plan out your mystery. Now, go find your group mates and plan!"

"Okay, Doomy and Loki, we're going to put this behind us and focus on the project even if you two are leavers, especially you, Loki. Agreed?"

"Whatever, Stark. Barton, your previous suggestion, we should extrapolate from that."

Loki leans on his hand and watches as Victor takes on the leadership role, Tony and himself inserting commentary and suggestions as he throws out ideas for them to expand upon. Victor's brilliant, Loki already knew that, but it's quite amazing to see how he flows through everything and goes to the next step without much delay. He's obviously on Reed's level, and perhaps even smarter. Intelligence is one thing that Loki has an attraction for.

"So the foundation has been created, and you're all in agreement?" Victor looks around at all of them, and his eyes stutter on Loki. Loki bites back a grin. "Great, I think we got a lot done today."

"I think we should still have that book date," Tony says, frowning. "I was looking forward to that."

"You don't read books, Tony," Bruce says. "You read dissertations and papers about books."

"There's not a difference, Banner. You know this!"

The bell rings, and Loki and Victor begin to walk together once again, but this time Natasha catches up with them. Loki doesn't really mind, but he hasn't forgiven her entirely for her part in the ruination of what could have been a great date.

As they walk, no one says anything, but Victor occasionally brushes his hand against Loki's arm. Loki makes eye contact with him after he does it a few times more and smirks, Victor smirking back at him with that attractively arrogant look in his eyes. He turns forward and sees that Natasha is frowning. He doesn't ask her why because he knows. None of them approve of Victor, not that he cares.

Victor stops brushing against Loki, and he knows that Natasha saw too. He also knows that it's best to stop before Natasha says something, and Loki is thankful that he's as intelligent as he is. He does not want to anger Natasha.

When the two of them are alone after Natasha departs, Victor starts to brush against his arm again, but this time he openly stares at Loki. Loki finds that he doesn't mind at all. He likes the attention from him… a lot. He kind of likes Victor a lot.

He kind of likes Victor.

The realization brings a smile to his face, and he doesn't bother hiding it.

At the door, Victor turns to him and opens his mouth to say something, but he's interrupted.

"Victor! I see you and my brother are already fast friends!" Thor walks up to them, laying a hand on Loki's shoulder, and Loki's traitorous body responds with a shiver down his spine. "I shall see you tomorrow."

Loki wants to stay and properly give Victor a goodbye, but the hand on his shoulder is edging him over through the doorway. "Goodbye, Victor," he says, smiling.

"Goodbye, Loki." He inclines his head toward Thor. "Thor."

Loki takes his seat, feeling irritated. It seems like it's everyone's mission to stop him and Victor from doing anything remotely personal.

Mrs. Munroe makes them take more notes about the weather, and Loki shows up the rest of the students again. Scott Summers attempts to make his sound educated, but they're still no match for Loki's superior observations. Again, it's not being vain, it's the truth.

"We should go to Central Park on Friday," Thor says. "It would be a great end of the school week."

Loki nods. He's not interested in talking to anyone. He wants to brood and fantasize about what his date could have been like.

"Also, the weather is supposed to be splendid."

Loki jolts a bit in his seat when he feels Thor's hand land on the back of his chair. He turns to stare straight ahead, not trusting whatever his pupils are doing. Why can't his mind and body commit to one person? "Good," he says.

"Next period, what activity do you attend? Yesterday I didn't see you."

"Newsletter. Gwen Stacy and Pepper are there."

The hand on the back of Loki's chair tightens enough that he can feel the vibration in his chair. "This Gwen Stacy… is she-?"

"Have you two decided on a location for your project?" Mrs. Munroe asks, standing next to Loki. Her hands are on her hips, and the skirt she is wearing ends mid-thigh. Loki knows that any other boy would be slouching in their seat for a peek beneath.

Loki nods. "Yes, Central Park."

"Excellent choice," she says. She touches Loki's shoulder and smiles. "You two are brilliant. I'm happy to have you in my class."

As she walks away, there's a chill left behind that feels odd in the fairly temperate classroom.

"She's nice," Thor comments, leaning on his elbow and staring at Loki.

Loki gulps, feeling oddly self-conscious with him staring. "She is."

After the bell rings, Loki leaves the room as fast as he can again, and he realizes that this could become a habit, virtually running out of class to avoid being invited somewhere with Thor. He gets strange looks as he turns to corner, but none of them say anything about the wild look in his eyes. They know what's good for them.

Gwen's sitting on the desk again, legs crossed and lips pursed. She continues staring at Loki like that as he closes the door behind him, and he's afraid that she's going to try to seduce him… forcefully.

Pepper saves the day yet again and steps through the doorway, holding a folder of papers under arm. "Hey, Loki, you came back!"

Gwen's head lulls to the side as her eyes rake Loki's body. "Yes, he did."

"We're setting up the middle of the week publication today, so you can help me with that," she says.

Loki goes into the other room, and the table is covered with pictures and pieces of paper with scribbles of text on them.

"I know it looks chaotic, but it's really not. We manage to get things done like this, surprisingly. If you can, I'd really love if you'd go through the pictures and decide which ones we're going to use. Peter's coming around with more today, so be prepared."

He moves to the head of the table and uses all of his height to look at the entirety of the organized chaos Pepper's created. A picture at the edge of the table is one of Dr. McCoy with his hands on his hips as he stares at the numbers on his whiteboard. Another picture shows Mrs. Munroe talking to another teacher that Loki doesn't know the name of. A note between the two pictures says, '_Clean energy is a go!'_ in loopy handwriting that probably belongs to Pepper.

He shrugs off his blazer and hangs it on the back of the chair, rolling up his shirt sleeves. He goes through the pictures first, choosing ones that he thinks will bring smiles to people's faces or ones that represent what he thinks the student body of SHIELD can connect with. The notes turn out to be a mixture of article names and bulleted notes of events. Most of them go along with another picture on the table, so Loki organizes them that way, putting the ones that don't belong to anything in their own section.

"Wow." He looks up and sees Gwen leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. "That's—this is great. You're great."

He folds his arms over his chest and scrutinizes his work. There are certain places where he's sure it could have been rearranged in a more organized fashion, but he's pretty much fine with it.

Gwen puts a hand on his shoulder as she stands beside him, her head barely clearing his shoulder. "We're grateful to have you aboard."

"Thank you," he says because there is no other response that he can give without leading her on farther. She's already interested. It's best to keep her interest at the level it is now.

"Whoa!" Pepper stands on his other side. "This is ridiculous! You did it! Wow!"

The bell rings overhead , and Loki goes to grab his jacket from the chair, but it's already being put on his shoulders, by Gwen.

"There you go!" she says as Loki adjusts it on his shoulders. "Lookin' good."

He smiles at her, but inside he is screaming for her to just back off. "Thank you. See you tomorrow."

Thor finds him in the entrance hall and walks with him back to his locker. "How was class?"

"Gwen Stacy put my blazer on for me," he says, and he meant to only say it to himself, but it's too late now. He shoves his tablet into his locker in frustration and slams his locker. "Excellent."

He's staring at Loki now, and it makes Loki feel self-conscious. "This Gwen Stacy has romantic interest in you?" he asks, his brow furrowed.

Rick chooses that time to come to his locker. "Hey, Loki and Thor."

"Hello, Rick," Thor says, and he's still got that look on his face. He's thinking about something.

"Hi, Rick," Loki says. "Your day, has it been all well?"

"Yeah, I guess. Immersion team was fuck—freaking weird as usual." Rick scratches the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry for cursing. My ma tells me that I need to watch who I curse around."

"It's fine," Loki replies. He's no Wade Wilson. "I'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye, Rick." He grabs Thor's arm and pulls him along. He's trying not to think about the fact that he's touching Thor's arm. He wasn't going to last small talking much longer, so he had to get out of there while he still had some of his dignity, and Thor had some more to think about.

"See ya tomorrow, Loki," Bruce says as he passes by.

"You as well," he replies. He drops his hand from Thor's arm when it's just too much, and he thinks he's not going to be able to control himself any longer. He reduces Loki to his sympathetic system.

By the time they're outside, Thor's expression has turned back to normal, and he's squinting in the sudden increase of light. Loki stares at his face for a little bit too long, and Thor catches him, glancing at him with a questioning look. Loki shakes his head and descends the stairs.

"Hey, you two!"

In front of the school, Tony's sitting in some sleek convertible that looks like it costs something that would make most people faint at the number. It's dark red on the outside, and the interior is gold. It's gaudy, and it's not much of a surprise that this is the car that Tony Stark chooses to drive to school. "Laufeyson, Odinson, get your ascots in this car right now."

Thor lifts an eyebrow, and it's an expression Loki would love to see a lot more on his face, but he _doesn't _care if he _doesn't _because he _doesn't_ care about Thor's face. "Ascots?"

"Yeah, you know what I mean. Get in the car 'cause you're getting a ride on the Tony train!"

Thor exchanges a look with Loki, and they both shrug in unison, Thor going forward to open up the back door. He lets Loki slide in first and gets in after him. Loki doesn't realize how sunny it is outside until he sees the way the sun reflects off of the side of Thor's face, and he thinks his breath is taken away.

"Do you even know where we live?" he asks.

"Duh!" Tony scoffs. "I Googled your ass and found out everything about you as soon as I got the chance. I can't take my chances, and I like to be in the know about everything. Buckle up because we're about to book it out of here!"

It should be creepy that Tony knows where he lives, but it doesn't seem that out of place in the things that Tony has done. He's a strange person.

Tony turns on some incredibly loud music with bass that rattles his bones to the marrow and make his heartbeat feel weak. The lyrics make Loki roll his eyes at how perfect it fits this situation even if there are no Ray Bans. It's one of those rowdy songs that they play in clubs for young twenty-somethings.

_I got ray ban vision, these ain't no prescriptions  
I see you haters coming niggas don't think that I'm slippin_

When he thinks that it can't get any more Tony Stark, he pulls out a pair of Ray Bans and puts them on. He begins shouting along to the lyrics as he pulls away from the curb.

_I got ray ban vision, I wear 'em when I'm whippin_

Steve turns around and rolls his eyes in Tony's direction. "He does this all of the time," he says, and his words are slightly obscured by the window whipping around the car.

"I'm not surprised one bit."

"Stark, you have great taste in music," Thor says, and Loki gapes at him like he's lost his mind. He thinks _this_ is good music, inane ribble-rabble about sunglasses and sex?

"I'm glad you think so, too." He looks over at Steve. "This one over here is more of a Sinatra man. Doesn't know how to let his britches loose when the time calls for it."

"I know how to… relax. I just don't appreciate demeaning music about sex and over-priced sunglasses."

Tony gasps and holds a hand to his chest. "These sunglasses are not that over-priced. They make me look pretty anyway."

Thor chuckles. "Tony Stark, a fair maiden?"

"Of course, oh big god of thunder and muscle. What else would I be, some jezebel? Oh god of mischief and mysterious sexiness, protect my honor from your brother! He shall not have my maidenhead while I pledge my love to the knight Sir Rogers."

The song changes, and it's completely the opposite of the previous song. It's actually good music that Loki recognizes.

_Start spreadin' the news_

_I'm leavin' today_

_I want to be a part of it_

_New York, New York_

"Now, this is good music!" Loki says to Thor and Tony. "You two clearly have no idea."

"And I said that I disliked Frank Sinatra, when?" Thor asks. "You put words in my mouth, brother."

Loki and Thor stare at each other, neither one saying anything, and Loki finds himself being pulled closer toward Thor and the literal halo of sunshine surrounding him. It's his mind playing tricks on him, he decides, when he realizes that they're drifting toward a median point between them. He blames the residual effect of the terrible music.

The car violently jerks forward, and Loki turns to stop himself from hitting his head off of the headrest.

"It's your fault lady that you can't see that it's obviously a fucking green light!" Tony shouts at a woman who passes in front of the car. "Are you colorblind or something? I suggest you go get StarkVision. It corrects all of that!"

The car continues forward albeit at a slightly faster speed.

"People, I tell you," he says, "don't know how to look both ways."

"Are you alright?" Thor asks.

"I'm fine."

"What about you, Steve? You okay?" Tony asks. He goes to touch Steve's face, but his hand is batted away. "Guessing that's a yes."

The car pulls into the space in front of their house, and Tony turns the music down. He turns to glance at them, his arm slung over Steve's shoulder. "Glad to deliver you home safely. I can say that I hope that this doesn't ward you off, and you keep riding the Tony Train?"

Loki closes the door behind him. "Perhaps if you realize that your selection of music should be entrusted to Steve. Goodbye, Stark, Steve."

"Thank you, Stark. We'll see you tomorrow!"

There's a near deafening roar as Tony pulls off, turning the music back up as he does so.

"That was… interesting," Loki says as he goes into the kitchen. He pulls out some leftovers to heat up. "It was a rather nice car."

Suddenly he's being spun around and pinned against the refrigerator, Thor holding him by the shoulder. He stares Loki straight in the eye as he slowly drags his hands down his arms.

For a second, Loki thinks that this is it. He thinks that maybe Thor is going to kiss him or something completely insane like that, but his hopes are dashed when Thor just swipes a lock of hair behind his ear and backs away. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asks.

Loki sighs. The attention that his body wants is not to be checked for injuries. He wants to hurt in the best ways possible, but Thor doesn't want him hurt at all. He doesn't even know the feelings running through Loki's body, thankfully for that, and it's frustrating. He needs other outlets for his sexual frustration if it's only been four days, and this is happening.

"I told you I was fine-"

"And you have a habit of bending the truth," he says, and he grins. "I am observant, Loki."

Loki wants to do a million things to Thor right now, but he settles for rolling his eyes and swatting him on the arm. As he heats up the food, he does not smile to himself, and he does not start to swoon. No, Loki does not do anything of those things.

Well, maybe he does, but there's no proof.


	3. Chapter 3

Jane Foster: Romantic Robber?!

The days pass with Tony speaking at unnecessary times, Steve correcting him, Natasha talking to Loki about things that interest her, Bruce pretending to care about radiation-exposed animals, Coach Logan making remarks to Loki and Loki remarking back, Thor sending shivers down his spine, and Gwen Stacy making advances on Loki. His friends continue to inject themselves into his and Victor's conversations. The days are all average, not as bad as the first two, and Loki's learning to adjust to the new school.

He finds that he doesn't mind the constant companionship one of his friends provides him and embraces it, albeit a little reluctant at first. He's learning that moping around about how unfair his life has become is accomplishing nothing. Instead, it's only halting his own personal progress while his mother goes about her life. He still hasn't found anything wrong with his room, but he intends to keep looking.

Friday morning he wakes up just as Thor steps through the doorway, but Thor pulls the covers back anyway, saying, "It's just a precaution." Loki catches the smile on his face and decides that he's going to wake up earlier one of these days and do the same to Thor.

As he starts the shower, he finds himself smiling slightly at the thought of Thor groggily searching for covers that are feet away. He isn't even sure that he'll be able to get them out of his grip.

"450," he says to himself as he steps into the shower. That's an inhuman amount of weight to be lifting, especially for a teenage boy.

The water hits his back, and he sighs. This shower is inhuman or better yet otherworldly. He's never felt anything like it. Seven days, and he's still not remotely tired of this shower.

450.

He exhales.

Tanned skin—impossibly tanned for living so far up north really—stretched tight over massive, bulging back muscles. Tasting salty and musky and Loki thinks that he might be able to continue tasting that skin for eternity.

He groans and reaches down at the burgeoning erection between his legs.

Blue eyes and thick blond eyelashes, each blink pushing Loki farther into a trance that he desires to stay under forever. Who needs life when you can spend the rest of time staring into those eyes? Eyes that make Loki want to fall to his knees and pledge his loyalty to him, pledge his loyalty to someone for the first time.

He reaches out and puts a hand on the wall. He lets out another groan as he gives a sharp yank.

450 pounds.

450 pounds.

He lets out a throaty shout as he cums, and with the discharge everything including rationality comes back to him. He opens his eyes and watches miserably as all evidence swirls down the drain.

He's an absolutely pathetic human being who fantasizes about his step-brother who is more than likely straight and not interested in him like _that_ at all.

He steps out of the shower and dries himself, using excessive force as punishment for succumbing so easily. He could've fought the images away, but he let Thor flood his mind. What ever happened to his amazing self-control?

He's going to dress how he feels, he decides as he rifles through his closet. He feels dreadful, horrendous, despicable, shitty, and the best way for him to show that is by dressing down as much as he can.

He pulls on a gray sweatshirt and faded jeans that he usually wears when he feels like lounging around but not getting dressed. It doesn't happen often. Loki likes to look fairly put together, and it comes easy to him, but there are always times when he gets tired. Then again those days are the same days that he's emotionally wrecked, so there is some causality there.

He slicks wet hair back and doesn't do anything else to it. His hair is included in his dressing down day.

To put the cherry on top, he pulls the hood on over his head as he heads downstairs. It's dramatic, bordering on attention seeking since he knows that Thor will say something, but back home everyone knew that Loki wasn't in the mood to be teased for being a "fag" when he dressed like this. He's never met Thor on one of these days, so he's going to have to go through the learning process.

Thor's eyebrows rise to his hairline when he sees Loki, and he drops his fork into his bowl of oatmeal with a clatter. Oh how Loki was right.

He gets his orange juice and goes to brood by the sink when Thor stands up and walks to him. He's behind Loki, he could hear Thor's footsteps, and Loki should've turned around because he almost smashes the glass on the ground when Thor's hand lands on his shoulder and jolts him out of his daze.

He doesn't even turn around to look at Thor. Those eyes are a new weakness of his. He dumps the rest of his juice in the sink and rinses it out.

"Loki, is there anything you want to talk about?" Thor asks, and it's so genuine and concerned that Loki wishes that he were the kind of person to fall for that kind of thing. Instead he's the boy who rebukes any personal affection that he doesn't reciprocate or doesn't want to reciprocate.

"No, I'm fine."

"You're clearly not," he replies, and he removes his hand, _finally_. "What's bothering you?"

That sets Loki off, and he turns around and points a finger at Thor, stopping himself from touching his chest. He still doesn't trust himself. "I don't intend to talk about it."

"Are you sure about that?" Thor's eyes narrow slightly, and it's like he can somehow see through Loki. It's frustrating.

He grits his teeth. "Completely. Shall we head to school, brother?" It's wrong to throw the endearment back into his face like that, but there is no right or wrong when he's in a mood like this.

Thor doesn't even have the gall to flinch. He only shrugs. "Of course."

The cab ride is tense, and most of the tension is coming from Loki. Thor's his normal calm self as he gazes out the window and occasionally at Loki. Unfair, it is, but Loki knows that there's nothing that can change the way things are now. He really wants Thor to just—he doesn't even know what he wants from him.

Tony and Steve are sitting in the entrance hall when they come in, and Tony makes no hesitation to comment on Loki's clothes. "Whoa. Hey, beautiful, why the long face?" he asks, and he's grinning like a madman as he does.

Loki has to restrain himself from grabbing Stark by the collar and assaulting him, taking all of his pent up rage out on him.

"Stark, your comments are not needed."

Loki heads to his locker, fists clenched at his sides.

Steve runs to catch up with him, and he's already winded when he reaches him. "Loki, I know you may not appreciate me intruding, but can I ask what's wrong?"

He doesn't want to tell anyone because if he does, everything changes. There's no one he trusts to tell that he may have jerked off in the shower to the thought of his step brother without them feeling the need to inform said step brother. He just can't risk it.

"They're personal issues," he says as he grabs his tablet. "There's nothing to be discussed about it. I'm simply expressing my anguish in nondestructive ways."

"Well, good. I'd hate it if you did something destructive." Steve sounds unsure, and Loki shakes his head because Steve doesn't understand. He thinks that Loki is one of those teenagers who sit in their room cutting themselves. His version of destruction is worse. "I do think that you should try to seek help for those issues."

He opens the door to Calculus. "I'm fine, Rogers, really."

Dr. McCoy doesn't say anything about his hood, so he sits his head on the desk and broods the entire lesson.

Natasha doesn't say anything when he sees her in the hall, but he knows that she notices.

Mr. Wagner doesn't ask him to remove his hood either.

Professor Lensherr raises his eyebrows slightly but makes no farther comment on the hood.

Bruce doesn't talk to him about radioactive animals.

He gets changed in gym class but keeps the same expression of anguish on his face. It wards off Harry, and he doesn't try to give Loki an impromptu strip tease while he changes. Clint glances at him but doesn't comment on Loki's expression.

Coach Logan does roll call, and he even has the observational skills to notice that Loki isn't in the mood. He only says, "Cheer up, Chef. Life sucks," before moving down the line, and Loki's quite thankful for that small mercy. He is not in the mood to drop insulting one-liners.

He gives them a free day, which Loki uses to sulk on the bleachers while Bruce sits next to him and talks to Harry and Mary Jane. There's no attempt to rope him into the conversation for once, and Loki doesn't make any effort to talk to any of them.

Steve gives him a sad look when he sits down in Ancient History and even touches his shoulder. It's different than Thor's touch, more fragile and tentative, and Loki's body doesn't respond in any other way except for some deep-rooting yearning to be held awakening for a few moments.

Loki leans back in his seat and shuts his eyes for a moment, blocking out the world around him and trying to focus on the touch on his shoulder. Steve's attempting to comfort him, and that gesture alone is enough to lift some of the dread off of his shoulders. He's never had anyone that wasn't his mother actually try to comfort him even if they knew that they probably couldn't. It strangely feels good.

"Hey, broody!" Tony says as he sits down. "Had to go take a leak, but I know you both missed me."

"Of course we did, Tony. We can't spend a moment without you," Steve replies. "Also, you don't need to share the fact that you went to bathroom with us. I'm sure Loki has the skills to figure that out himself."

"Ouch, Steve, harsh," he replies. "You're a terrible lover, you know that?"

"Whatever, Tony."

After class they meet up with Thor as usual, and he puts his arm over Loki's shoulder. It's a surprising movement that Loki didn't have enough time to anticipate, so he isn't able to duck out of the way, and it sends the normal jolts through his body.

"…and you know how awesome I am, so I was all like, 'You're kidding me? What time?' She replies, 'Anytime,' and it's over!"

"Do you intend to tell everyone about this, Tony?" Steve asks, frowning. "I don't think they care."

"But it's Emma Frost! She wants me, Steve. How funny is that?"

"I'm not seeing the comedy at all." Steve goes into the cafeteria first, and Tony shrugs.

"Don't know what's gotten into him lately. Hey, you think you're rubbing off on Steve already?"

"Seek entertainment elsewhere, Stark," Loki replies. The weight of Thor's arm over his shoulders is comfortable, perhaps too comfortable. He needs to maneuver out of his grip without anyone noticing. "And Steve's right. No one cares about your romantic conquests."

Loki's stopped dodging away from them to go and get lunch by now, but he desires to strongly with Thor's arm on him. He needs some time to cope with this new development or whatever the hell it is. He wasn't prepared for anything other than a clap on the shoulder or arm.

They get into the line, and Thor hands him a tray. Somewhere within the time they make it to the grilled chicken and pass the salad, Loki's hood is pulled down, and he doesn't notice until he sees his reflection in the silver of the counter. He starts to turn to complain to Thor but sees the look of contentment on his face and can't bring himself to ruin it. What is happening to him?

He rushes out of the line before Thor can try to put his arm around his shoulder again and drops into his seat across from Natasha and Clint.

They look up at him and don't say anything, calibrating his current mood. Clint makes a sound of approval and takes a bite of his sandwich. "Your hood's gone."

"It is," he says, sipping some of his water. "You're a good observer."

Natasha smiles. "He really is, believe it or not. He has the observational skills of a bandit."

Clint begins to chuckle wildly, and Loki knows that there's a piece of the puzzle that he's missing.

Thor sits down beside Loki, and the tension goes right back into his shoulders. If Thor does sling an arm around him, he'll feel that Loki is definitely not comfortable with that at all. Emotionally or sexually, he is, but mentally and logically, he definitely is not.

Steve sits down, still frowning. He seemed uncomfortable talking about that girl with Tony, and it's bothering him for some odd reason. Loki can infer the reason, but he does not want to go there when he has a problem of his own that needs to be solved soon.

Tony comes over to the table, and he's still talking about this Emma Frost girl that Loki vaguely remembers from his science class. He makes hourglass figures with his hands, and Steve just stares down at his food like he's lost his best friend. Perhaps he thinks that he's on the path toward that. Who knows?

Psychology with Strange is just them talking to each other again, but Loki sits and listens as Victor and Tony trade verbal blows about their clean energy project. Tony uses strange metaphors that cause him and Natasha to roll their eyes, and Victor uses words that would make Shakespeare himself applaud. Loki's torn on whose side he takes and finds himself alternating with each argument.

He still kind of likes Victor, but there's Thor always ruining things for him, and he can't commit himself to Victor entirely. He hopes to get over Thor soon enough to pursue a relationship with Victor or anyone but Thor for that matter.

Every now and then his mind drifts, and his ears strain to hear whatever Jane and Thor are talking about. It's usually Jane talking about some astronomy stuff while Thor leans on his elbow and stares at her like she's some kind of angel. He thinks that Thor likes her, which makes it all the worse because he's infatuated or whatever with his straight step-brother who likes someone else. That's completely unacceptable.

He walks with the group to English, not wanting to hear Tony's rantings about him being a "leaver" again anytime soon. Victor stays as well, walking on Loki's other side, and Loki wants to say something to him, but there's nothing he can say. It's his brooding day.

In English, their project has made some progress with a storyline and characters having been laid out on Wednesday. It's amazing how much they've gotten done in such a short time span, but then again he is working with a group of brilliant people.

Professor Xavier steps up onto the stage with a mug of something in his hand. It's probably tea with him being English and everything. "Many of you have come up with amazing results for what is to become your play. This project is going to be a meld of all of your ideas into the school play this year. Yes, you are all going to be writing the play."

"Now, that's just laziness, X! You're condoning slavery!" Johnny shouts. "I will not be your sex slave!"

Professor Xavier doesn't even look fazed at all by the insanity and takes a sip of his tea. "Well, whatever way you put it, you're writing the school play. Miss Darkholme and I have already discussed it. Now, I would like for you all to convene as a class and exchange your ideas. This can be a bit chaotic, but creativity is chaos, right? By the end of the period, I hope you all will have decided upon a basic plot."

"That's not enough time!" Reed shouts. "If I were working alone, yes, but not with these people!"

Reed has a superiority complex that rivals Loki's own, but he will never be able to rival the superiority complex that pre-pubescent Loki held above his fast-developing peers and their acne ridden skin and random erections. Now, that Loki looked down upon everyone with a beating heart and even those six feet under.

Professor Xavier just stares at him as he drinks his tea, and it's absolutely hilarious to watch Reed almost explode with anger at not getting his way. Xavier is a truly amusing person whether he knows it or not.

Victor stands up. "Come over here!" he shouts, cupping his hands over his mouth.

"Fine, you can have your way," Harry says as he, Peter, Alex, and Johnny walk over to sit near them. "I'm just letting you all know that you're not bullying us into just accepting your play."

"'Bullying' is a vague term," Loki remarks, smirking at how uncomfortable the four of them look.

"I think that the Pym-Storm-Richards group went over and talked to the other group, so it'll just be us today," Alex says.

Loki learned that Alex was a Summers, Scott's younger brother. "There's a Summers in every grade, Loki. Trust me," Tony said. It turns out that he was right.

"I'm not complaining at all either. Pretty stoked that we didn't get stuck with them," he adds.

"We should get started," Victor says, but then he smiles, "but I agree. You saved our skins for the time being."

Harry's group turns out to have some murder mystery that involves so many different suspects that they've given them actual names and last names. It's good, but extraordinarily complicated with how two of the suspects turn out to be the murderer's long-lost triplet brothers who are aware of the murderer being the murderer and housing the body. The look on Bruce's face is priceless when he asks them about the murder and gets the answer of, "The guy stole their dogs and made them eat the dude. Crazy, right?" Tony almost falls out of his chair laughing.

Victor remains serious the entire time although a small smile appears on his face at the murder. He starts telling them about their own mystery, the detective is completely unaware of his status of a serial killer, his drug addiction leaving him with massive blanks in his memory. He is put on a case where a girl was brutally murdered in her home and starts to notice familiar things. It turns out that he kills women who remind him of his drug addict mother and all of the murders are variations of events he experienced as a child. In the end, he figures out that he is the murderer when he stumbles upon a suitcase full of locks of hair and Polaroids of the murder scene.

Peter asks them if they're secretly drug addicts with memory blanks, and Victor laughs, not answering Peter's question, and all of them erupt in laughter at his look of horror.

Steve, sitting with his chin propped up on the back of the chair and his knees in between the cushion and back like a child, stares intently the entire time, and when Victor is about to say something, he snaps his fingers and out comes a stream of words. It's absolutely ridiculous how everything he says somehow makes sense even if he is talking at a million miles a minute.

"…and the two suspects aren't his long lost triplet brothers or anything. Instead, they're his brothers that he knows about, and they're a serial killing duo. At the end, they come to kill him, and he asks why, so they explain that they never quite liked the competition—like there was sibling rivalry for their mom's attention since she was always doped up on something, you know?—during their childhood before shooting him in the skull."

Everyone stares at him like he's lost his mind, and Loki gapes at him in awe. Little Steve Rogers came up with that?

"That's absolutely fantastic," he says as he grins. It's the first time he's grin today, and man, is it great.

Steve looks around, slightly unsure in his movements. "Really?"

Tony grabs his face and pulls him so their faces are only inches apart. It's extremely homoerotic, and Loki's expecting a kiss any second. "Fucking hell yes, Steve." He backs away and jumps from his seat. "Hell yes! We're going to beat you, Richards!" He's pumping his fists in the air.

"Tony, it isn't a competition," Professor Xavier says. "You're _supposed_ to be working as an entire group."

"I think he's trying to hint that we should be working together as a class," Clint says. "I really don't want to though."

"Can it, Barton," Natasha says. "Hey, Richards and company, come over here! We're ready!"

The group of them stands up from their seats and come over to their side of the observatory. It reminds Loki a lot of those gang fights except with more people who don't look like they're interested in the fight at all.

"You said you were ready?" Reed asks, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, are you sitting or not?" Loki likes this feisty side of Natasha. It fits her a lot. "We don't have the entire period as you've pointed out many times before."

"Burn," Johnny and Tony say. They look at each other, glaring hard before Bruce plucks Tony in the temple.

"Are you going to sit or what?" Bucky asks. "You heard the dame. We aint got all day."

When Reed doesn't respond, Bucky takes his seat, spurning the rest of them to sit down as they grumble about Reed being Reed.

"We'll go first since Reed thinks that it's god's gift to mankind," James says. "Go ahead, Richards."

It looks like Reed is going to have some sort of mental breakdown before Susan puts a hand on his shoulder, and he calms down. "Fine," he says. He grits out their plot which is of the murderer being a higher up in the detective's department, and the detective facing a moral dilemma more than the actual resolution of the conflict. It's obvious that Reed took most of the leadership role.

"That was more of a conflict of human nature than a murder mystery," Bruce says. "Reed, you clearly didn't let anyone else get much input, so we'll just put this one on you."

Reed flops down in a chair at the edge of the row and slumps in his seat, glowering up at the ceiling.

Victor tells them the plot of their mystery with a blasé tone that makes him sound extremely arrogant, almost too arrogant as if that's possible.

"Whatever, yours is clearly better so we should go with that," James says. "Are we all in accordance?"

There's a chorus of yeahs.

"The twist of the detective being the murder should translate well onto stage," Hank says. He reminds Loki of a combination of Bruce and Steve and Pepper. He's got all of their most prominent traits in one body. "Amazing idea."

The bell rings, and everyone stands up.

Loki sticks with his usual crowd but at the door a hand touches his shoulder to get his attention. He turns and sees Gwen smiling at him, her tablet hugged to her chest like a blushing teenaged girl from some Japanese anime about teenage love. He feels himself groaning as she walks next to him and passes it off as a sigh.

"Oh my—just, you're totally brilliant all around, aren't you? That twist it just—it was one of the most wonderful things ever, and I was surprised yet not surprised because it's you, you know? And you're the most brilliant person I've ever met, and just—how do you exist?"

He chuckles at her enthusiasm. "By probability."

She laughs and brushes her hand along Loki's shoulder again.

"High probability at that," Victor says as he catches up with them.

"Just the luckiest sperm is all," Tony adds.

"The play is going to be absolutely brilliant, and the lead isn't going to be a female, so that's good, right? I mean, it's got to be time that Mary Jane didn't get the lead, no matter how talented she is. I have no personal qualms with her, but I really think she should learn to just say no."

"To what, drugs?" Victor asks, his voice laced with sarcasm.

She shoots him a look and turns back to Loki. "What do you have next? I mean, I have to go to gym-"

"Earth Science," he replies.

"Oh, good, I can walk with you then."

"Great."

Loki glares at Victor who just grins, laughing softly. He doesn't know that uncomfortable things that Loki's being inflicted with by her attempts to seduce him or whatever this thing she is doing. It would be fine if she just wanted friendship, but it's obvious she wants more than that.

"See you later," Victor says, and he's gone, leaving him and Gwen alone. He's absolutely evil if he thinks that this is some kind of joke.

If he just manages to make it to class as soon as possible, he'll worry about dealing with her later.

Or better yet, no. Loki's no coward. He can handle these kinds of situations like the adult he's going to be next year. He needs to just tell Gwen that he's not interested in her, and she'll get it.

Then there is the easier route, telling her that he's gay. Yes, that's the way to go.

"Have I ever told you that I loved your accent?" she says, turning to him as they reach Mrs. Munroe's classroom.

"Actually you have many, many times already." He takes a deep breathe. "Look there's something I should inform you and should have probably informed you sooner. I'm attracted to men… and only men. I'm gay."

She stares at him, her eyes wide with surprise.

He leaves her dumbfounded out in the hallway and steps into the Earth Science room. He takes his seat next to Thor and runs his hands over his face. He's never had to come out so abruptly. It was always a slow build-up, or someone just assumed correctly. His mother doesn't even know, but he knows that she has an idea. All of the kids back home—at his old school knew, and that was mixture of both him telling them and them assuming.

He should eventually try to tell Thor that he's gay. He just feels like he needs to for some reason, and he's pretty sure he knows why. He's just not sure how to bring up that conversation without Thor thinking about why he brought it up. So Loki decides to just tell him now. He told Gwen a few minutes ago. He should just get it out of the way.

"Thor, there's something I have to tell you," he murmurs, and Thor turns and makes eye contact.

"Yes, Loki, what?"

"I… I'm-"

"Everyone could you all please stand up and get into a single file line at the door!" Mrs. Munroe announces. "We'll be catching cabs around the city to go to our projects, which means that you all will not have a free period today. I know, I know, but I want you to have as much time as you can. Please, make your way to the door in an orderly fashion."

There goes Loki's window of opportunity.

He goes to stand in the line behind Bobby Drake, and Thor comes up behind him, his chest only inches away from Loki's back. He can feel his presence inches away, and a part of him desires to close the distance between them.

In front of the school they get into one of the many cabs lined up, and Loki moves as far to the window as he can. If he puts space between them, the temptation will only be minimal. He won't end up violating Thor and acquiring a black eye.

They get out in front of the W 72nd Street entrance, and Thor takes on the leading role automatically. Loki trusts him not to get lost, which is a new development because Loki didn't even know that he trusted Thor for much of anything.

He drags his boots along ground, hands in his sweatshirt pockets, and goes back to moping. He's in one of the renowned parks in the world, and he's moping. It's an absolutely disservice to the park and to Loki.

Thor sits down on a bench and waves Loki over, so he sits down beside him, still keeping a safe amount of space between them. He slings his arm along the bench, just barely touching Loki's back, and Loki sighs. There's no way this is going to work. He's just going to have to build up a tolerance to Thor's touch.

Thor stands up from the bench and pets the dogs that pass by, flashing the owners a smile as their dog pounces on Thor and demands attention from his large hands. Loki's not jealous of animals, that those hands stray over their bodies where they will never do the same to Loki. He finds it adorable and kind of sad that they desire his touch as much as he does.

And none of the owners seem to mind Thor interrupting their walk either. They only grin and chat amiably with him as he ruffles their dog's ears and compliments their well-kept coat or little dog sweater. They see the warmth in Thor too.

Thor comes and sits down next to him after seemingly tiring of petting dogs and stares out of the landscape, his eyes peeled as if he's looking for something. He finds whatever it is because he stands up at once and grabs Loki's arm, pulling him up like Loki's weightless.

Oh yeah, 450.

"Where are we going he asks?", and they're stopping in front of a cart.

"We're getting hot dogs," Thor says, pulling him close to his side. "What do you want on yours?"

He shrugs. "I don't know."

Thor gets them hot dogs, one with ketchup and relish for Loki because "it seems like you would like it."

It turns out that Thor is right, and Loki does like it. He tries his best not to use the opportunity to make it look as sexual as possible, but the sexual deviant inside Loki makes him put half of it inside his mouth at once. Loki smirks when Thor looks away, a flush spreading up his neck, because it seems that Thor has a dirty mind as well.

They finish them and start to walk the paths. It feels oddly intimate, and Loki wants Thor to put an arm around his shoulders or something, but is happy that he hasn't. It would feel like a date or something, and Loki does—doesn't—does—he's not sure he wants that.

It seems that Thor does because he puts an arm of Loki's shoulders and pulls him closer. He probably hasn't even noticed that it's kind of intimate because it seems that Thor doesn't have a penchant for noticing those kinds of things.

"We should be discussing weather patterns," Loki says. "We haven't."

"It's fine," Thor replies as he glances up at the sky. "It will only take us one more visit to be done with this project, and we have time at home. Remember, we live under the same roof." He cracks a smile at Loki, and his brow furrows. "Loki, you… there's something" He makes a hand motion around his mouth.

Loki touches around his mouth, looking for whatever is on it. "Did I get it?"

"No, just let me." Thor leans forward, putting his hand under Loki's jaw to steady to steady his head, and Loki's heart starts beating double time, his attempts to slow down his pulse only working when Thor starts to lean in closer. Loki's unsure of what is about to happen before Thor's free hand comes up and wipes some ketchup from his lip.

He immediately regrets the loss when Thor leans back and does the unthinkable, bringing his finger up to his mouth and licking the ketchup. Normally, Loki would retch at the sheer disgust of having licked something that was on someone's face, but instead, he has to clench his thighs to prevent the blood from going _there_.

"It was bothering me," Thor says as he turns back to Loki with a look of amusement. "I hope you do not mind-"

"No, no, thanks really," he replies. He allows himself to glance away from Thor to gain some semblance of sanity back. After that, he's surprised he didn't surge forward and close the space between their mouths without thought.

Thor smiles at him and claps him on the back, standing up and stretching. "We should batter on," he replies. "Mrs. Munroe will be expecting us not long from now."

He stands up, nodding in agreement. He has no idea what just almost happened, and it's bothering him. "You're right. Let's go."

This time he leads the way out of the park and raises his hand eagerly for a cab to come. He hails one and climbs in first, pressing himself as close to the door as he can get.

Thor just wiped it from his lip like they knew each other since childhood. Loki knows intimate gestures, and that was without a doubt one of the more intimate acts that usually led to a kiss. What would have happened if Loki accidentally misjudged and kissed him? Gods, that would have been such a disaster. If Thor had kissed him… he has no idea what he would have done.

Mrs. Munroe and a few other students are waiting in front of the school when they get out of the cab. She spots them and waves them over, grinning beautifully. "I'm glad you made it back! So did you two enjoy yourselves? Today was really a day just to get a feel for you environment, so don't worry if you didn't get anything done. You can head to your locker to go get ready for dismissal."

Loki nods in acknowledgment before fleeing the scene, not checking to see if Thor is following him. He feels slight relief when he doesn't hear the firm footsteps behind him and stuffs his tablet into his locker, taking a moment to lean against it and get his wits about him.

Why does Thor do this to him? What is it about him that drives Loki so insane?

Loki mulls it over as he sits in the cab on the ride home, tapping the plastic handle of the door as he tries to delve deep into the recesses of his brain which seem too preoccupied with Thor. He's always had fleeting infatuations with men who are so physically attractive that Loki's pants seem to become tighter within feet of them, but it's never been quite as bad as testing his self-control.

He prides himself on his self-control, his ability to simply stop himself from doing something if the time came for depriving himself. He's deprived himself of so many things because hedonistic human needs are not something that Loki has to have. He's survived this long with only getting what he needed with the occasional splurge, but now he's as bad as the lot of teenage boys. Wait, he's not _that_ bad, but the track he's on doesn't look like it will end well.

Thor casts him a curious look as they stand in the foyer, Loki undoing his shoes like he used to back h—at his old home, and he returns it with a smile that pains him to give. What he really wants to give is clawing at his gut like some monster begging to be set free, but Loki would rather die than let that happen. Well, no, he wouldn't die for _that_, but he's not letting it happen. No.

With the drop of his last boot, he escapes into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. He drinks it in gulps, more thirsty than he thinks he's ever been, but it doesn't quench said thirst.

It's _that_ kind of thirst.

"Loki, are you well?" Thor asks, leaning on the counter and staring Loki down. If he keeps looking at him like that, no he's not going to be.

"Yes," he replies, capping his water, "I'm fine. Simply thirsty."

He glances at Thor once more before he tells him that he's going to be in his room, Thor only nodding in reply, and he locks himself in his bedroom. The flop on his bed is unceremonious, and Loki is just caged and anxious. There's nothing for him to do.

He rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling, lying on his hands to prevent them from trailing downward. He should just do something else, so he can forget that Thor was so close to kissing him and touched him like that without discomfort.

Yes, he should definitely not think of that.

He ends up pulling out his yoga mat and doing a sun salutation, but he finds out the hard way halfway through that it's not that easy to get Thor out of his mind. With a sigh, he stands up and plugs in his iPod to the dock, searching for a playlist he made during one of his angst filled moods.

He taps the playlist "Ångest" and restarts in mountain posture, trying to focus on his breathing and the song playing, "This Charming Man" by The Smiths. And it works for the most part; he makes it to Warrior I when the song that comes on breaks the thin fog on Loki's mind stopping him from thinking too much.

He stands up and scrambles to stop the music that's definitely audible from downstairs but cringes when the chorus pops up.

_,And everything went from wrong to right.  
And the stars came out and filled up the sky.  
The music you were playing really blew my mind.  
It was love at first sight._

He doesn't even bother turning it off, blindly falling onto his bed. How ironic that this song comes on in all of the times when Loki would rather not go there. Perhaps it some kind of taunt from the gods that he's doomed.

That's what he is. He's doomed for a year of barely controlling himself enough to be in the same room with Thor and not attack him, offering himself up as some kind of sexual sacrifice.

On Saturday, he keeps to himself in fear of encountering Thor and having him ask about the sudden Kylie Minogue. He doesn't trust himself not to sputter and reply with some nonsense about her artistic abilities instead of the actual question, and Thor's smart enough to know that Loki would be avoiding the question.

He spends most of the day staring up at his ceiling being unproductive, and it is only at dinner when he comes out of his room. In the dining room, he slips into his seat and hangs his head low in an attempt to deflect all attention from himself.

Thor takes it as an invitation to take the seat next to Loki and seemingly sit as close as possible—though Loki thinks it may be all in his head. He jumps into conversation with Loki, and Loki only nods and replies with a "yes" or "mhm" to appease him.

Loki finds his eyes trailing below Thor's face most of the conversation and has to mentally kick himself repeatedly to keep his focus on the words flowing from Thor's mouth. Thor's mouth isn't any other candidate for helping Loki focus, his mouth curving and widening with each word.

Dinner itself is surprisingly more torturous. Out of the periphery of Loki's eyes, he can watch the way the fork is put into Thor's mouth, his tongue coming out to clean it silver, and it's enough to make his toes curl and his body whine for attention. The way that man eats cake is pornographic, and Loki only realizes that he's demonstrating his fantasies when his tongue darts out and cleans out the frosting from between the crevices.

He instantly stops and drops the fork onto his plate, and in doing so, he manages to catch Thor staring at him. There's no doubt he's been staring the entire time, and Loki begs to be granted some kind of payment for not fleeing immediately.

The second his mother says that he can leave the table, he does, almost running out of the room upstairs into his own.

His pants are around his ankles, and his stomach and hand are coated within the next minute. He usually has a lot more stamina than that, but the images of lips sucking silverware clean are fresh behind his eyelids, so Loki cannot be blamed for not having the power to stand up against that.

Sunday morning, he's woken up by a knock on his door, and he groggily looks at the pile of sticky clothes next to his bed before opening it. He squints as the light from the highway tries to blind him, and it's Thor standing there shirtless. For a moment, Loki thinks that he may have died on the destination to the door, but then Thor pushes his door open wider, and he realizes that Thor is as real as can be.

He's happy that his room is dark so he can stare at the shadows—and are there many shadows for all of those peaks and valleys—of his chest without seeming obviously enthralled. He only seems tired.

"Come downstairs with me," Thor says, running a hand over his stomach, and Loki's cock twitches at imagining being that hand. "I require company."

His sleep-addled mind doesn't seem to actually process the request, and he starts to nod as he remains amazed by the planes of Thor's body. It isn't until Thor is leaving his room that he realizes what he's agreed to. He has to share a couch with _him_! What was he thinking? Oh, yes, he was not thinking!

He stops himself before he can panic and makes his way downstairs. There's nothing to worry about. He was able to keep control last night when Thor was practically fellating that fork, so he's sure that he can control himself now.

At the entrance of the den, he stops and looks down at his attire, a black t-shirt and black boxers. He feels exposed where he's standing, and he's about to turn around and go change when Thor turns around on the couch and sees him, effectively stopping his escape. He's stuck almost naked. This is going to take some true willpower.

He sits down as close as he can to the armrest, pulling his legs up under his t-shirt, and he tries to divert all of his attention to the television. He recognizes Christian Bale on the screen talking to Katie Holmes, and he realizes that Thor is watching _Batman Begins_. It doesn't surprise him that he watches superhero movies. He's like a real version of one.

Loki has to admit that he's a fan himself—and the way Christian looks in that Batman costume is probably a major reason—so he doesn't mind being woken up to watch a movie with Thor. He only minds that Thor is not wearing a shirt, and he has to stop himself from just turning and staring at him.

The cable box displays the time 6:05 and Loki wants to groan and pout at being deprived of extra sleep. Then again, he would miss _this_ if he were.

He leans his head back on the couch and peeks to see if Thor is paying attention to the screen. It turns out that he's not, and they make eye contact, Thor's eyes impassive for the most part. Loki has a feeling he's been staring at him the entire time, and he almost smirks.

"You woke me up so we could watch _Batman Begins_," Loki says.

Thor doesn't seem to understand the point. "Do you not like Batman?"

"I do like him. It's just… why? Does it bother you that I enjoy my sleep?"

He chuckles. "No, but it does bother me that you are treating me like a leper. Why are you sitting so far away? It is cold."

"Then get a blanket," Loki replies. "And a shirt."

"Why would I do such when I have a perfectly good source of heat not feet away? Now, come closer before I freeze."

Loki stares at him, seeing whether he's serious or not, but it seems that he is. Against his better judgment, he shuffles across the couch until there's only an inch or so between him and Thor. Thor does not feel cold from where he is. Heats radiating off of him like a furnace, but Loki's thoughts are interrupted when Thor closes the remaining distance between them and tugs Loki close.

He puts an arm over Loki's shoulders. "If you are so tired, then lean your head on me. We can have a symbiotic relationship."

Loki listens to him and sets his head on Thor's shoulder, and gods, is it comfortable. Sitting there like that seems so uncomfortable in theory, but Loki finds that he never wants to move from that position. Thor's shoulder feels perfect under the side of his head, and his arm is pleasantly heavy. What has he allowed to happen?

Some point around when Batman saves Rachel, Thor's hand comes up to stroke Loki's hair, and it's an instant erection for Loki. He's thankful for his t-shirt because each stroke is getting him harder and harder, and he has to stop himself from fidgeting and setting off the inevitable moan.

Thor's hand drops back to his shoulder, and Loki starts at the loss. He turns to look at Thor, giving him a questioning look. "Why did you stop?" he hears himself ask, and the arousal is apparent in his voice.

Thor only nudges his head back down before his hand comes back up and begins kneading and stroking.

Loki's mouth opens in a silent moan when Thor's fingers move over a particularly sensitive spot. It feels as if he's going to explode at any moment, and he knows that he needs to get out of there before he ends up making a sticky mess in his boxers.

He glances up, and he meets Thor's eyes which are smoldering. It's as if he knows what he's doing and what effect he's having on Loki. The chance is slim though, and Loki doesn't think too hard about it, putting it off till later.

Thor's hand almost ghosts over the spot again, and Loki jolts out of his arms and off of the couch.

"Um, I have to go to the bathroom," he says, and he flees down the hall and into the bathroom before Thor can get a good look at his obvious problem. He pulls out his cock, and a stroke later, he's cumming all over his hand and into the toilet.

He gasps for breath and tries to clean up as best as he can. That's one of the best orgasms he's ever had in his entire life, and Thor only massaged his scalp. There's some explanation in there.

He manages to make it back out, and the credits are rolling, so he doesn't have to go back to the couch and try to act like he didn't just cum his entire mind out a few seconds ago.

He only talks to Thor about safe topics that won't lead to him making another mess in his hand. Eye contact is kept to a minimum for his sake, and he has a feeling that Thor is suspicious. He doesn't let it bother him or stop him from looking away though.

On Monday, he resolves to ask someone about yesterday.

When he gets the chance and Thor's not around, Loki decides to ask Stark about whether he's ever heard of scalp massages having those effects. It's risky considering it's Tony Stark, but he doesn't think he'll be able to ask anyone and get a straight answer. Stark has a reputation for being sexually experienced, so he has to know.

"Stark, can I ask you something?"

Tony sets his tray on the table but remains standing. He shrugs his shoulders and nods. "Shoot, mischief."

Loki tries not to roll his eyes at the nickname, one of Tony's Norse god-themed ones. "Do you think it's possible to get a…er…. head-job?" He feels ridiculous just saying it and really wishes to just bury his face in his hands.

"A what?"

"Like a head-job… when someone massages your head and it's, er, arousing."

Tony bursts out into raucous laughter that is so loud it's bouncing from every wall in the cafeteria. "A head job!?"

Steve glares daggers at him, but Tony ignores it. "Stop being so loud!"

He pats his chest and lets out a giggle. "A head job!"

Clint and Natasha are staring at Tony like he's lost his mind.

"What is so amusing, Stark?" Thor asks as he comes and sits down.

Tony opens his mouth, but Loki shields his face from Thor and sends him a warning glare. "Oh, it was him!?" He starts to giggle again and flops down into his chair. "Promise I won't say anything, but seriously?"

"Tell me this laughter-inducing topic," Thor says as he finishes taking a gulp of water. "It's clearly hilarious."

Tony fights back another giggle, and Loki regrets telling him of all people. "Head-jobs," he says, and he begins to giggle again, falling out of his chair this time. "Phew, it's nothing, Thor. Your brother just had to tell me something that can only be between us, and hell is it funny."

He glances down at Tony. "I thought you would be more mature about this," he says.

Tony gives him a mock affronted look as he climbs back into his chair. "Steve, am I not mature?"

"Yes," he replies. "You're not."

"Haters. But what were you asking me again? I know you said something about h—something." He sneaks a look at Thor, and Loki wants to throttle him. "What?"

"Are you even going to attempt to answer my question, Stark, or are you going to make private remarks the entire time?" he asks. "You are absolutely no help."

"What are you trying to ask him?" Clint asks. "Maybe I can help. I actually do know stuff, and from what I heard, I may have some sort of idea…"

Loki realizes that he has nothing to lose, and Barton is probably his only chance of getting a straight answer. What has become is his life, choosing between a goober and a goofball?

He stands up and makes his way to the seat beside Clint, looking around to see if Bruce is still in line. He is, so Loki has some time to ask him. Lowering his voice to a mere whisper, he leans in and asks, "Say if someone were to give you a scalp massage that was, um, sexually arousing? Would that be considered sexual?"

Clint looks like he's seriously pondering Loki's question, and he relieved that someone is taking him seriously. "Well, I guess it depends on who. When Tasha rubs my scalp, I mean, phew." He makes a face that looks a lot like he's orgasming. "But I guess if it was meant sexually. Why? Was this person intending it to be or-?"

"No," he hurriedly replies. "I was simply curious. Thank you."

He makes his way back to his seat. He's pretty sure that Thor was not intending it in a sexual way even if Loki did manage to get a sexual thrill from it. It seems that his body is finding any way to get a sexual discharge from Thor's hands even if it is only his scalp.

In English, Victor attempts to talk to him about a book he read over the weekend written by some 19th century serial killer, but Loki finds himself disinterested. Victor is still as attractive as he was when he first met him, but it seems subdued, and Loki's sure that it's from all of the time spent around Thor. In comparison, Victor doesn't quite measure up to Thor's attractiveness, and it's an absolute disappointment.

Loki wants to like Victor instead of Thor. Victor is informed of Loki's intentions and flirtation with him while Thor seems mostly oblivious of what he's subjecting Loki to. He actually seems interested in Loki, and Loki has a chance with him. He's somewhat interested in men, but he has no idea about Thor's preferences.

And that Jane Foster. He doesn't know how he managed to make it through Psychology while she talked to Thor about some stupid project of hers, and he nodded and replied with enthusiasm. He wanted to point out that he was much more interesting than she was, but he sat still and half-listened to the conversation between Tony and Victor.

In the last five minutes of class, Professor Xavier comes on the stage and announces that their ideas have to be turned into a basic play by the end of the week. There are groans, but Victor and Reed only seem satisfied. They share a hard look, and Loki's interest in Victor reawakens a bit.

He seems to have to thing for men who display their dominance, and it explains much of his crushes in the past and present.

The class he's been dreading is Earth Science, and that reason is standing at the doorway when Loki and Victor arrive. Thor's normal happiness at seeing Victor seems almost nonexistent, and he only nods him a greeting.

Victor takes Loki hands before he leaves, his fingers brushing over the inside of Loki's wrist and sending goosebumps up his arm. He flashes him a knowing smile and just like that Loki's interest in Victor is aflame again. He wasn't even fazed by the cool greeting, and that is just… sexy on its own.

He stares after Victor as he struts down the hallway and feels a grin coming to his lips.

"We should take our seats before the bell rings," Thor says behind him.

Loki nods automatically, turning around and going into the classroom with a smile on his face. He takes his seat and leans on his hand, thing of the look in Victor's eyes.

A voice inside of him is calling him a traitor, but he isn't betraying anyone. Thor is his step-brother, straight, and definitely not interested in Loki. Victor is a friend, possibly gay, and interested for sure. Why should he keep going after something he's never going to get?

For once during class, Thor doesn't sneak looks at him. Instead, he spends the entire time leaned on his hand and looking forward with a disinterested face. Loki doesn't understand. Mrs. Munroe is beautiful, and Thor's a normal straight teenage boy. He should be ecstatic to have that to look at like how Loki is thankful for Professor Lensherr.

As he goes to free period, he thinks about the head-job. Clint's right. Yes, Clint Barton is right. Thor did not mean it sexually, so Loki shouldn't think of it that way. He should just allow himself to move on to Victor.

A new problem faces him when he steps into the newsletter room and Gwen is actually sitting at the desk. It's a first, and Loki knows exactly why. She's not even wearing her signature skirt, her legs covered in jeans as they sit on the surface of the desk. Wow, he did a number on her.

"You weren't here Friday," she says. "I thought you weren't coming back."

"No, I had an Earth Science trip," he replies. They're alone, and he does not feel threatened by the possibility that she wants to seduce him anymore. It's a relief even if the alternative is a look similar to the one she directed at Parker. "What am I to do today?"

"You're going to come with me," Pepper says as she comes through the doorway. "Um, sorry, Gwen, but I need to borrow him."

"It's fine with me," she replies, and she sounds quite different than usual.

Loki goes with Pepper around the school as she tries to round up student reporters. He is given instructions to go find Ben Urich from the gym, and he steps inside with the intention of just finding the boy and leaving but that doesn't happen. Balls are flying every which way, and Loki has to dodge about five balls within the first minute of entering.

He's all to thankful of the flexibility that yoga provides him because he's required to bend backward to avoid getting hit in the face, and he bends so far that his hair brushes again the floor. He straightens up and runs for the sidelines, hopping over a ball with ease. He hops onto one of the bleacher seats and sighs when he's finally in the clear.

A whistle blows, and Coach Logan appears from the other sideline. "Chef, what're you doing here?"

Everyone is looking at him expectantly, and Loki sees faces that he both recognizes and doesn't. He's surprised to see that Thor isn't there, launching balls into people and flattening them out. "Uh, I need Ben Urich."

Ben starts walking toward him, glasses hanging off his face. "Um, yes, that's me," he says. "Newsletter, right?"

He nods. "Um, you can continue. Thank you."

"Don't need your go ahead, Chef!" He blows the whistle and balls start flying again.

He and Ben narrowly escape the shower of balls, Ben getting hit in the back before they go out the door.

When they return, there's a legion of reporters sitting around the table, and Ben joins them on the end. He and Pepper stand on the end of the table and wait until everyone seems to gather their wits about them.

"Okay, everyone, I don't know if you've met Loki, but he's an editor on the paper now, so say hello."

There's a chorus of hellos, and Loki glares at Pepper.

She smiles back at him, unfazed. "Our article for 'Student to Look Out For' is going to be due by the end of the month, so we should really get started. Today, we're just going to go over some students that you think would be great candidates."

It's all fine and well until Carol Danvers, the blonde from Loki's gym class, raises her hand and says the name, "Thor Odinson." She drops her hand, looking proud of herself when the other students seem to mumble in agreement.

It takes all of Loki's might not to jump down the table and grab her by her proud face, shouting that she did this on purpose. He knows that she has no idea of how Loki feels of Thor, but this is still her fault. She's spurned conversation about Thor.

Pepper makes a noise of agreement. "Hm, did you know he's Loki's step-brother?"

He exhales and shuts his eyes before he can lose his mind. "I'm sure they know now," he replies.

"So you can like convince him to let us do this, right?" Loki doesn't know the boy's name, but now he wishes he does so he could curse it. "You two live together."

_Kill me now, kill me now_, Loki thinks as he grits his teeth and stares up at the ceiling. He can feel all of their eyes on him, and they expect him to agree. "Um, possibly if you choose him… Yes."

"Next then?"

A girl raises her hand. "Victor von Doom."

Ha, it is definitely a ploy by the gods to get Loki to lose his sanity.

"He's already been it five times!" Ben exclaims. "Again already?"

"But it's because he is a student to look out for, Ben." She sends a glare his way and flicks some hair out of her face. "What do you two think?"

"He is quite brilliant," Loki says. They should choose Victor, not Thor! He does not want to ask Thor that.

"Yeah, one of the smartest kids in the school, but Ben does have a point. We have a chance for some variety." Pepper shrugs. "Anymore?"

"Nope."

"Okay, so we have 'Susan Storm, Steve Rogers, Elizabeth Ross, Ethan Edwards, Scott Summers, Thor Odinson, and Victor von Doom' on our list. We should wait a week or so, and see if they've done anything that will make them particularly notable in the list before we make our decision. Anyone else got anything they want to put on the table?"

Everyone shakes their heads.

"Thank you all for coming. Great work!"

After he bell rings, Loki walks through the halls, his expression of pure distaste. Loki puts his tablet in his locker and leans against it, waiting for Thor to come. He really cannot believe that they're considering Thor, and if his luck continues on the path it is, he'll be chosen.

For the next few days, home life is remarkably similar to how it was Sunday, Loki shying away from contact with Thor. It's fine that way, he decides after dinner. He should keep it this way until he goes off to college.

At school, he talks to Victor any chance he gets and ignores the looks of disapproval that his friends send his way when he leans in closer to Victor while they converse. Victor's become much more physical, touching Loki's arm when he says something or brushing the back of his hand against Loki's to get his attention during English. In turn, Loki gets more physical, and he has to admit that the Thor-induced erections have gone away for the most part.

He's learned to avoid being alone in the same room with Thor. It's helped him not get painful hard-ons, and not having the chance to stare him down while their parents aren't around has diluted his fantasy material down to only fleeting images that are ingrained in his brain from thinking about them so much.

Thor still glares at Victor when he drops Loki off at Earth Science, and Victor still walks away unaffected by a look that would make most men run away with their tails between their legs. It's something that Loki actually looks forward to each day, seeing Victor walk away cockily and Thor fume not far away.

Friday passes without circumstance, and Loki continues his crusade to try and stay away from Thor. Lunch is the hardest with Thor sitting next to him, but Tony Stark fills up the atmosphere with talks of Emma Frost and some ex-girlfriend Mya Hansen. Loki doesn't miss the way Steve looks at him, and he steers away the conversation to some "tech" he's working on. It works out for everyone.

The entire weekend is spent in his room alternating between sleeping and getting up to shower and eat. It seems that only by fate Thor is not around when he sneaks out of his room, either inside his own or downstairs. There is dinner which he is forced to attend, but his mother lets him leave as soon as he finishes, the excuse of catching up on missed sleep on his tongue if she asks for an explanation. Still Thor's proximity gives him goose bumps up and down his arms, and his room provides a perfect getaway from the reality of his situation.

Thor wakes him up Monday morning as he always does, pulling the blankets back and calling his name, and Loki wonders briefly if Thor got the hint over the weekend, not even attempting to draw Loki out of his bedroom. He appreciates it if he does, and as a show of his appreciation, he gets up immediately without fuss.

He makes his way to the bathroom, and sighs happily as he starts his shower. He deposits his phone on the counter around the sink in case of emergencies and strips down nude, stepping under the spray.

Loki lets the water run over his back and closes his eyes at the perfect distribution of pressure. He's never going to not love that shower head.

He's shampooing his hair, running his hands over the base of his scalp when he opens his eyes and sees that he's gotten a text message. Sighing and saying goodbye to the absolute beauty of the showerhead, he rinses out his hair and shuts the water off.

He steps out into the steamy air of the bathroom and relishes at the softness of the bath carpet under his toes. Showers seem to make him so hypersensitive.

He stands there for a few moments to just adjust to steaminess and can barely see around him, the steam sticking to the mirror and hovering in the air like a thick fog. The steam is that thick, but it's not thick enough that when the door opens, Loki doesn't see it.

Loki's fast, but he's not that fast when he's under a haze of shower-induced bliss.

Thor is suddenly in the doorway of the bathroom, letting all of the steam and the warmth around Loki escape into the hallway, and Loki wants to rage at him for just that, but there's something more important to be furious with him at. Loki's stark—no pun intended—naked, and Thor is just standing there looking at him.

They stand there for a few milliseconds before Loki is grabbing his bath towel from the hook and pulling it over himself like it's any use. Thor's already seen everything although Loki hopes the steam obscured some of it. "Thor!" he screams as Thor just stands there, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in surprise. "Do you not understand the concept of knocking?"

He glances at Loki for a long moment before snapping out of his shock. Loki knows Thor just saw a man naked, ew, but there's no need to act like he's seen something completely disgusting. Loki doesn't look _that_ bad even if he looks bad at all, which he's sure that he doesn't. He's actually pretty attractive although his aura seems to ward most people off. "Wha—Loki, I apologize. I didn't think that you were-"

"That's what, you weren't thinking! Gods, Thor, what did you expect to find?"

"I, I don't know, Loki. I'm sorry, okay?" He holds his hands up in surrender, and Loki just glares at him. "I hope that you forgive me in time for breakfast, which I will be downstairs eating. See you then."

When the door closes, Loki lets out a strangled scream.

He dodges out of the bathroom and dresses as quickly as he can. He doesn't know why, but he has the urge to move, so he does. He moves faster than he has in a while and laces up his boots with one hand as he finishes drying his hair with the other. He thinks that if he stops for even one second, he might actually think about what just happened in there and what the ramifications are.

Thor's leaning against the kitchen counter when Loki comes downstairs, and he immediately perks up from where he is drinking some tea to come and follow Loki to the refrigerator. He bites down hard on his tongue from making some snide remark at Thor. Thor has seen him _naked_, and it's as if he's seen inside Loki's soul for a second.

"I have to say that you look a lot better naked," is the first thing that comes out of Thor's mouth, and Loki slams his head against the shelf as he reaches for the orange juice. Thor obviously has no filter if he thinks that that is an okay thing to say.

He kicks the door shut when he has had enough time to compose himself and scrambles as far away from Thor as possible. As he pours his orange juice, he decides to reply to Thor's… comment or compliment or whatever. "Thor, I really think that that wasn't an appropriate thing to say," he replies, keeping his voice as leveled as he can. It's hard, but he manages.

Thor cannot say things like that and expect Loki's plan to work. He has to try and get over Thor, dammit, and saying things like that are definitely not going to help him toward that goal. He's almost back to the starting line at this point.

"Why? Am I not allowed to share my opinions aloud? I was not insulting you, Loki. I was simply commenting-"

"Yes, you can share your opinions, but not on that!" Loki closes his eyes and inhales through his nose, repeating yoga mantras instead of Thor's words. His mind quickly comes up with some lie that sounds like a good excuse for Thor to never say anything like that again.

"See, you know how you're always calling me 'brother', well, brothers usually don't say things like that to each other. They say things like 'did you watch that game of football' and talk about girls. They really don't comment on each other's bodies. Of course unless they're not normal brothers, but that's… Yeah, Thor, don't ever do that again, okay?"

Loki sips his orange juice and chances a look at Thor who is looking at him with a cocked eyebrow. It's pretty insane that those words came from that mouth only a few moments ago.

"Yes, you do have a valid point," Thor replies. "I will try my best to keep my, uh, more personal opinions to myself."

"Good," Loki says as he finishes his juice. "Now, shall we head out to school?"

The ride to school, Loki can sense the uneasiness from Thor even if he tries to project his usual confidence. It's the way he tiptoes over what he says or what he judges out of fear that Loki will lash out on him for it, and Loki almost feels bad, _almost_.

Jane Foster is sitting on the steps of the school when they pull up, and Loki's rage flares up before retreating back into the small, organized place in his mind where it waits to be released. It's probably seen as unhealthy in most psychiatric circles, but it makes for good motivation when the time comes.

Thor lights up at the sight of her, the uneasiness fading at once, and Loki resents her so much that it should be some kind of crime. He walks ahead of Loki to meet up with her, and the two fall into step together a few paces ahead of him. Loki should be happy that Thor is off of his hands, but he's not. He only feels incredibly useless.

He should be even more excited that Thor complimented him on his body, but it only feels like he said it to disarm Loki in retrospect. He did not mean that, could not have meant that. He's straight, and straight men don't say and mean things like that for the most part. Loki's sure that Thor would not be attracted to him even if he did vouch for the male loving male team. He's already seen Loki's various temperaments, and if that is not enough to ward a man of, then what is?

Steve turns up behind him just before Jane and Thor veer off to the left to go to Thor's locker, and Loki's thankful because he was not sure that he would be able to calm down the beast inside that wanted to march up to Jane Foster and lash out on her.

Loki does cast a look after the two of them, hoping that the resentment hits them and knocks them onto their asses, but they both remain unscathed. He does get something in return, a disapproving look from Steve.

"Loki... you really shouldn't look at your brother like that." Loki would be sure that he's talking about the lust thing, but it's Steve Rogers. "He's trying the best he can to have a good relationship with you."

He throws his head back in a bitter laugh. "I know, Steve, I know." He grabs his tablet and kicks his locker shut. "Thor is attempting to bridge the gap between us and forge a friendship, I know."

"Then why are you glaring at him like he's your elementary school bully?" That's oddly specific, and Loki knows there's some personal subtext under there. A story of Steve's own bullying? "You should lay off a bit."

He turns and sees that fierce look in Steve's eyes that make him seem so much larger than he is and concedes. Arguing with Steve is going to do nothing but make him look like more of an asshole. "You're right." He opens the door to Calculus. "I'll stop."

It's a shame that Steve doesn't know how off base he is, and Loki wishes for a confidant to share all of his secrets to. There's no one he can truly trust yet, and he's managed thus far. He can make it on his own, solve his own problems.

Loki manages not to kill Jane Foster in Psychology by a miracle of fate and self-control. He thinks about it every time she opens her mouth and giggles at something Thor said, causing Thor to grin even wider, and he impatiently taps his fingers hard enough that Victor stops talking and just stares at Loki curiously.

Natasha does the same, but she figures it out soon enough, her eyes pointedly fixing on Jane behind him and back on Loki. She doesn't frown, but she doesn't smile either. He's unsure of what she's even thinking.

He's restless during English as they work on the stage directions for the play, and he has nothing productive to offer besides the occasional suggestion to add facial expressions or emotional responses. Well, those are important, but Loki could offer so much more if Thor and that girl weren't on his mind.

He just does not understand! Thor compliments him on his nudity, and then he goes upon the rest of his day as if nothing happened with that giggling girl. It's all wrong, Loki decides as he goes to Earth Science. Thor's obviously completely oblivious and thick to what's going through Loki and sitting next to him is going to be sheer hell.

Victor senses his mood, but instead of retreating, he pulls Loki in for a hug. It's strangely comfortable and one of the first hugs Loki has experienced in a great while. He pulls away and bids a stunned Loki a farewell.

The same expression sports Thor's face, and Loki is satisfied.

Class is exactly as Loki thought it would be and more. The addition is Thor's silent seething beside him over the hug, and it brings joy to Loki that he's not the only person angry over a friend. There's a possibility, a very strong one, that Jane is not just a friend in Thor's eyes, so Loki has every right considering what he feels about Thor.

What does he feel about Thor?

He pushes the thought away and soaks in the anger radiating off of Thor.

It becomes a regular occurrence the next few days, Thor fuming after Victor hugs Loki, and Loki lets the negative emotion sooth his own resentment toward Jane. Soon he will reach some equilibrium. His plan of stopping pining after Thor is a possibility with the development.

It seems that the fuming does not carry on into their home lives though Thor is slightly hesitant when he talks to Loki. The chance of him seeing images of Loki and Victor in an embrace is as high as the occurrence of Loki seeing the images of Jane and him engaged in close conversation.

But Loki is not jealous! He is simply… resentful of the fact that Thor can move on so easily while he's stuck hopelessly lusting after him.

In Friday's Earth Science, they go back to Central Park.

Loki almost panics when he realizes that he's has no choice but to be alone with Thor, and he knows that all progress he's made will be gone within moments of them getting into the cab. He pauses for a moment before he opens the door and gets in, and opens the door when Mrs. Munroe gives them a confused look from the top of the stairs. He slides in, holding his breath.

The door shuts behind Thor and like that every step he's taken toward becoming Thor-proof is a distant memory. His hands clam up and all of the blood starts to rush downward. It's like clockwork.

He stifles a groan and stops himself from stomping around like a child.

They get out at the same spot and sit down at the same bench as before, the same bench where Thor wiped the ketchup off his mouth.

"We should begin work," Thor says, setting down his tablet on the space between them. He looks up at Loki, and his eyes are absolutely wondrous in the light. How has Loki controlled himself so well?

He doesn't trust himself to speak, so he just nods.

Thor begins discussing the wind patterns and rainfall measurements for Central Park, looking up at Loki every once in a while. He definitely knows what he's talking about, and it's a trait that Loki finds extremely attractive. He wants to sprawl out on this bench and offer himself to Thor while he goes on and on about how the plant life reacts to the pollutants from the city in the rain, but he only grips the bench and nods along.

About halfway through talking about ducks, Thor stops and suggests that they talk a walk. He stands up, tucking the tablet under his arm, and gives Loki an expectant look.

He climbs to his feet and goes to Thor's side, keeping a good amount of space between them, so the temptation to touch will not be as strong.

"For our presentation, we should use the plant life as a theme," Loki says. He needs to talk about something relevant, or he thinks he might end up spouting off about the planes of Thor's body. "It's central to our project."

"Then I'll entrust that to you," he replies. "You are the creative one."

He looks over at Thor, raising an eyebrow. "Where did you deduce that from?"

"You."

He snorts. "Obviously. I mean… what have I done that deems me creative?"

"Well, for one you are on newsletter, and Gwen Stacy makes it known that you are quite helpful," he says, and he turns and gives Loki as mischievous look. "And Farbauti has shown me some childhood artwork. I must say that I've never seen a green cat with reindeer horns."

He's going to slaughter his mother for this. Why does she think that everyone needs to see the remnants of Loki's childhood boredom? Those drawings and paintings were simply doodles of his not meant to be shared with anyone other than his mother. It seems that she's unaware.

He is not embarrassed, but he's definitely not happy about Thor having seen that. "I had an eye for design," he replies. "It was… cute."

Thor smiles, and Loki looks away. "Only a person with creativity could come up with something so unique." He stops smiling, and he puts a hand on Loki's shoulder, halting their progress forward. "You're unique."

He tilts his head to look up at Thor, and the fondness in his eyes is unmistakable. It feels as if they should have been talking about old times they played in the sandbox before they grew older and realized they were destined for one another. Loki has a feeling that he's returning the look, and it's all so exasperating.

The effect one man has on him is more than the effect of any of the other people he's ever held a fancy for in his lifetime put together. Thor's undoing the seams that hold Loki together stitch by stitch, and somehow he's already gotten to unwinding the backstitching. He's almost complete, and it hasn't even been a month.

"The same to you," he replies.

Thor drops his hand and turns around, Loki doing the same. They both walk to the entrance of the park where Thor hails a cab.

They don't talk during the cab ride, but it feels as if the silence is filled with words, tons of them. Some of them are about feelings and others are about desires. Loki wonders if Thor is experiencing the same thing, the loud silence, and he wants to ask but prevents himself from doing so. If Thor only hears silence, Loki's knowledge of Thor's obliviousness and romantic disinterest will only be reconfirmed.

Loki follows Thor to his locker, having left his tablet in his, and watches as he opens it, the muscles in his arm moving under his skin. It's fascinating that a person can seem so perfect, and Loki would be envious of Thor if he weren't too busy lusting after him. He guesses that it's better than the alternative though.

He accepts that his plan to minimize contact with Thor has failed and doesn't bother trying to recreate another plan that will inevitably fail.

He spends Friday night on his computer watching _Wallander_ reruns and just moping about his fate to pine hopelessly after Thor. Around 2:00, he sneaks downstairs for a snack and sees that Thor is in the living room watching some documentary on National Geographic. His attempt to be as quiet as possible fails when the refrigerator door shuts on its own as he chops up his celery a few feet away.

"Loki?" Thor calls, and Loki swears under his breath, cursing the refrigerator and whoever built it.

He sighs. "Yes?"

Thor appears in the archway, his pants slung so low on his hips that Loki can see the V of his abdomen. He thinks that he should tell Thor to drop them, claiming that it's only fair he sees Thor naked but thinks better of it.

He turns back to chopping his celery. "Why are you awake?" he asks to fill the silence.

"I could not sleep," he replies, and there's movement as he pads across the kitchen floor toward Loki. "And you?"

"I'm afraid I'm facing the same fate." He feels himself shifting away as Thor comes near, and he tries to chop faster.

"Then join me in my solitude."

Loki stops chopping and looks over at Thor, hair tucked behind his ears, and a loose lock hangs next to his temple. It takes him all of his self-restraint not to reach out and brush it back. He clears his throat and sees that Thor is waiting for an answer. "I—I should try to get to sleep."

Disappointment flashes across Thor's eyes, and he brushes against Loki's back as he comes to his side. He's seen Loki naked, and even the separation of clothes feels like nothing now. A hand comes up and fingers stroke down the back of Loki's head. Not this again. It's as if Thor knows what he's doing. "What are you preparing?"

Inhaling to calm himself, he replies, "Celery and peanut better. Why?"

Thor steals a stalk of celery of the cutting board and dips it into the small dish of peanut butter. Loki cranes his neck to follow the food to Thor's mouth as his lips curve around the cylindrical shape. His eyes meet Loki's as he chews, and he makes a sound of satisfaction. "Good."

"I know." He means for it to come out sharp, but it only sounds soft and unfocused. It's clear that Loki's not really paying attention to anything but the way Thor's eating.

His hand drops from Loki's hair, and all blood returns to its proper place. "I'll see you in the morn."

Loki nods as he flees up to his room with his snack clutched to his chest. He doesn't immediately eat, taking a breath of calming so he doesn't end up choking to death while his mind is preoccupied with Thor.

He struggles to find a proper position to sleep in, and when he's woken up by the shock of cold air hitting his legs, he feels like more miserable than he did before he went to sleep.

The sight of Thor standing in front of him, arms crossed and expression amused, somehow doesn't surprise him at all. Only Thor dares to wake him up like that. "I am going to the gym," he says.

Loki blinks blearily, trying to clear out the lingering fog of sleep, and as he wakes up more, he finds that there's something sitting uncomfortable between his legs and sticking into the bed. He shifts a bit and a jolt of pleasure rockets up his spine. Yes, morning wood.

He is not in the mood to move at all. He wishes to burrow his way back into his blankets and fall back asleep. Why is Thor even telling him this? He does not care that much.

His eyes start to close again.

"Loki, it wasn't a request for your presence." Thor moves to the door. "It was a notification."

The door shuts behind Thor, and Loki stares at it with incredulity being the main feeling on his mind. He absolutely abhors being commanded what to do, and Thor is no different even if he does hold a spell over Loki that Loki finds himself trying to fight and failing. No man, save for his mother, can command Loki-

"Loki!" It's Thor peering back into the bedroom. "Get up. Now."

With a groan that turns in a whine of dissatisfaction, Loki gets to his feet. He is not listening to Thor because he is his superior. No, he is doing this because he would rather not have to deal with Thor's incessant complaints about Loki's noncompliance.

He pulls on pants and a t-shirt he uses for yoga, grabbing his mat and slinging it over his shoulder. If Thor expects him to lift weights or whatever, Loki's going to be ecstatic to inform him that he does what he wants, and he does not have to do that. If he wants to contort his body in rhythm to his breaths, he shall.

In an afterthought, Loki pulls his hair back, and he grabs his sweatshirt. He opts for sneakers instead of his usual boots and grumbles as he does so, the footwear feeling much more vulnerable than his boots. Again, he's doing this because he does not want to hear him complain, not because Thor is in control of him.

Thor waits down in the entrance hall like some kind of boy in a movie waiting for his date, and Loki snorts and rolls his eyes when Thor smiles up at him. He thinks that he has some kind of dominance over Loki that he can use to make him do what he wants, but Loki does what _he_ wants… except for the having sex with Thor part!

He storms out of the house and hails a taxi, seething the entire ride to Thor's gym of choice.

When they arrive, Thor leads the way to the front desk, handing two membership cards to the concierge.

"I got you one," he says over his shoulder.

Loki grits his teeth. "How thoughtful of you."

There are too many people at the gym for it being so early, and Loki wants to scream at them all that they clearly do not understand the concept of sleeping in. They're already sweaty and panting from their places in the gym, and it's 7:00 in the morning!

"You should-"

"Where is a place where I can do my yoga?" he asks, cutting Thor off.

Thor stares at him for a moment, eyebrows raised. "Behind the glass over there is a room," he replies as he points toward the wall of glass on the far end of the room. "There are no classes right now, but-"

"I won't need one." He's already stalking off before Thor can finish. Thor underestimates Loki's knowledge far too often, he decides as he opens the door and slips inside. He's not some child in need of guidance.

He rolls his mat out close to the glass, and he realizes how great the view is from there. There are some particularly attractive men around here, and it doesn't surprise him since it is a gym. He can possibly forgive Thor for this. Speaking of Thor, he's starting the treadmill, and Loki automatically rolls his eyes. It seems that is going to be a permanent action for him if Thor is going to be in his life.

Loki pulls his sweatshirt off and puts his earphones in his ears, tapping on a playlist composed of high tempo electronic music. He's going to need a high energy session to keep him awake.

_Call on me, on me_

_Call on me, on me_

He launches into his first sun salutation, turning up the pace to coincide with the tempo of the music. He presses his weight into his feet while in the downward dog pose, inhaling and exhaling five times before leaping forward. He finishes the last pose and goes into sun salutation b, arching his back while in upward facing dog, and he gives a moan of relief as his back and abdominal muscles stretch.

One of his eyes happens to crack open, and said eye happens to notice that Thor is watching him as he runs on the treadmill, his earphones in. He's staring at Loki with a bewildered expression, and that part of Loki that's been getting him deeper and deeper into the hole takes over, and he does his poses with renewed gusto.

He admits that lowering into chaturanga is not supposed to consist of practically humping the ground, but he cannot be blamed for exaggerating. He's trying to get the best stretch, alright?

_I am no angel  
I like it when you do that stuff to me  
I am no angel  
I like it when you talk, dirty when you talk_

The song changes and with it, Loki drops all attempts at Loki like he's _just_ doing yoga. He mimics along with the lyrics as he transitions into wide leg forward bend, and oh does he bend, purposely changing his position so his ass his facing the window. He makes eye contact with the Thor, and Thor trips on the treadmill, only managing to hop off in the last moment before he's on his stomach.

He doesn't stop though. No, Thor's going to pay for acting like he has not seen Loki naked. He wants Thor to imagine him naked and more, and he knows that it's a long shot, but he's feeling pretty confident. He presses deeper into the wide leg forward bend, and he gives a silent moan of relief at the feeling of his muscles being stretched.

Thor's staring at him wide-eyed, and Loki feels that it's a mission accomplished.

He walks back into the main gym with a smirk on his lips as he stares at Thor scratching the back of his neck, obviously flustered.

"You are knowledgeable of the art of grabbing others' attention," Thor says, opening the door for Loki.

The cool air feels amazing. "Did you enjoy the show?" he asks.

When Thor only raises his hand for a cab, Loki begins to laugh. Oh yes, sweet, sweet revenge. It tastes best wrapped in tall blond and given a garnish of sheepishness.


	4. Chapter 4

Steve Rogers: Petite Defender?!

Loki's learned that when Thor is awkward, he's extremely awkward, and it's one of those things that are hard to miss. After the show at the gym, Thor is so awkward that Loki has to carry his side of the conversation when Thor is usually the one carrying Loki's. He just sits shooting glances at Loki, reddening in the cheeks each time he does, and Loki finds himself staring hard out of the cab window to suppress the laugh that dies to come out.

By Monday morning, Thor is back to his usual boisterousness, and Loki's relieved as he turns his back to pour his orange juice. He doesn't have to worry about Thor sneaking glances at Loki and blushing. Loki can only guess what Thor is thinking: 'he's so gay' or some variant of that.

After that, Loki's sure that there's no doubt in Thor's mind of Loki's homosexuality, and it seems that Thor may not be entirely comfortable about it. Some people have different reactions, and Thor's reaction is the quiet, uncomfortable kind. To the alternative of being taunted ruthlessly, it's somewhat better, but considering it is Thor that would be more of characteristic of his personality.

He turns around to watch Thor drink his tea and smiles into his glass at Thor leaning on his elbow and staring at Loki like he usually does. Thor's just so… strange. Loki's not one to talk, but, wow, he's not like other boys is he?

Steve's in a good mood when Loki meets him in the entrance hall, but he doesn't hesitate to give Loki another one of his disapproving looks when Loki frowns at how Thor immediately gravitates to a waiting Jane. "Loki, remember what I told you," he says in a threatening tone, and how can a boy of his size sound like that? There's some law of nature violated there.

Loki takes out his residual anger on his locker, slamming it open and pointedly looking at Steve as he does so. "I remember, Steve," he replies. "It's not as easy as it looks, okay?"

They start off for Calculus, Loki trying his hardest not to glance down Corridor D when they turn into the opposite one. He's going to try to heed Steve's advice even if it is almost entirely off base. Loki is not hating Thor, he's hating Jane.

Steve seems to forget his crusade to make Loki feel something akin to guilt when Dr. McCoy comes into view at the top of the stairs. Loki's been trying to not think into the looks Steve gives their teacher, but it's so hard not to when Loki knows that look! He's given that look to a few special people!

"Hello, Steve, Loki," Dr. McCoy says, and he holds open the door to the classroom open for them.

"Hello, Doctor," Steve replies.

"Good morning, McCoy." Loki takes his seat, but Steve lingers in the front and talks to him until the bell rings. Loki gives Steve his own disapproving look when he takes his seat, and Steve's eyebrows knit together in confusion. He's too naïve for his own good.

He meets Natasha in the hallway, and they walk to French together. She doesn't seem to be in a talking mood, and he isn't in one either, so they walk in companionable silence. It's not awkward, which Loki thinks is some precursor to a close friendship.

Loki looks on in amusement as Wagner makes another show of himself as he gives some speech in French about the failed French Revolution. The man has turned out to be quite hilarious, and his class is never, not entertaining.

"Hello, Professor Lensherr," he says at the sight of their teacher leaning against his desk as usual. He's only grown more and more attractive through the days, and Loki's finding it hard to actually pay attention to his lectures. They're still on Carbon due to interruptions from Reed's attempts to find faults in Professor Lensherr's words. It turns out that Reed is being pedantic most of the time.

Professor Lensherr nods as he replies, "Guten morgen, Loki," and he's probably one of the few people who can make German sound sexy.

Bruce and Reed come in just before the bell ring, and Professor Lensherr doesn't even spare their excuses any of his attention.

"You're being unreasonable!" Reed says.

"Since everyone is here, we should begin," Professor Lensherr says, ignoring Reed. "Today-"

"Wait, wait, wait for us!" Stark comes through the door, Victor and the boy Hank Pym behind him. "We're here!"

"Stark, von Doom, Pym, what are you three doing here?" Professor Lensherr asks. He pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head. "Actually, I don't care. Go take your seats."

"But he's in my seat," Tony says, gesturing to Loki. "You just gave it up like I was never going to come back!"

"I was hoping you weren't." He makes a hand gesture behind Loki. "Sit back there somewhere. Hurry up."

A hand brushes over the desk in front of Loki, and Loki glances up to see Victor smiling. "Good morning, Loki," he says in a tone that makes Loki's pants get slightly tighter.

"Hello, Victor," he replies.

Victor goes and takes his seat, and Loki bites his bottom lip to stop from smiling.

Professor Lensherr cocks an eyebrow in his direction, and Loki realizes that he saw their little exchange. For some reason, it makes Loki feel proud.

Bruce gives Loki a dark look, and Loki almost falls out of his chair in fright. "You and von Doom, huh?" he asks. He sighs and runs a hand over his face.

He wants to shout at Bruce to give him an explanation for this hatred that all of his friends seem to think is okay to aim at Victor. They all seem to disapprove of their relationship, which isn't even official as of now, but they don't even give Loki any reason as to why. He's not going to listen to them without any proof of whatever makes him worthy of their distaste.

Somewhere at the beginning of Professor Lensherr's talk, there is a hard kick at the bottom of Loki's chair, and it's not especially fun having the hard metal jarred under his ass. He does not have enough fat to absorb the shock, and he's not going to gain any just so whoever is kicking his chair will stop.

There's only one person who would out of the three that just came in, and Loki has a itching suspicion Stark's the one sitting behind him.

There's another kick, and Loki grits his teeth to stop from shouting at him to stop.

The next time, Loki is prepared, and he grabs the foot underneath his chair before it can land.

Calmly, he holds on to the foot and listens to Professor Lensherr talk or more accurately, look at him talk. The foot struggles in his grasp, but he's clearly stronger than Tony. It's a nice fact to know. Stark should watch himself now that Loki knows how comparatively weak he is.

"Let… go!" Stark hisses as he jerks his foot.

Loki smirks as he keeps his grip firm.

"Loki! Stop with your mischief!" There's a chuckle. "Oh god, I've always wanted to say that."

Professor Lensherr stops talking and turns to glare at Tony. "Stark, what is wrong with you other than the obvious?"

"I'm wounded by your words, Lensherr," he replies. "Tell Loki to let go of my foot."

"I would if you did not think it okay to continue kicking the base of my chair," Loki says. "Until then, I think I am fine keeping your foot in my possession."

"With the occasional outburst from Richards, our class has gone fairly smoothly. Now that you are here, Stark, it has been derailed. Last year, if you recall, our class was known for it's…. eccentricity, but this year it will not be. Now, Loki, would you please release Stark's foot, and if he does attempt to kick your chair again, do not hesitate to pull him from his seat and onto his ass." Professor Lensherr grins. "Now, to continue…"

Loki drops Tony's foot, wiping the rock residue on Tony's pant leg before he can pull it back.

After that, class goes on normally, and Loki thinks that Tony has realized that he's annoying until he hears the sharp sound of hissing behind him. It's the annoying "psst" that people gave in primary school, and Loki hasn't heard it since then. Of course Stark would be the one to still use it.

"Psst, Loki! Psst, Lok-master! Psst, Thor's love-"

"What?" he snaps, turning around to glare at Tony. He knew what he was doing when he said that, and oh how Loki hates him for it.

"Stark!" Professor Lensherr warns. "Can you try not to be a menace for once in your life?"

"Uh… I'm not even being a menace, okay?" Tony looks affronted. "I'm trying to talk to a friend about something very important, professor."

"Then, what?" he replies. "Feel free to share it with the class then."

Tony frowns. "Rude," he says, but he leans forward over the desk. "Okay, so Halloween is two Wednesdays from now, and you know what? We don't have costumes! What is that?"

Loki's celebrated "Alla Helgons Drag" back in Sweden. He knows that they celebrate it in America on the 31st, and it's not considered a holiday. When he was younger, he dressed up, but recently he's only stayed home, really appreciating the holiday for the days off of school it granted him. He never put much thought into what he was going to do for the holiday here. It seems that Tony has.

"Halloween," he says, testing out the word in his mouth. "What does my costume have to do with you?"

"Yes, Stark, what does it?" Professor Lensherr asks. "You're awfully involved in others' lives."

"So what? We're best friends, so I'm allowed to! Anyway, we need to talk about this at lunch." He turns around and points to Natasha in the back. "Clint's totally going to be for this."

She sighs. "I know he is."

Tony turns back to him. "Bruce, you're for this, right?"

"Um-"

"Good, we're all in agreement! Group costume then!"

In Ancient History, Tony talks to Steve about his costume ideas, and Steve only nods along. Loki tries to pay attention to what Dr. Lactus is saying, but every few sentences, Tony hisses his name with some ideas he has for what Loki should be. When the bell rings, Loki leaps from his chair and heads straight for the lunch room without waiting for them. Tony can be so… suffocating.

When they are all seated around the table, Tony stands up with his hands held out like he's just discovered something so amazing when Loki already knows it's just Halloween costume ideas. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I, Tony Stark, have used my genius brain to come up with the best idea in this century behind free porn"—Steve groans—"and it is that we are going to be going as a group on Halloween."

"Oh my god." Clint stands up and makes a flailing motion with his hands. "That's fucking genius, Stark. Oh my fucking toast and cheese, you—I want to kiss you, but you're a guy, and I'm not gay, and you're really weird. What the f—How did I not come up with this first? Wow, I mean, this is just great. Justice League. We're the fucking Justice League."

Tony nods erratically, and Loki thinks that there is going to be some mating ritual between the two for a second. The only thing stopping them is the table. "Fuck yes we are. We're the mother fucking Justice League!"

"No, you're not!" someone shouts, and it sounds a lot like Harry.

"Yes, we are, bitch!" Clint shouts back. "Group costumes are the best. Oh fuck me on Tuesday! This shit is going to be so fucking dope."

"Halloween?" Thor lifts an eyebrow, and Loki looks away to stop from leaping into his lap. "As in 'Alla Helgons Drag?'" he asks, and it's obviously directed at Loki.

Loki nods. "Yes, they're celebrating it on the 31st here."

"We're costuming as a group then? Splendid."

"You are all insane," Bruce says, "except for Natasha. She's the only sane person here other than me."

"Hm, thanks, Bruce."

"Yes, thank you, Bruce," Loki says sarcastically.

"What? You' seem okay with this."

He has no idea where Bruce deduced that from because Loki is not keen on dressing up as some other person and going door to door in search of artificial sugar. They have school that day, which means that Loki will be already drained from human interaction. He'll have to recharge extra to make up for all of that socialization.

Which reminds him, how have none of them come to their senses about his incompatibility as a friend? They're all insane, Natasha and Bruce included.

"I'm not," he replies, poking at his salad with disinterest. "I would rather be at home sleeping."

"Too bad because you're coming, Loki, like it or not," Tony says.

"We'll drag your skinny ass out that door," Clint adds.

"You won't defend me?" he asks Thor.

Thor shrugs. "I look forward to seeing you costumed."

"Traitor."

Professor Xavier lets them continue on scripting their plays, and they've already gotten past the stage of basic stage directions and lines. Now it's time for them to add emotion to the play because it is awfully bleak and emotionally detached—Reed thinks this is a good thing, and Victor chuckles.

Reed and Victor turn out to be bad at the whole adding of emotions, and Tony has declared himself and Clint in charge of the fighting scenes, so it falls to Natasha, Steve, and Loki to do it.

As a trio, the three of them work fairly efficiently with Loki being in charge of the emotional dialogue, Natasha with the body language, and Steve the tone of voice. The others sit around and watch silently, Reed interjecting much unneeded commentary every few pages and ending up silenced by a glare from Natasha. Loki thinks that he may be feeling a bit useless, which Loki does not disagree with. Playwriting is obviously not a strength of his.

The walk to Earth Science is filled with blatant flirting from Victor's side, and Loki can only reciprocate with enthusiasm. Victor's good at flirting, the opposite of the cheesy one-liners that people use on television, and more similar to the chivalrous men of the early 1900's. Loki's not a maiden in need of protection, but he doesn't complain.

"And this is your stop," Victor says as they reach the door. Thor's not there, and Loki can't deny the disappointment in his chest. "It saddens me to see you go, but-"

Loki turns to go inside, grinning. "You love to watch me leave?" he asks.

Victor erupts into laughter. "No, I wouldn't say something so clichéd, but I must admit that is true." He runs a hand down Loki's arm. "I was going to say that I looked forward to the next time that I was going to see you, but… it's hard to follow that up."

"It is really."

Victor takes his hand and draws it up to his mouth and kisses it, butterflies swarming in Loki's stomach. "Until the next time?"

Loki nods, pulling his hand away. "Y-yes."

When he goes inside the classroom, his mouth breaks out into a grin. Victor is just so…. He can't properly describe the boy, and that's actually a good thing. He sits down in his seat, and he's still grinning at the ghost touch on his hand.

"Wow, someone's smiley today," Scott says. "Who swept you off your feet?"

Loki chuckles. "Uh…"

"Oh, Scott, don't pressure him," Jean says. "We were both like that when we first started dating."

"How long?" Loki hears himself ask. He doesn't care that much, but he needs something to talk about before he loses his mind.

"Since Freshman year so…" Jean starts counting.

"Four years," Scott answers. "Only four years, but it feels like forever."

"Get a room!" Kitty says. She turns around in her seat to look at Loki. "They're always like this."

"And what about you and Bobby, huh?"

"We do get a room."

"Oh, too much info, Kat," Scott says, putting a hand in front of his sunglasses.

Thor takes his seat next to Loki, and he's grinning as well. The sight of his grin wipes Loki's away, and the feeling on his hand vanishes completely as if Victor never touched him or kissed him. "Hello, Loki."

Loki nods him a greeting and turns to face forward. There's only one person that could make Thor happy like that, and she's short and "adorable." Gods, why her of all people? She doesn't seem like anything special, and she's always talking about the stars or something. What can Thor see in a girl who is always talking about wanting to leave earth?

The question nags at him the duration of class, and as he walks the halls to newsletter. He takes the long way just so he can have time to think about the "good" traits in Jane Foster. Okay, she's remotely… attractive, he can admit that. Her adorability is possibly inclusive of that, but Thor could see them as two separate traits. Maybe he has a thing for "adorable" girls with aspirations for the stars. It doesn't seem like a thing Loki would look for if he were Thor though. That has to be some kind of precursor to her wanting to explore the world like some nomad. Thor needs stability, and dreaming to going to the stars is not a good sign for any stability in that relationship.

He says hello to Gwen who only gives him a hard look in return and flops down at the table, putting his face in his hands. He's obsessing over his step-brother's love life, and not because he's concerned. It's because he's selfish and desires Thor for himself. Yet he doesn't want Thor at the same time. He needs to get his mind together.

Loki solves his problem the one way he knows how to, avoidance and distractions. He tries to focus on Victor only, and when his mind slips to Thor, he changes the image back to him. It's harder than most things Loki has ever done, but it helps him when he sees Thor run to Jane in the mornings. He just imagines Victor and puts on a smile. Steve still gives him the same look, but he doesn't make any comments.

At lunch on Thursday, Clint and Natasha aren't there first, and that's the first sign to Loki that something is about to happen.

He sits down at the table with a sigh and doesn't bother trying to eat his lunch. He has no idea what is about to happen or when, so he feels like he shouldn't take the risk of having food in his mouth.

Thor sits down beside him, brushing his hand across Loki's shoulder in a greeting and starts to bring his hamburger up to his mouth when Loki stops him with a hand on his wrist. He lifts his eyebrows in confusion, and Loki gestures to the empty seats across from him.

"Clint and Natasha aren't here first," he says, and it's enough for Thor to understand, setting his food back down on the table.

"I wonder where they are."

"I do too."

Bruce sits down at the table, and immediately notices the vacant seats. "Um, what the hell?"

"We wonder the same thing, Bruce," Thor says.

Steve and Tony arrive not long afterward, Tony carrying both their trays and wearing those stupid sunglasses of his. Loki wonders if there is any inspiration derived from Scott Summers. He wouldn't put it past Tony to wear them with the argument that Scott can—Scott has some eye condition—so he should be able to as well.

"Natasha and Clint are AWOL," Tony says. "This can't be good."

"We have arrived!" Clint is walking to their table with a white poster board tucked under his arm. Natasha is walking next to him with a disinterested look. "No cause to worry. We're here."

Natasha sits down, but Clint remains standing, poster board still under his arm.

"Ladies and gentleman, I have created something genius," he says, and he opens the poster board in front of him. He puts the board on the table next to Bruce, angling it so they can all see it. "I have birthed the universe."

"Was God a good fuck then?"

Steve slaps Tony in the side of the head. "Don't talk like that!"

"Jeez, Steve, sorry for offending you." Tony holds his hands up in surrender. "I forgot that you attended church on Sundays."

Loki starts to look at what's on the poster board, and he finds that he is not thrilled. There are costumes, drawings with fabric swatches and notes plastered on the board in a fairly organized fashion, and Loki knows that Clint put a lot of work into this. He appreciates hard work as much as the next person, and he hates to see it wasted even more.

"You really put a lot of effort into that," Bruce says.

"Damn right I did. Now, turn your attention to the top left corner of the board where I will begin." Clint clears his throat. "Okay, we have a drawing of a Batman costume here with a few swatches of the material that will go best with this costume. Tony is going to be Batman of course."

"Who else was I gonna be?" Tony asks, and he's completely serious. "Genius, Billionaire, playboy, philanthropist-"

"You sound so full of yourself, Tony," Steve says. "Two out of three of those are not good traits to brag about."

"Not bragging, Steve. Just saying."

"Can I continue!?" Clint shouts. "Okay, good, now Steve is going to be Superman because he is our all-American boy, and those blue eyes will just go well with Superman's colors."

"Good, Superman and Batman are best friends," Tony says. "We're best friends, so that works out."

"I, Clint Barton, am going to be Green Arrow because—well, duh, we're like the same person. Natasha is going to be Wonderwoman-"

"How convenient," she says, sounding bored. "The only female member of the Justice League, and I'm here."

"You're a total badass and kind of scary, so who else would you be?" Clint beams at her. "Bruce, you, I spent a lot of time on this one. Okay, you're going to be Davis Bloome aka Doomsday. He's not comic canon, but he's on _Smallville_, and I think you fit him pretty well."

"You're calling me a secret psychopathic monster?" Bruce asks, and Clint tenses. Bruce shrugs, and Clint relaxes again. "Fair, I guess."

"You're going to go as Davis Bloome, but you're going to wear red contacts and some prosthetic horns because that's awesome."

"I obviously have no say in this, so okay."

"Thor, you are going to be Green Lantern. I mean, you're fit as hell, and hot as hell too, so who else is hot enough to measure up to you? Yes, they have to measure up to you because you're that hot." Clint turns and looks at Loki. "And no, I'm not flirting with him if you think that."

Loki opens his mouth to ask Clint why he feels the need to clarify with him, but Natasha sends a look in his direction that says that he knows exactly why.

"I really, really think that you should consider wearing a suit much similar to the one he wears in the comics because the ladies will flock to us in droves if you do, and we all know how much Stark would appreciate that."

"Gee, thanks for talking about me like that."

"You know it's the truth though, Starky-poo. It should be lycra. Now, Loki, you are going to be our resident Superman villain General Zod. You guys could be twins, both want to take over the world and have some serious superiority complexes."

Loki scoffs. He does not have a superiority complex. He just happens to know that he is better than most people.

"Also, you're really evil on the inside."

He rolls his eyes and gives Clint a sweet smile. "Thank you."

"We're taking inspiration from the _Smallville _version of Zod since you're both ridiculously good-looking. You're going to wear his General uniform which is in the sketch. It's pretty gaudy, but I always thought Zod was a little gay, you know"—Clint grins—"and here we have your aggressively gay brother!"

Thor cocks an eyebrow and smiles at Clint. "What are you talking about? Loki's not gay?" Thor turns to him and sees that Loki is not grinning. "You are gay?"

Loki wants to laugh so hard that he's dragged off to an asylum. He was sure that Thor knew after the episode at the gym, but it turns out that Thor is entirely too oblivious for his own good. His entire life he's been hounded for his obvious homosexuality, which is really just his natural poise and effeminacy.

He nods because he isn't going to say that out loud when everyone except for Thor knows.

"I thought it was obvious," Clint says, and Natasha nods hesitantly.

"Oh, I did not know," Thor says sheepishly. "I did not want to assume. Assumptions can be wrong."

"But they can be right too," Tony says as he raises his drink.

"Why? Does it bother you or...?" Loki stares at Thor, checking for any of the usual signs of disgust, the twitch to the lips, wide eyes, and slight frown. Thor just looks extremely confused.

"No, I just wish that you had told me," he replies. "I don't like being out of the loop as much as you don't."

Tony claps and grins like a maniac. "And now ladies and gentleman we have made progress." He nudges his shoulder into Loki's and winks. "Haven't we?"

"We're not the actual Justice League, but we're part of the Justice League and some villains of the Justice League. It's actually better if you ask me," Clint says. He folds the poster board and takes it from the table, taking his seat next to Natasha. "All of the other kids are going to be so jealous of us."

"They already are," Tony says. "We're awesome."

On their weekly trip to Central Park for Earth Science, it turns out that the weather is taking a turn for the cool, and Loki laments not bringing his jacket. He hugs his arms to himself as he and Thor walk through the paths, Thor stopping every few steps to pet some dog as Loki looks on with suppressed affection buzzing around his body.

Thor notices after he finishes complementing the coat of some Labradoodle, and he questions Loki if he is cold in a demanding tone like Loki's done something wrong.

Loki rolls his eyes when Thor moves to put his arm around his body and starts to insist that he's fine, but Thor gives him a warning look that shuts him up and sends some blood down South. His body relaxes into Thor's touch, and all of the cold seems to cease like it was never there. Somewhere in the back of Loki's mind, he thinks that his body wasn't really cold but knew that pretending to be would get his attention. He's unsure, but he finds that he does not mind the extra heat that Thor's transferring to him.

They walk in silence, and Loki can't help but find the whole situation slightly romantic. He's forced to lean against Thor, and Thor's arm is slung over his shoulder in a way that is definitely not platonic.

It turns out that others think so too.

A small old woman with two beagles passes them, smiling. "Aren't you two the cutest couple," she says.

Loki bursts out into laughter as Thor's eyebrows rocket up to his hairline, looking completely surprised.

"That amuses you?" Thor questions, and he looks mildly offended, which Loki doesn't understand. It is funny since Thor is straight, and Loki is gay, and there is no way that they'd ever… be a couple.

"Yes, actually, it does," he replies. "It's ironic that the day you find out that I'm gay we get called a gay couple. Too bad she doesn't know that you're not, and we're step-brothers-"

Thor's phone goes off in his pocket. "Sorry," he replies before he holds the phone up to his ear. "Oh, hello? Luke!"

Loki briefly sets his chin on Thor's shoulder, and he realizes how perfectly comfortable he feels there. It's as if they're- He steps away from Thor's grasp before he can entertain impossible thoughts and turns away from Thor, tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. He rocks back and forth on his feet to try to occupy himself until Thor finishes his call, half-listening to the soothing sound of his voice behind him but not the words themselves.

He sees two people walking hand and hand down the sidewalk, a boy and a girl, and he lets his mind drift briefly—promising himself that this will be the last time ever—to what it would be like if that were him and Thor. He's never held Thor's hand, but he imagines that he would enjoy it immensely, the feeling of a stronger grip around his in a sign of protection, love, and ownership all in one.

Loki will never admit this aloud, but the thought of belonging to someone is not that bad. He wants someone bigger than him to dominate him when he is usually the dominant one in most situations. He desires to have Thor's hand pressed to his lower back as he stands next to him. Gods, he wants Thor to just reach out and touch him because he can, but Loki knows that is never going to happen. He can wish and want till he's on his death bed, but that doesn't mean it will ever happen.

He startled when he feels a chest press to his back and a chin rest on his shoulder, and his body leans back for a moment because this could be one of the only chances Loki gets to entertain thoughts of them being together while the person is actually Thor. It's pathetic, but Loki is pathetically pining after the impossible.

"What are you looking at?" Thor asks, his voice vibrating on Loki's shoulder.

Loki sighs and smiles sadly. "People," he says before he slides away from Thor and turns to him. "Are you ready to go?"

He pushes all of his stupid feelings back until he makes it home. He goes to sleep, waking up the next morning with a clearer mind. The feelings are still there, waiting to burst out at the wrong moment, but he eats breakfast robotically, avoiding actually looking into Thor's eyes. He only stares blankly into those eyes, and he resists the urge to actually analyze them.

Around 5:00, there's a knock on the door, and Loki's surprised to open it and find Odin. They've had minimal interaction outside of the occasional group breakfast and dinner, and Loki doesn't think anything about him. He's simply the man who his mother married, and Thor's father who has a penchant for stroking his chin during stories. He's extremely massive and very in shape for a man of his age. He's usually at work most of the time anyway.

"Loki," he says, stepping into his room without even asking. Loki does not like that at all.

"Odin," he replies, sitting down on his bed. Odin towers over him even more, but he isn't intimidated as he should be. He's only annoyed by his overwhelming presence. "What can I do for you?"

"I came to simply talk to you. I see that you and Thor have become fairly acquainted?"

Loki nods, his nostrils flaring. He cannot help that he is not comfortable with discussing Thor with him.

"I also see that the two of you are not quite… familiar with each other. It burdens me to see that Thor restrains himself in fear of pushing you further, which I must admit does not seem likely." Odin goes to Loki's desk and peers down at the framed picture of his mother. "My son is a very empathetic person, and in being so, watches how he acts too closely to be quite relaxed. I would be greatly pleased if you were to make the same effort to familiarize yourself with Thor as he has tried with you."

Loki clenches his jaw in an attempt not to snap at Odin to go fuck himself and inhales deeply to calm down. Odin's trying to force the relationship between Loki and Thor, but he doesn't know that outside of his watchful gaze they are actually friendly. His method is not one that Loki would choose himself unless he was looking to push Loki away.

"You want me to spend time with him?" Loki asks.

Odin's face breaks out into a smile. "Yes."

He stares at Odin for moment, thinking of whether he should tell Odin of his error. He thinks better of it. "Okay, I understand," he replies. "I will try."

"Good. I'm happy we had this talk," he says, walking to the door. "I will see you at dinner."

When the door shuts behind Odin, Loki stands, enraged at the gall Odin has to think he can simply say something and have it done. Loki listens to no man, and especially this man who is a mere of shadow of what his father was.

He lifts his fist to smash the middle of his desk but stops himself when he realizes that he's thinking with his fists instead of his mind. He's better than that, always has been, and it's what's distinguished him from his peers. Destroying his desk will do nothing except make him have to explain to his mother why he destroyed the desk and require her to purchase a new one. As much as Loki burns to, he will not punish his mother for marrying _him_.

There have been some good things that have come from the marriage.

Like Thor.

He intentionally stares at Odin during dinner, chewing hard as he watches him talk. Odin stares at him back, his gaze unwavering, and Loki finds that Odin is a worthy adversary. He will heed Odin's advice to get close to Thor, but it won't be because Odin said it. It will be because he intended to anyway.

Too bad Odin won't know that while he's congratulating himself.

As Loki goes up the steps, Thor calls his name, and he stops. "Yes, Thor?"

"Tomorrow, we are going to the gym again. Be ready." And he goes back into the kitchen.

It seems that the Odinsons have no concept of asking but only know how to demand things from people. Thor does seem to know when his demands are reasonable and will be met. Odin doesn't seem to have that ability.

The next morning, he sits on the bottom stair, his yoga mat slung over his shoulder and his gym bag slung over the other. He's come prepared for a more intense workout this time, and Loki has a feeling that things may get out of hand as they did last time.

Thor bounds down the steps, giving Loki a surprised look that turns into a grin when he sees him. "Good, we can leave immediately then."

There's a knock at the door, and Thor goes to answer it, revealing Luke Cage from Loki's gym class sitting there.

"Luke!" Thor greets, opening the door wider. "You're here. We were just about to leave."

Luke pats Thor on the shoulder and notices Loki. "Hey, Chef, nice seeing you."

"You as well, Luke," Loki replies as he follows them out the door. Never has he felt smaller as he stands between the two of them on the curb as Thor hails a cab. It's pleasant knowing that he is protected if the time came for combat with a huge assailant, but Loki doesn't really need protecting.

Loki allows Luke to enter the cab before him, so he's next to the door and not next to Thor. He half-listens to their conversation, catching a few tidbits about things that happened in their shared classes, and he doesn't feel left out like he should. He enjoys the company and not having to actually participate in the conversation.

Inside the gym, the two of them head off for the weights, and Loki heads for the empty room from his last time there. He rolls out his mat and sets his back next to the wall, careful not to have it so it's obscuring _his_ view of Loki.

He puts his earphones in and taps the shuffle button under the same playlist from last time, smiling when the familiar synth of _SexyBack_ comes on.

_I'm bringing sexyback._

_Them other boys don't know how to act._

_I think you're special, what's behind your back_

_So turns around and I'll pick up the slack_

With a shrug, he decides to just forego the yoga and just pretend to be doing something remotely yoga-like. He closes his eyes and lies on his back, pulling his knees together and lifts his legs above his body. His hands come to rest near his hips and he lifts his lower back from the ground, letting his head lull to the side as he gives a silent moan of relief. He slowly puts his feet back on the ground and lifts his lower back again, giving another silent moan, and he begins to lift his pelvis in repetitions.

_I'll let you whip me if I miss behave_

_It's just that no one makes me feel this way_

And if that's not an image Loki doesn't mind, he doesn't know what is. Thor whipping him… He opens his eyes, and he bites his bottom lip to stop from grinning. Thor's staring at him from his place, spotting Luke as he lifts what's probably hundreds of pounds. He's staring, eyes slightly wide, and Loki closes his eyes and turns his head to stop from peeking again.

The song changes to a remix of _That's Not My Name_, and Loki stands up. Loki's tried many different exercises over the years to try and keep himself from simultaneously dying from boredom and inactivity, and there are some that are not as… school appropriate as others. In the privacy of his bedroom, he was free to do whatever, and he eventually settled on the relaxing Ashtanga Yoga. But Loki still remembers clearly.

_They call me quiet girl, but I'm a riot._

_Mary, Jo, Lisa, always the same._

He gets onto his hands and knees, getting onto the tips of his toes, and he swoops down inches above the ground, holding it until he feels the burn before repeating. He whips his head back, and his hair falls out of the ponytail, but he makes no motion to put it back up.

The song changes, and Loki has to contain his glee at how easy it's going to be for him to mimic along with the song. He stands back up, touching his toes as the beat of the song builds up to the first verse.

_Baby I gotta have some more_

_What's it gonna take to get a score_

He spreads his legs wide before dipping down into a squat, putting his right hand on the opposite thigh and alternating with each repetition. He keeps his eyes closed as he does so, but he can't deny the smile that's aching to break out from the feeling of being watched. Maybe he's kind of an exhibitionist.

_I think I want some of that_

_Step into my office would like to try a taste of my stuff_

Loki opens his eyes, seeking Thor out in seconds, and he makes another dip. There's no doubt that Thor feels extremely uncomfortable by now, and gods does Loki love it. Thor's never responded with revulsion, which is great since Loki can do this without worrying about Thor's little boundaries.

He mimics along with the lyrics, hoping that Thor knows the subject matter of the song with his body movements. His hands leave his thighs and come up behind his neck as he dips down into another squat.

_You aint gotta say that you like it_

_I can tell by the look in your eyes_

Loki's eyes narrow as one of his hands leaves his neck and goes back to the inside of his thigh, trailing upward slowly.

Luke drops the weight back onto the rack, and it seems to jolt Thor out of his stare, Thor looking around in confusion. Luke's brows furrow before his eyes find Loki, and he erupts into laughter, patting Thor's arm as he does.

Loki grins at the flustered look on Thor's face. Poor straight Thor doesn't know how to react to Loki seducing him through body movement, and it's quite hilarious. Any other man would have told Loki to go "fuck off" by now, but it seems that Thor lacks the sense to, so Loki's going to keep pushing until he reaches Thor's breaking point.

It's mean, he knows that, but he'd prefer it if Thor were to be the one to reach his breaking point before Loki reaches his. The way things are going now, it looks like Loki may have to keep making Thor uncomfortable because Loki's point of tolerance is within sight.

Luke makes a come hither motion to Loki, and Loki packs up his stuff. As he makes his way to the two of them, he drags his hand across his forehead and realizes that he's kind of sweaty. It's partially disgusting, but it's also an opportunity for Loki to do this.

He stops in front of the two them, Luke drying his face with a towel and Thor leaning against the rack with his arm crossed, and drops his bag on the ground. He hooks his fingers around the hem of his shirt and tugs his upward.

"Oh not the shirt-" Luke starts.

Loki pulls the shirt from around his head, dragging it across his face before discarding it into his bag.

"Whelp, looks like my friend is going to go into cardiac arrest," Luke says, patting a staring Thor's shoulder.

Thor's eyes are wide, wide enough to look like they are going to fall from the sockets at any moment. He opens his mouth and closes it a few times before he says anything. "I, uh… I've never seen yoga done like that."

Loki pulls out his water bottle and takes a sip. "Good," he says. "I'm happy to be your first."

Luke starts laughing again. "Oh, god, you two are just—do you want to catch a cab to the nearest hotel and have at it there or-?"

"Luke…" Thor says, glaring at him.

"Then stop fucking without touching while I'm here. Damn, I don't need to be witness to this. Keep that behind closed doors."

They start toward the entrance, and Loki is about to go through when Thor's hand seizes his arm and stops him.

"What?" he asks, cocking his head to the side. "You intend to take Luke up on his offer?"

Thor doesn't look amused. "You need to put something on," he says. "Here, put my jacket on." He shoves his jacket into Loki's arms and crosses his arms, waiting for him to put it on.

"Why?"

"It's cold outside."

He rolls his eyes, but shrugs the jacket on anyway, the polyester still warm from Thor. "Happy now?"

"Immensely," Thor replies, his tone sarcastic. He walks away, and Loki is left scoffing at his gall to think that he has some control over Loki.

The three catch a cab back to their house, and the entire ride Thor seems to touch Loki whether it's a small rub on the shoulder or a constant tapping on his knee. He even plays with the zipper on his jacket, which is not that far from Loki's crotch, for a few moments before deciding to zip it up without warning Loki. When Loki glares at him, he puts a hand under his chin and smiles, Loki jerking away from him and going to lean on his arm and continue pouting.

His hand is on Loki's shoulder as they walk up the steps, him and Luke talking as he unlocks the door.

Loki starts for the stairs but finds that Thor is grabbing at the back of the jacket and stopping him from moving as if he were some insolent child. He wants to hate being controlled so much, but he can only find that it is incredibly… sexy.

"You do not get to escape so fast, Loki," Thor says, letting the jacket go and slinging an arm over Loki's shoulder. "Luke, the living room is down the hall extending from the kitchen. Feel free to watch whatever entertains you."

"Alright," he says, and he gives the two of them a suspicious look as he walks down the hall.

"What?" Loki asks, walking with Thor into the kitchen. He has no other choice since Thor's much, much, much stronger than him.

"We're going to spend time together today," he replies, grabbing an apple from the dish. "Also, I know my father talked to you."

Loki really wishes he could get away from Thor right now because he does not want to talk about this. It's strange territory for the both of them, and Loki's not so good with the unknown. He likes to be aware of what he's getting into. "Yes, we did… talk."

"What did you talk about?" Thor drops his arm from Loki's shoulder, and Loki moves away immediately.

He goes to the opposite side of the island and grabs a banana from the dish to occupy him. "Us."

"Elaborate further."

Loki peels the skin from the banana, and he is not a fan of using distractions to get what he wants, but he's not above it in this situation. He hates it when people try to use distractions him, and he usually never needs them. He doesn't allow himself to get in those kinds of situations. But now, he's not entirely above it. He inhales before bringing the banana to his mouth, taking half of it in his mouth, and he makes eye contact with Thor as he does. He pulls the banana out most of the way, taking a bit from the tip.

"Starting with the tip is the best," he says as he chews. He swallows. "Our relationship."

Thor gulps visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. Loki wonders what that would feel like in his mouth. "What did he ask about it?"

"He thinks that we're too distant," Loki replies, shrugging. He twists the banana as he puts it into his mouth, unashamedly making slurping noises. It does not get more suggestive than that. "I don't think so. Do you?"

Thor shakes his head, his eyes darting around the kitchen. "N-no, I don't. I apologize for his… abrasiveness."

"It's not your fault." Loki takes a bite, taking half of the banana in his mouth and chewing. He swallows. "My experience is good with this kind of thing." He isn't sure what he was going for with that, but the wide-eyed look Thor gives him is worth it.

"Loki, I-"

"Are you two fucking or what? If not, come watch this damn movie with me, Thor!" Luke shouts.

Thor grabs his apple and leaves the kitchen quickly, Loki chuckling as he does. It's easy to push Thor's buttons.

On Monday, Loki decides that his infatuation with Thor is here to stay for a while and realizes that he should just take advantage of it now. He knows that it will pass with time. Thor's… new, and Loki's attracted to new and blond and extremely fit.

He allows himself to fawn over Thor as he talks during lunch, and he doesn't even feel ashamed when Natasha gives him a knowing look or Tony makes some comment that is clearly directed at him. He just gives a half-hearted shrug.

He directs all of his actual pursuit of love in Victor's direction because Victor is actually attainable, and a great choice of romantic partner. He and Loki are very compatible, and he's also not his step-brother. And did he mention that Victor is extremely good looking and a genius? How could he not want that?

Victor seems to want him in return, and Loki makes no attempts to rebuff his flirtations during the week. He welcomes them with open arms before giving Victor his own in return. The looks from his friends are getting worse, and the comments from Tony to Victor are more scathing. Loki gives them questioning looks, but they only turn away from him instead of trying to explain. It makes absolutely no sense.

His repartee with Thor is the same, Thor complimenting Loki and telling him how interesting he is while Loki rolls his eyes and gives him some compliment in return. If Loki weren't sure that Thor has something going on with that Jane Foster girl, he'd think that Thor was flirting. It's such a waste that he's getting all of Loki's attention, and he's not even interested in his gender.

Loki doesn't see Odin much through the week, him being mostly absent from dinner, and he's kind of disappointed that he has no one to stare down with contempt. That's exactly what he feels for Odin, contempt. He doesn't hate him nor does he like him. He doesn't think he will be able to ever like Odin.

Wednesday morning, Jane Foster is not waiting for Thor on the front steps of the school, and it takes Loki everything not to get on his knees and praise the All-Father for giving him that small mercy. It's entirely bad of him to be happy about something like that, but Loki does not like Jane Foster. Yes, it is because Thor has eyes for her, and he has eyes for Thor, but he's allowed to not like a romantic rival or whatever the hell she is. She's definitely not a friend even if she tries to talk to Loki when he's in the general vicinity. She doesn't seem to understand that Loki has no interest in befriending her when he only nods and offers her a fake smile in return.

Thor looks slightly disappointed, and Loki _almost_ feels bad about being ecstatic, but he simply places a hand on Thor's arm and grabs his attention. Thor's smile graces his face again, and the world is right for a few moments until there's the sound of _her_ voice calling Thor's name.

Jane comes up the stairs, grinning at Thor, and Thor's grinning at her. Gods, Loki almost loses his mind right there, but he only stares on in anger as Thor hugs her. Yes, he hugs her, and it's not even a friendly hug. It's the kind of hug people who are in love with each other have. Is Thor in love with her?

Loki turns away in disgust, leaving the two of them to do whatever the hell they do besides talk about fucking stars, and marches down the hallway. He almost doesn't see Steve waiting for him at his locker, he's so angry, and he can only offer him a firm nod as a greeting.

Steve pushes away from Rick's locker. "Loki, is there something wrong?"

Loki starts at the hand on his back and sees that it was only Steve. "I am completely fine!" he shouts, and it's one of the worst lies he's ever told. He's good at telling lies, but that… He doesn't even want to think about that. "Sorry, I'm just slightly anxious, Steve."

Steve nods. "I know the feeling. If you want to talk-"

"No, I am not a sharer," he says, and Jane and Thor round the corner together, Jane smiling her adorable little smile as Thor talks with his hands. For some reason, they're coming in Loki's direction, and he wonders why until Jane stops a few lockers down and starts to put in a combination. Loki never thought about where her locker was—why would he? He hates her!—and she always had her stupid stuff with her when they met her on the steps. It turns out that his enemy is his neighbor too.

"Steven, God of Mischief!" Tony stops in front of the two of them. "Good morning, oh one who is good at trickery."

Loki rolls his eyes, tired of Tony's stupid endearments. "Hello, Stark."

"Oh, cold greeting," Tony says. "Turns out that me and the bros can't go to NYU this morning. We're stuck here with you people and Steve."

"Thrilled," Loki says, remembering the kicking in Chemistry. "I will not hesitate to break your ankle."

"And I don't doubt it."

Loki peers to the side and sees that Thor's hand is above Jane's head as she leans against her locker and looks up at him. Oh, what an adorable little couple in love. They probably write love letters and sneak kisses between classes that they walk together to. Gods, they probably even hold hands on the way to Psychology since his "weird little step-brother" as Jane probably calls him leaves before they do. Loki's not being unreasonable either. He knows how these things work.

Music starts coming from Tony's pocket, an R&B song from the sounds of it, and Loki doesn't recognize it. He pulls the phone of out his pocket but makes no motion to answer it and starts singing in Steve's direction. "Take it off, you want it off," he sings as he attempts to shimmy sensually. For Loki, it's doing absolutely nothing. "Cause I know what you're feeling. It's okay, girl, I feel it too…"

Steve is bright pink and narrowly keeping eye contact with Tony, and Loki can feel the embarrassment coming from his body in droves. If Loki got secondhand embarrassment, he would have it bad right now. He almost feels for Steve, but it's not like Steve can't just reject Tony's advances once and for all.

"Are you going to answer that?" Loki asks, giving Steve a break. These two are as bad as Jane and Thor. Wait, no not that bad. Loki doesn't totally despise one of them.

Tony stops shimmying and shrugs before answering. "Ello, Tony Stark, but you knew that already."

"What even was that?" Loki asks. If Steve reacted like that, he knows that it has some sexual meaning.

"It was _High for This_ by The Weeknd."

Loki turns and sees that Thor is done talking to Jane, walking up to them with his hands tucked into his jean pockets. "It's a nice song," Thor adds.

Tony grins and holds up a 'thumbs up' to Thor. "Still got good taste, Odinson," he says, holding the headset away from his mouth.

Loki only glares at Thor for knowing something that Loki should know. He should know basic things such as titles of R&B songs. Thor shouldn't be able to hold something like that over his head even if Loki knows that Thor would never do such a thing, it's the thought that counts. He vows to go home and plug his earphones into Pandora, listening through every Top 40 station until he has it memorized.

Thor must see Loki's expression because he stops grinning and only gives a small smile. "Some friends of mine were very into American R&B. It's left me with vast knowledge of the genre."

"Well, good for you," Loki replies before he can compose himself. He sighs when he sees the look that Steve is giving him, the patronizing one that practically says that Loki should apologize this moment. Loki doesn't know when Steve gained that control over him to make him feel almost… guilty. "I, uh… apologize," he mumbles.

Thor brightens up immediately before clapping him on the shoulder. "It's fine, my brother. You're a knowledgeable person, and with that knowledge comes arrogance. You're learning quickly to tone it down. It brings me pride."

He glances over to see Steve still giving him a guilty look, and he holds back the retort at the tip of his tongue. It would be so easy to wipe that smile off of Thor's face, but he's not willing to do it at the cost of getting that look from Steve all day.

"Hey, during free period you should really consider joining band," Tony says, finished with his call. "We need another percussionist, and you look like you bang well."

Thor gives Tony a sharp look, but Tony is too preoccupied with chuckling to notice and pay heed.

"Uh, no, thanks," Loki replies.

"Why? You scared, Laufeyson?"

"No, I have newsletter," he replies. "And no I do not bang well. I've never even-" He stops himself. "I don't play an instrument."

Tony points his finger and starts to bounce on his feet excitedly. "You! You're a-"

"Tony, stop being so-!" Steve stops and inhales. "You're being more inappropriate than usual. Stop being so crude, and remember your manners."

Thor chuckles. "It seems that Rogers has got a great hold on his lover," he says, and Steve turns bright red.

"I'm not-"

"They're not together," Loki says, rolling his eyes at how Steve is blushing. "They're strictly best friends."

Tony's eye narrow, and he suddenly becomes serious. "Catch you later," he says in a sharp tone, and he storms off.

Loki makes his second big decision in the week to try and decode Steve and Tony's friendship. Normally he would try to stay out of it, but it's affecting them all with Tony's sudden changes in mood. At lunch, Tony is completely silent, and it's uncharacteristic of him. Steve attempts to put a hand on Tony's shoulder, but he lashes out and leaves the table, Steve going after him.

Steve and Tony miss psychology, so Loki is free to shoot bitter glances at Jane. When he isn't doing that, he listens to Victor passionately talk about the clean energy project that he's apart of with Tony, Reed, Hank, and Bruce. Loki has no interest in clean energy, but his passion is amazing to listen to. It's like a diluted form of aural sex.

Before Earth Science, he and Victor hug, and as they pull apart, Thor appears around the corner, his steps firm and his gaze hard as he watches the two of them. Loki doesn't rush to pull away and relishes Victor's touch. Victor kisses his knuckles, and Loki smirks as he turns and leaves.

Thor doesn't greet him or even offer him a glance as he brushes past him and goes into the classroom.

Loki scoffs. It's unfair of Thor to treat him like that when he has tolerated Jane's presence for so long without even arguing. Instead of responding similarly, Loki is going to act as if nothing ever happened just as Thor has been doing. "Hello, Thor," he says as he takes his seat. "Nice day we're having."

Thor gives him a disbelieving look. "Is that you speaking about your love affair or of something else?"

Loki arches an eyebrow at Thor. "'Love affair?' You make it sound as if what we're doing is wrong. We're both consenting."

"And the consent of you both is the only one needed, correct?" Thor snorts. "How egotistical of you, Loki."

"What? Are you envious or something?" Loki asks, and there's no reply. He turns to Thor, eyebrows raised. "Wait, Thor-"

"Will everyone please be silent? Class is to begin," Mrs. Munroe says, and Loki sighs because he knows that his chance to talk to Thor is gone. He's going to have to wait till later.

Newsletter moves longer than Loki would have liked, and he almost races to his locker at the end of the day in a rush to get to Thor. He gives Rick a farewell before he power walks to the front lobby and waits for Thor.

Thor does not look thrilled to see him and the look he gives Loki is one that makes his heart sink a bit. "We have to wait," he says. "Jane is coming with us."

The rage that has been building inside Loki lets off in a short burst, and Loki has to stop himself from lashing out on Thor and demanding why he doesn't love him like some pathetic teenager with an unrequited crush. Loki is better than that, so he does the alternative and takes off. "I'll catch a ride with Stark!" he shouts behind him.

Tony is getting into his car when Loki reaches the top of the stairs.

"Stark!" he shouts. "I need you to drop me off." He goes down the rest of the stairs.

"Wait, where the hell is Thor?" Tony asks.

"He and Jane Foster are catching a cab together," he replies, opening the back door.

"Oh, okay, I get it," Tony says, making an O with his lips. "If he beats me into a bloody pulp for aiding and abetting his escape, Steve, I expect you to avenge me, got it? Now, let's get the hell out of here before he arrives and everything goes to hell."

The car pulls away from the curb with a screech, and Tony turns on some rap music.

"Hey, do you think maybe you should not go home immediately?" Tony turns around to glance at Loki, and he looks genuinely concerned. "You seem a little-"

"I'm not tense," he says, and he cringes at how wrong he is. "Yes… I should probably go to yours." He sighs. "I'm trusting you, Stark."

"Like you always should not," Tony replies.

They eventually park in front of a mansion, high walls surrounding it on all four sides and a black gate in the center. There's a bronze plaque with the words 'Stark Manor' emblazoned on it, and the house is so garish that it fits the caricature of Tony in his mind.

Tony gets out first, and he and Steve follow him inside of the gate. "Jarvis, it's me and Steve and Loki," he says to the sky. "Let us in."

Loki looks at him in confusion. "Who is this Jarvis?" he asks them both. "Where is he?"

Tony opens the front door, chuckling. "Jarvis, isn't a person. He's Just A Rather Very Intelligent System, first of all, and second of all, he's not anywhere. He's everywhere. He's the house. Keeps me alive!"

"Yes, I'm well aware of that, Sir," a voice says from somewhere. "Hello, Master Laufeyson. It is my honor to make acquaintance with one of Master Stark's few friends."

"You made him, correct?" Loki asks, looking around the massive entrance hall. "He has your humor."

"Thank you, Master Laufeyson. My humor is one of my programming highlights, right, Sir?"

"Sure, sure, whatever, Jarvis. I guess I'll take you home later when I go to drop Steve, so"—Tony claps his hands together—"we should go do something."

"What do you have in mind?" Steve asks. "A movie?"

Tony grins. "Fuck yes, Steve! Movie time! Come, come, you hooligans!"

Loki follows Tony, glancing at the obviously expensive and rare paintings hanging on the walls, and a framed picture of an AC/DC poster sticks out among the classical paintings. It's the only thing he's seen that actually fits Tony instead of all of this "stuffy" décor.

Tony stops in front of double doors and opens them up in a gaudy motion. "Welcome to the theater," he says.

It looks exactly like a normal movie theater, posters lining the walls, but there's too much extra technology for Loki to think that it's meant to be an exact replica of one. The chairs are all armchairs instead of the standard movie theater ones, and as they make their way to the front row, Loki's hand brushes one and realizes that they feel much better than them too.

He and Steve take seats in the middle while Tony excuses himself to go find a surprise movie for them to watch. Loki can't deny the tension between them, and he actually yearns for Tony's return for once.

"I understand now," Steve says, and his voice is small in the silence of the room.

Loki glances at Steve's profile and sees that he's staring blankly.

"I thought that you were mad because-"

"We're watching 'The Green Lantern!'" Tony announces from somewhere in the back.

Loki groans. "Seriously, Tony?"

"What? Ryan Reynolds looks sexy in it!"

"Don't you mean Blake Lively?" Steve asks. "She's the girl."

"Yeah, whatever." He turns the lights down and the screen flickers to life. "I'm getting popcorn, so don't enjoy the previews without me."

"I don't know why he finds being gay to be so amusing," Steve says. "I hope it doesn't offend you."

"Of course not," he replies. "It's actually quite amusing to me. He's not being malicious… most of the time."

Tony returns with a huge bucket of popcorn in one arm and three glass bottles of coke in the other. They're the vintage kind in pop art paintings, and Loki's never drank from one. "Here, Steve, you get popcorn duty 'cause you won't poke a hole in the bottom and play 'find the hot dog' with it." Tony sits down next to Loki, and Loki has to stop from throwing some tantrum about Tony being annoying.

From somewhere, Tony presents a small glass square that appears to be a screen with remote controls on it. "It's Stark tech," he whispers to Loki. "One of a kind."

"Actually, if I may interject, it is two of a kind. There is another one currently in your bedroom," Jarvis says, and Loki kind of likes the computer-voice-thing.

"No one asked you, Jarvis. Jeez, always stealin' my thunder."

"There is no thunder to steal."

"Sh! Ryan Reynolds is about to talk!"

Thunder. Thanks to Tony and his love of nicknames, Thor and thunder have become synonymous in his head. Thor is with Jane "stars and more star talk" Foster at their home! The two of them could be doing anything since Loki isn't there, taking advantage of his absence. They're teenagers and—he should be home to stop them! What was he thinking by running? It's his duty to keep them away from each other, and he can't do that if he's here.

Tony's dry commentary mocking the movie goes ignored for the most part as Loki struggles to keep still in his seat. He wants to bolt out of the door and run home, but he knows that he would probably end up finding them going at _it_, and he would kill them in a blind rage. He'd rather not waste murder on her, and Thor's too handsome to die.

"What a waste of sexiness!" Tony whines when the credits start to roll. "Imagine if the movie were good. Then, it would be good eye candy and good mind candy, right?"

Loki stands up from his chair, brushing off some of Tony's stray popcorn. "I need to go home now," he says, not bothering to stop rocking on his heels.

"Okay, okay, Donnie Darko, let's go. Steve, we're heading out. You going now, or are you staying later?"

"You can drop me off. I wouldn't want you to-"

"Nope, you're staying," Tony says. "You know I would make five million trips for you, Steve. Now, five million and one? That's out of the question."

When Tony pulls up in front of his house, he barely remembers to thank Tony and say goodbye. He races up the stairs, his heart hammering hard in his chest, and he starts to pull out his keys when he realizes that the door is unlocked. Maybe Thor and Jane were too preoccupied with their impending alone time that they forgot to close the-

Loki freezes when he sees Thor sitting on the stairs, head in his hands. He was expecting many things, but Thor waiting for him was not one of them. He shuts the door behind him, standing where he is as Thor stands up. He's never been more afraid than he is right now, and he knows that Thor won't hurt him.

Thor just stares at him for a few moments, and when he pins Loki against the door, Loki is actually surprised. Thor's outlined by a golden halo from the light in the kitchen, and he looks purely godly.

Loki tries to surge forward to kiss him but finds that Thor's grip on his shoulder is firm. He's extremely thankful for that when, in the next moment, he realizes what he almost did. The realization makes a lump appear in his throat, and his heart slows down instead of speeding up. His control is absolutely finished. He just hopes that Thor is too angry to have noticed.

Thor doesn't say anything, his eyes slightly narrowed as he stares at Loki, and the suspense of whatever is to come is killing Loki. He would rather Thor hit him or whatever instead of stare him down like he's some prey. Gods, that should not sound as hot as it does in Loki's mind.

His eyes keep flickering down to Thor's lips, and he's starting to get a hard-on. He has to get out of there before it is too late.

"Where were you?" Thor finally asks, and Loki lets out a breath of relief.

"Tony Stark's," he replies. He reaches up and pulls Thor's fingers to his pulse. "I'm not lying."

Thor stares at him for a few moments more before he pushes away from him and goes up the stairs, his footsteps startlingly loud on the wood. Loki has to stop from wincing with the sound each step.

"Thor-" Jane appears in the archway. "Loki?"

He rolls his eyes because he's obviously not Thor.

"Loki, you're…" She rushes forward as if she's going to try and hug him, but she stops short. "I-"

"You're still here?" he asks, not wanting to hear whatever nonsense she had to say. He can't help but to laugh. He didn't expect Thor to wait for him alone, did he? He could have gotten a quick one in while he worried about Loki. Oh how worried he was, right?

She steps up to him, her eyebrows knitted together. It's as if a puppy were angry, comical. "You had Thor worried," she says.

"Obviously," he replies, looking away from her and sighing in boredom. "He seemed very worried."

She scoffs, crossing her arms. "I'm well aware that you don't approve of Thor and I's relationship, but-"

"I know that you two are in love or whatever teenage infatuation you call it, but I see right through you, Jane Foster," he says, narrowing his eyes at her, "and I see that you two are as disposable as the next girl. Thor and I are brothers now, and our bond will last until the heat death of the universe. I'm sure you know how long that is away, Star Girl, so you understand what I am saying. You will never break up our relationship, and whatever gave you that idea is bogus. No… vagina can separate us now that we are together, okay? Know this now, Jane Foster, and come to terms with it. Your time is limited."

She stares at him, open mouthed, and Loki leaves her there to think about the fact that he sees through her lies. She's probably used to people fawning over how adorable she is or how smart she is for knowing all of that information about stars, but Loki isn't "people." He's better than them all, and Jane Foster needs to realize that now.

He slams his door as hard as he can, hoping that Thor heard the rage behind it. He brought that… harlot beneath their roof without even consulting Loki. He had the nerve to accuse Loki of his own sins right before, calling Loki "egotistical" because he did not ask Thor's consent to romance Victor. Loki never consented Jane and his relationship. Thor has no right to even feel that way.

Loki hears Thor's door open followed by his footsteps down the stairs. There's the muffled sound of their voices that Loki doesn't strain to hear, not caring to hear their lover's spat about his "reckless brother" and the sound of the front door opening and closing. Loki hears Thor's footsteps come up the stairs, his door closing loudly.

It seems that Thor is as angry as Loki is. What a fool. Loki's anger is founded.

He shuts the light off before he shoves his pants down to his ankles and sits down on his bed. He's as hard as he was after that "head-job," and it's all Thor's fault for being so sexily angry. He grips himself hard enough to cause himself to cry out in pleasure and shock, and he wonders if Thor heard him in the silence of the house. He doesn't care enough to stop, and he lays down on his back as he slowly strokes himself.

Gods, Thor is such an ass, and Loki is attracted to that ass and his ass.

With his other hand, he reaches down and circles a finger at his asshole. He shoves a finger inside of himself, crying out in pain and pleasure at the sudden shock of it all. He wants it to hurt like he wants Thor to hurt, and he wants it to feel good like he wants Thor to make him feel. He inhales sharply as he inserts another finger, hissing at the pain, and he squeezes down on his cock as he does so.

He pumps his fingers in time with his strokes, and soon he's cumming all over his hands as he stares at the ceiling. He lets himself lay there as he tries to catch his breath, and he realizes that this is what his life is going to be for the next year.

They don't talk the next morning… at all. There are no glances exchanged, and Loki loathes that their relationship has reduced to this in only a day. It's as if they're back at square one, where Loki would rather not be. He does not understand why Thor cannot admit that he was the one in the wrong. Loki is always the one apologizing. He's not doing any now.

He walks straight into the school, not looking at Jane as he feels her gaze burn into his back. She's not worthy of anything other than a passing thought. Steve doesn't say anything about the way Loki pointedly ignores Thor and Jane when they pass, and they walk to class in silence.

Natasha pulls him to the side before Chemistry, her brows knit together in concern. "Loki, something happened between the two of you-"

"-that I would rather not discuss," he finishes. "I would appreciate it if you pretended not to know."

She nods. "Whatever suits you, but I'm here if you want to talk."

At lunch, Loki leans on his elbow and nods along to whatever Tony is saying, and Thor's right next to him but feels as if he's half the world away. He's looking everywhere but at Loki even if his eyes do look at Loki, not actually _look_. It's like Thor sees right through him, and it makes the pit in Loki's stomach deeper. Thor's given up.

Thor's given up, and Loki wants him to try more than anything.

Victor's late for English, and Loki finds himself worrying what could have happened since he saw him in psychology. Victor departed from Psychology, telling Loki that he would see him next class, and he seemed anxious, but Loki didn't think much of it. He should have gone with Victor anyway.

"Von Doom isn't here," Tony says, and he has the nerve to smile. "So let's get started then…"

Loki wants to wait for Victor, but they begin anyway, clearly not missing Victor's presence. He knows that they hate Victor, but he never imagined that it was this much. They're acting as if he's not worth waiting for. Victor is worth waiting for.

"Why do you all hate him?" Loki asks when they've finished revisions for the day. "You need to tell me now."

Clint speaks up. "Well-"

Tony gives Clint a look, and he shuts his mouth with a roll of his eyes. "It's nothing important, Slim," he says. "Anyway…"

Loki shakes his head in disbelief. "You're all ridiculous," he says as he stands up. "I can't believe I'm friends with any of you."

"Why can't we just tell him?" Clint asks.

"Because it's not our place-"

"It's not your place to make remarks about our relationship either, but that doesn't stop you!" he snaps, turning away from the doorway. At the ring of the bell, he leaves them all staring wide-eyed before they can follow him. He's tired of these games that everyone is playing, and he wishes that they would just leave-

"Wait, Loki!" Loki looks back down the hallway behind him, and Victor is holding a bouquet of blue and green roses. Loki had no idea they even made green roses, and they're some of the most beautiful flowers Loki's ever seen.

He stares as Victor approaches, holding the ridiculous amount of flowers out in front of him. His eyes are warm, and they cause the anxiety of the past few days to melt from his shoulders at once. "Are we walking?" Victor asks with a grin.

Loki nods, and the two of them walk shoulder to shoulder the familiar route to Earth Science. "So, who are the flowers for?" he asks.

"Well, someone particularly special said that their favorite colors were blue and green, so I took it upon myself to dive out of school for a moment and grab them a bouquet of them," Victor says, and they stop as they reach the door to Earth Science. "Loki, um…" Victor shakes his head. "I'm not particularly good with romance, but I'm good with science and memory, and…"

Loki reaches out and brushes his hand along the soft petals of one of the flowers. "I'm listening."

"Would you—Loki, will you go out on a date with me? I mean, we never got the chance to go on that book date with Stark and his antics, and I-"

"Yes, I would be charmed to go out on a, um, book date with you."

Victor lefts out a sigh of relief. "Well, I can't say that I'm not glad that's over. Now, these are for you," he says, handing him the bouquet. "I hope you enjoy them."

"You're making me feel awfully feminine," he replies, "but I can't say that, that's a bad thing."

"Good, I will… pick you up tomorrow at 7 pm. I already have your address as creepy as that sounds, so I'll be there. Wear a tuxedo. It's formal." Victor turns around. "See you then!"

Loki stares after Victor in astonishment. He's going out on a date with Victor.

"Loki," Mrs. Munroe says from behind him, "what beautiful flowers. We're heading out to the front to go to our locations and continue our projects. I think some students are already out there. Join me as I walk."

He falls into step beside her, feeling giddy from the implications of the flowers in his hands.

"Who gave them to you?" she asks.

"Victor von Doom," he replies. "He's a… friend."

She grins knowingly at him. "He has excellent choice in flowers." She opens the front door for him. "Cherish them. They're some of the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen."

He barely notices Thor sitting on the stairs, the flowers blocking his vision, and he narrowly avoids falling down the stairs by Thor gripping him by the shin and somehow steadying him. It should have the alternative effect, but Loki ends up unscathed.

"Who gave you the flowers?" he asks, his face pensive. Loki's sure that Thor already knows the answer.

"Victor," he replies, and he finds himself slightly afraid of Thor's reaction, so he hides behind the flowers a bit. He feels like a craven, but Thor is extremely intimidating when angry. He's only seen flashes of his anger, but it's enough for Loki to know.

When there's no response, he peaks around the flowers to see Thor but finds that he's gone. Holding the flowers away from his body, he descends the stairs and finds that Thor is already getting into one of the waiting cabs.

"Getting inside?" he asks, and this Thor is completely different than the one Loki is used to. Why the hell is he so… sexy?

He slides inside, setting the flowers on the seat between them. "Thank you for waiting."

Thor grins in response, and Loki has never seen him respond sarcastically to anything. He begs for his blood to at least try to stay in his upper limbs. "You're welcome."

When they arrive, Loki takes the bouquet with him. He feels like one of those female leads in a romantic comedy, carrying the bouquet from her secret admirer. It feels awfully like Victor is a secret admirer even if Loki has spent a good amount of time with him. If he were a fan of clichés, he would frolic as he handed out each rose to a passerby. He settles to hugging the bouquet to his chest as he inhales the scent of them and walks.

He ponders what the date is going to be like. He's going to have to wear a tuxedo, which means that it's going to be a fairly formal place. It's only fitting, considering it is Victor.

"What prompted him to give you flowers?" Thor asks, sitting down on a bench. He stares up at Loki with this expression that almost sets Loki's loins on fire while still making him want to roll his eyes in irritation. "The occasion?"

"We have a book date that we never got to go on," he replies. It's not explicitly a lie. He just doesn't want Thor to know. "He remembered and thought it would be appropriate to buy me flowers that are my favorite colors."

"These flowers," Thor stands and pulls two roses from the bouquet, green and blue, and breaks them apart in his hands as if they're nothing, "do you know what they mean? Fertility and love, Loki! Do you not think that his advances are a bit… advanced?"

"Compared against what?" he asks, and he hopes that the lust is not inhibiting his ability to talk in an angry tone. "It's simply a coincidence anyway."

"Loki, your favorite color is olive green," he says. "These flowers are fern green. You would think that he would be interested enough to research the difference between the colors, but it appears not."

"Since when are you pedantic?" he asks, gritting his teeth. "And since when do you know my favorite color?"

"I am observant, Loki," he replies, and he takes a step right into Loki's personal space. "Most green clothing you wear is olive. Most furniture and other artifacts you own are all olive green. Even your undergarments are olive green. Care for me to prove so?"

Loki's dick actually twitches, and he has to shut his eyes to keep his composure. That's the hottest thing that Loki's ever heard in his entire existence on this earth, and he thinks he's going to explode at any moment. Thor, he hates him. He hates Thor with a passion for doing this to him, for having this kind of control. Loki only wants to look, but he doesn't want to touch. Maybe he does, but that's never going to happen. It seems like Thor wants to play a game now, and Loki's not okay with that at all.

"Can we leave?" he asks, opening his eyes. He has a feeling that his pupils are dilated.

"We haven't gotten any work done," Thor says, chuckling darkly.

Loki nods. "I know—I just—I have to take care of a personal problem," he replies, hoping to get his point through enough without having to say it outright.

Thor does a full body once over before he says, "Fine."

The ride back is humiliating for Loki, as he tries not to move in a way that will make him explode inside of his pants. He's had the misfortune of walking with sticky shorts.

"Can we leave? I'm not feeling well," Loki says to Mrs. Munroe.

"I think it may be the flowers," Thor says, and like a complete asshole, he puts them in her arms. "I think you should take them."

"Okay, thank you," she says, "and, Loki, I hope you feel much better."

Nodding to prevent himself from saying anything obscene, he turns and stalks off to the curb, waving his arm erratically in an attempt to try and hail a taxi.

The taxi pulls up, and he slides inside, biting the inside of his cheek to stop from groaning in frustration.

Running up the stairs proves to be much more complicated with the extra weight of his hard-on in his pants, and he barely makes it inside with clean pants. It takes a single stroke, one stroke of his hand, and he cums hard. He ends up dropping to his knees from the exertion, and he sits like that for a few moments to gain his bearings.

He ends up shucking off all of his now-sticky clothing into a pile by the door and slips on a new pair of boxers and a t-shirt. Feeling presentable enough to not seem like he was jerking off, he ventures downstairs. As soon as he opens the refrigerator, the house phone rings.

He answers it. "Hello, who is this?"

"Hello-?"

"Thor, I've got the phone," he says, rolling his eyes. "You can hang it up."

"Hey, Loki, hello," Tony says. It's bad that his voice is _that_ recognizable.

"Stark."

"Tomorrow, all of us are getting together at mine so we can finish our costumes." Oh, Loki almost forgot about Halloween. "After, we're going to go and do some group activity because we're all friends."

Loki chuckles. "I am deeply regretful, but I'm afraid that I cannot come. I have other plans."

"Uh… no, you don't. I would know this."

"Not if I recently found out myself, you wouldn't. I'm not changing them either," he replies. "You guys can have fun without me. I'm sure that Natasha knows my measurements. Or even ask Thor. Sure he'd know," he adds quietly.

Tony sighs. "You're being a recluse."

"I am not a recluse, Tony."

"Well, you're being one right now. You do not have anything else to do tomorrow," he replies. "We're your only friends."

"You're really not." He sighs because there's no other way around this that doesn't involve telling Tony outright. He does not plan to spend his entire night screening phone calls because Stark is persistent. "I… have a date."

"You have a date!?"

Loki holds the phone away from his ear, covering the headset and glancing around to see if anyone is near. "Yes, I have a date, okay? I can't come tomorrow because I have a date."

"With who?"

"No one important to you," he replies.

"Do I know him?"

"Tony, let's not play this game."

"I'm not playing a game though. I'm asking because I'm curious. As a friend, you're obligated to gush to me about this boy you like because we're teenage girls right now. Look, you're on a house phone. Can't get more teenage girl than that."

"I'm going to hang up."

"It's Victor, isn't it?" Stark makes a noise of disgust. "Ew, Doomy!"

Loki rolls his eyes even if Stark isn't there to see it and ends the call. He doesn't have time for Stark's childish games and taunts. When Stark is willing to talk to Loki about Victor in a manner that is respectful to Victor, he will actually listen.

He leans against the island and allows himself to grin, tilting his head back as his eyes close. He's going on a date with Victor von Doom, one of the most intelligent and handsome men Loki has ever met, and he's actually looking forward to it.

He feels something sticky on his stomach and stares in confusion until he realizes what it is.

"Why can't you just leave me be?" he asks aloud.

"We're brothers now," Thor enters the kitchen, his shirt off, and Loki sighs and turns away from him, "and I'm hungry.

"There's something on your arm."

Loki's eyes widen, and he looks down to see the smear of drying white on his arm. It's obvious to anyone with semen what it is, and he knows that Thor knows damned well what it is. He looks up at Thor, and he wants him to say something, so he can go off and rage.

Thor only stares down at his arm as he bites his bottom lip.

Loki groans as he feels the familiar tingling in his groin and goes off to make another sticky mess, pulling his shirt off as he goes. He shouldn't waste clothes because Thor is a walking hard-on producer.

"Sweet dreams!" Thor calls after him.

It's as if he knows what he's doing, but there's still a doubt in Loki's mind that Thor knows much other than his love for Jane fucking Foster and his hate for Victor von Doom.


	5. Chapter 5

Victor von Doom: Vicious Psychopath?!

"I'm going out tomorrow night," he says a few moments into dinner. He realized that he would have to mention it to his mother and Odin not too long after he fell into his second post-orgasm haze of the day. It was a realization that brought him slight dread in his stomach. His mother would not object, but she also would not be afraid to spare questions.

She's sometimes too curious for her own good, and Loki's been on the opposite side of her frown when she discovers that the answer to one of her questions is a little unsavory. During his years in primary school, she would always ask, "Loki, how was school today?", and he would reply with a blunt summary of the trials he went through at the hands of his peers. Her normally calm demeanor would turn into something truly furious, and all of her rage would be directed at him for thinking it okay to not destroy those children. She never meant it, but she is the possessor of half the rage Loki inherited, and he can't blame her for feeling helpless about the situation.

Odin takes a sip of his wine before bringing his hand up to his beard and stroking it in a mildly patronizing manner. Loki feels like he's judging more than what he just said, and there's a great chance that he's right. "And Thor, is he not coming with you?"

"No, he's not. It's with a friend of mine," he replies carefully. He isn't sure how Odin would react to him being gay, and he's willing to wait and find out more about Odin if it means that he will be prepared for whatever reaction he has. "We're going to dinner to discuss books."

Thor snorts, and Loki glares at him, daring him to say anything. Thor's obviously clued in about the fact that it's not a book date but a real date, and it doesn't take much to jump to that conclusion, considering his and Victor's relationship up to his point. A book date seems much too casual for whatever they have going on between them.

"Books," Odin repeats, eyebrows furrowed. "What kinds of books?"

"Nineteenth century literature," he replies smoothly. "We're both fans of the genre, and we don't have enough time during our classes to get quite into it."

"That sounds great, Loki," his mother says. "May I ask who this boy is?"

One of the things he dislikes about his mother is the fact that she is not easy to read for intentions when one of her neutral faces is on. He's inherited the trait from her along with the rage, and he's quite thankful for the abilities it has given him to interact with others and remain unscathed, but it often works against him when he tries to calibrate his mother's feelings about something. Now, he's unsure of whether she's aware of the fact that Victor is a romantic interest and not saying it outright or just genuinely interested in him.

"Victor von Doom," he answers.

"Romanian," she says, her face unchanging. "What does he look like?"

He's sure that his mother is asking him if he's attractive, and Loki would have no problem responding with the obvious affirmative, but Odin is right there and staring at him with those beady little eyes of his. If his mother knows that he's interested in Victor romantically, that's great, so he doesn't have to have the entire "I'm gay" conversation with her after all. With Odin though, he wants to, so Odin doesn't go off drawing his own conclusions of what the hell is going on.

"He looks-"

"He's awfully like one of those male models or actors you see in movies," Thor interrupts, dropping his fork to his plate with a clatter. "He has those cheekbones that all of the girls fall over their feet for and dark hair everyone envies. He's awfully a lot like Loki."

Loki turns and stares at Thor in disbelief. Now, what are his intentions?

"It fits," his mother says, a smile gracing her face. "Friends are usually similar to you. You know, Loki, Skadi and I look very much alike and have been friends since primary school. Most friends share some interests in common as well. This Victor, I should meet him tomorrow."

Loki puts on a charming smile of his own. His mother does not need to meet Victor. She will try to intimidate him into giving her the actual truth of the nature of their relationship, and even if Victor and she were of comparative height, she would try to make him feel as if he were merely a child. She'd done it to a boy who had the gall to call Loki out of his name while she stood next to him, and there was no doubt she would do it to innocent Victor who has no intent to harm Loki.

"Mother, that's-"

"It's a great idea, Farbauti," Thor says, and he's actually smiling about this! "You will probably like him."

"Do you, my son?" Odin asks.

"He's a friend of mine as well," he replies, "though he and Loki are much closer than I the two of us will ever be. It's unfortunate since we are in the same grade."

"He's a twelfth grader?" his mother asks. "Is he 18, Loki?"

"Well-"

"Yes," Thor answers. Isn't he just on a roll today?

Something reminiscent of the look Loki saw his mother give his first crush flashes across his mother's features, and he's almost sure that she's going to try to convince him not to go out on this "book date", but her smile only disappears, and she nurses back her wine as she stares at Loki blankly. He has a feeling that she's going to try to ask him to help her with the clean-up with the kitchen, dismissing Thor from his usual post of dishes.

"May I be excused-?"

"Loki, would you please help me clean up?" Just as he predicted.

He's not going to tell his mother no, especially because of the look that Odin is giving him. "Yes, Mother," he says, standing up with his dish in hand as he goes into the kitchen. He drops his plate into the sink and turns around to wait for his mother to come.

She puts the dishes into the sink and turns on the faucet to its highest setting, drowning out the conversation coming from the dining room. "You knew that I was going to do this," she says, and it's not a question.

He sighs and dunks his hands into the water, slightly shocked at the scalding hot temperature of the water. He's never been a fan of hot water, preferring the cold himself, and his mother's always the same except for when she gets into one of her moods. Grabbing the sponge, he begins to wash a plate.

"I sense that Thor does not approve of your relationship with this… Victor," she says, taking the plate from him and drying it. "He's an awfully intuitive boy. Almost as intuitive as you can be."

"He's biased by his hatred," he replies, and he stops himself from saying something that could clue his mother in on his problem with Thor. "Victor is a close friend of mine."

She turns to him, touching a hand on his forearm. "I'm your mother, Loki, and I know you much better than you think I do. You've never told me, but-" She stops when Thor and Odin come through the archway and drops her hand from his arm. "We will talk about this at another time. You are excused to go to your room."

"Okay, Mother."

"Thor, you can go to your room as well," Odin says, clapping him on the shoulder as he goes over to join Loki's mother.

Loki doesn't wait for Thor to follow or even turn to see if he is, going up the stairs as fast as he can. He slams his door and locks it, pressing his back against it to hear if Thor is going to attempt to talk to him. A breath of relief escapes him when he hears Thor's door shut down the hall.

He doesn't quite know what to think of his mother's observation of Thor. Thor is not intuitive, he has no idea where she deduced that from, and Thor only disapproves of Victor because he's afraid that Loki will end up spending most of his time around—he only disapproves because he—Thor's just—

Loki sits heavily on his bed. He has absolutely no idea why Thor even disapproves. Gods, he's never actually thought about that part. He only knows that Thor visibly objects of his relationship with Victor and tries to obstruct any attempt of theirs to show affection.

He can admit this, but Loki disapproves or more accurately hates Thor and Jane's relationship because he is maybe kind of… jealous. He's not jealous for the usual reasons, but only because Jane has gotten to touch him in ways that Loki can only fantasize about. Jane's completely unworthy of the chance she's been given, and she probably doesn't even know how to proper appreciate Thor!

Now, Thor really has no right to even remotely hate Victor and his relationship. He seemed happy that they were friends the first few days, but something changed, and Loki's unsure of what did.

If Thor were gay, Loki would not hesitate to say that he was jealous of Loki for being with Victor or maybe even the other way around, but Thor's not, and he has Jane fucking Foster to cuddle to death while they have star talk. He has no right to even get involved. Normal brothers just tease their younger sibling, not try to ruin their relationships.

He figures that Thor's just extremely strange and has no idea how he's supposed to behave with his step-brother. The shower incident was indicative of that since most step-brothers would not comment on their step-brother's attractiveness without clothing. That was definitely not something that happened in most households, but then again, most households do not have a boy that looks like Thor under their roofs either. Loki is lucky and unique in that regard.

Lucky. He snorts. He's never considered knowing Thor to be a lucky thing.

In the morning, he wakes up with a start, blindly feeling for his alarm clock in the dim light of the morning. He has no idea how it even got on, but he's definitely not happy about being up at—he squints in the darkness and sees it's 6:03.

He rolls onto his back and blinks the sleep away. He has a date with Victor von Doom later, and he hasn't even gotten his tuxedo. The panic doesn't even start to gather in his chest, and he's surprised that he's still lying there with a fairly normal heart rate. His mind seems to be under the impression that there's nothing to stress over, and as his mother said, he's got pretty good intuition about these kinds of things.

The date should feel important as he gets out of bed, but it doesn't. Loki feels like he's dragging himself out to something casual when anything involved with Victor is the farthest thing from casual.

He spends extra time in the shower, extending his normal twenty minutes for thirty. The sticky sensation on his skin seems to linger until his skin is almost raw and sore from being rubbed so vigorously. He knows that it's all in his head, but he cannot chance Victor happening to notice a little flake of white on his wrist and asking what it is. Loki's a talented liar, but he would rather not build this relationship on lies.

When he gets downstairs to eat breakfast, he still has almost twelve hours until their date, but time seems to be moving at a faster pace that he would like. The stress in his chest is starting to come, and it's more reassuring than anything. He should be excited, not calm about this. It's a date.

There's an expectation of Thor to be there with his morning tea and oatmeal, but he finds the kitchen empty, the stove hood light on and casting a dreary glow about everything. He doesn't know why he was expecting Thor to even be up this early, but he remembers Thor waking him up at the crack of dawn many times before. It seems that Thor actually doesn't have any vendetta against sleeping in.

He dawdles as he eats. He moves extremely slow as he fries himself an egg and creams his bagel at a pace that should set some world record for the slowest application of a condiment. It's 8:30 when he finally sits down to eat, and he's starting to get antsy about this entire situation.

There's eleven hours until he's getting picked up, and he has a feeling that getting fitted for a tuxedo does not take that long.

By the time he is finished eating, only thirty minutes has passed from him somehow drawing the process of eating out to its Marvinimum. He takes the time to wash his dishes, trying his best not to glance at the clock every few seconds, and five minutes passes doing that.

He goes back upstairs. This interval of inactivity is going to drive him insane. He dislikes having to wait more than anything. If his alarm clock had never gone off, he would still be asleep and this entire situation would have been avoided.

His door was locked. How could whoever turned on his alarm have even gotten in? He will figure it out by the end of the day, he decides, and he has a few hours until he needs to leave, so why not go for the first and most guilty party?

A few knocks on Thor's door later, Loki still finds himself standing in the hallway. The house is eerily silent around him, and he's almost sure that he's alone. When everyone left, he doesn't know, but it's not the most reassuring thought that they went without even sending a text his way.

Loki respects others' privacy, wanting others to respect his in return, and when he does snoop, he's very tactful about it and sticks to what he's searching for. The temptation of looking into other places which he isn't there for is never big. He has little time for small secrets.

He opens his door, and it's one of the first times that Loki's actually seen Thor's room in full. He gets fleeting glimpses of it when he passes, but he has never been that curious about Thor's living space. Why? He's never actually thought about it. It would have made sense for him to want to, seeing as how his bedroom would reflect him, and he could have skipped the getting to know him from one on one contact stage of their relationship. Well, that definitely would have solved a lot of Loki's problems, wouldn't it have?

The walls are blue, the ceiling white, and everything else seems to be a mismatch of four different colors. His hand runs over the red velvet bedspread and onto the grey pillows. It looks as if Thor has been gone a while, and Loki feels a pang in his chest as he takes a seat on the edge of the bed. He's not sure what to think about that revelation as he takes in the rest of his room.

Next to the closet, there's a section of pictures all hung up that Loki stands up to get a better look at. At closer inspection, Loki realizes that they're pictures of stars and other celestial objects, notes written in what appears to be Thor's handwriting adorning most of them, and his fingers ghost over the barely there indentations from the pencil and pen. He can imagine Thor reining in his strength to not slice through the paper, that look of concentration on his face, and it melts his heart.

He pulls his fingers away as if he's been shocked, and realizes that, gods, he's got it bad.

Something catches his eye when he goes to leave Thor's room, and it turns out to be a piece of notebook paper on top of the bureau, Thor's scrawl large on the paper.

'_Loki,_

_I foresaw your exploration of my bedroom and decided that placing my explanation here would be suited best for you to find it. I am spending the day outside of our home at Stark's residence. I will be telling him your measurements in estimation. Your mother set up your fitting for 12:00 at the shop Rothman's NYC, and she said (I quote her) "Don't be too early." Have fun on your "book date."_

_-Thor_

_P.S. I hope you like my bedroom. _J_'_

Thor knew that he would go searching for him in his bedroom, so he decided to play a little game and keep the note of explanation in there as well. Loki's going to have to pay Thor a bit of remuneration for that and the use of book date in quotations. He thinks he's comical, doesn't he?

Loki's a fan of "games" himself, and it seems that Thor does not have a clue what he's gotten himself into. If he thought that the show at the gym was bad, he's in for an excellent surprise.

Leaving the note in the exact same place he found it, he leaves Thor's room, closing the door behind him.

How nice of his mother to do that for him. He would think that it was her coming around to the idea of him going on a date with Victor, but Loki knows better. She's trying to stay as close to Loki as she can in an attempt to keep an eye on him. He uses the tactic himself when he wants to learn some information without being obvious or asking outright.

He's tempted to leave now, but he settles for going into his room and getting on his laptop to pass the time.

Loki does not jerk off even if he finds his mind wandering to what Thor would look like while lying on that bedspread—which Loki finds extremely titillating to use as an excuse to sneak into Thor's room one night— sans clothes. He ends up reading an actual science journal about a passing asteroid, channeling Jane Foster, and the fact that it reminds him of her makes his hard-on soften in seconds.

The stars, they're interesting and all of that cool stuff, and Loki's maybe slightly interested, but it's not to compete with Jane in astronomy talk with Thor. He only ends up reading a few more articles on said asteroid because he's interested, okay, no other reason.

The buzz of his phone in his pocket interrupts him mid-sentence, and Loki rushes to finish it before his concentration is completely shot.

It's Tony Stark, and that somehow makes it all the worse at being interrupted. Hitting the 'read message' option, he sits back with a sigh.

'_We don't talk to people who date Doomys, so you shouldn't date a Doomy.' _The immaturity from yesterday is still there and at full force.

'_There is only one 'Doomy', Stark, unless you're referring to a relative.' _He shouldn't even be replying, but he feels the need to tell Tony that he's wrong. Stark is the last person that he needs validation from, but here he is still acknowledging his stupidity as worthy of reply.

He doesn't have enough time to put his phone down before the reply comes. '_That was so romantic. Tell him that later at dinner.'_

'_How do you know we have dinner?_' he asks. He does not remember mentioning dinner to Tony in that terrible phone conversation.

This time there is no reply for the ten minutes that Loki lies there and finishes the article. He's slightly relieved but also worried that Tony decided that it was that question he would not answer. A part of him suspects something but getting worried over Stark's antics is not worth it.

It's 10:25 when he heads out of the house, and he still has two hours to waste before his appointment. His mother warned him not to be too early, knowing that Loki is one to show up with time to spare, and it's not as if he would have shown up an hour early without her warning. He would have made it there with ten minutes to spare like he plans to do now.

He hails a cab, his laptop tucked under his arm, and tells the driver to take him to the nearest coffee shop. There's nothing better to do than sit around at some café on his laptop as he drinks coffee, getting the entire New Yorker experience as he's seen in so many movies set in the city.

He's let off a few blocks from Central Park in front of a coffee shop that looks like it's been stripped from the screen of a romantic comedy, wide windows with people sitting in the window seats or at a table stationed close. It's obviously meant to call back to the days where beatnik artists were rampant. Loki thinks that he may be able to fit the archetype if he tries to look aloof and let his natural condescension to the surface.

He steps inside, and a dozen pairs of bespectacled eyes turn to look at him. A glare is sent in all of their directions, and they all turn back to their coffee and gadgets and novels as if nothing happened. He understands that he's hard to miss with how tall he is, but that does not excuse people to turn and gawk at him like some oddity. It's New York City, a city of diversity known for attractions much stranger than Loki will ever be. He fits this place more than they do with their vintage glasses and neckties.

"Hey, what can I get you?" the barista asks, wearing those same glasses as everyone else. "You look like you could totally use a mocha Frappuccino with a cinnamon garnish and extra foam."

He stares at the girl as if she's lost her mind. "No, I would actually like a plain coffee, please."

She gives him a disapproving look as she brews his coffee, and he doesn't hesitate to give her a nice sharp look back.

A hand touches his arm, and he almost pushes the person away when he realizes that he knows them.

"Uh, Loki, do you care to come and take a seat with me?" It's Professor Xavier, grandfather sweater and all.

Loki nods and pays for his coffee, following him back to a table in the corner of the shop. There's a laptop and a box sitting there next to a mug of tea, and it's fitting for the man. He does seem like he would come to a place like this.

"I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of seeing you here," Professor Xavier says as he takes his seat.

"No, you haven't," he replies, taking a sip of his coffee. "I can't say that I am surprised to see you here, Professor Xavier."

He smiles. "Well, I guess the sweaters are a dead giveaway, and please do call me Charles. We are not under Fury's stony gaze or in danger of someone hearing you and futilely attempting to get me fired." He takes a sip of his tea. "And I am afraid that no one would even care then. I am quite liked."

Charles is not lacking in self-confidence, and Loki thinks that is a pretty admirable thing of him. He's demonstrated his brilliance and kept them entertained in English so far. The teacher is an okay person in his opinion, perhaps a bit… outdated for his tastes.

"I told the cab driver to take me to a coffee shop, and he dropped me off in front of this one." He takes a gulp of his coffee, which has cooled some, to a perfect temperature. "I have to wait for my tuxedo fitting appointment."

"Oh, date with Mr. von Doom?" Loki gives Charles a confused look, and Charles chuckles. "Not much slips past me, Loki. I have been told that my skills of observation are most unnerving."

Loki's more impressed than anything. "No, it's fine," he replies. "Yes, you're correct. I do have a… date with Victor. Dinner actually."

Charles eyes flit to somewhere behind Loki, and a wry smile appears on his face. "I must admit that I had a platonic date of my own. I'm afraid you may know him. Erik," he says, nodding, and Loki turns to see that Professor Lensherr is standing behind him. "You know Loki."

Loki looks up at him, and he feels like he's not supposed to be there between them, but gods does he look good in that leather jacket. "Hello, Professor Lensherr," he says, standing up to shake his hand.

Professor Lensherr's handshake is wooden, and he looks extremely bewildered. "Erik," he corrects. "Well, I was not expecting to see you here. I don't recall ever seeing you here before either."

"That's because he's never been, Erik," Charles says, standing up. "Loki, if you would care to join us, we are going to play chess down in Bryant Park. We're walking there, so grab everything you have."

Loki glances at the nearest wall clock and sees that there is still over an hour left and shrugs, figuring that it wouldn't hurt. He's spending time with two of his teachers, one of whom he's flirted with on several different occasions, and now he's going to walk with through the city with them. This is definitely not something he saw himself doing this morning.

"How far do you live from here, if you don't mind me asking?" Charles says, walking on Loki's other side. He still has his mug of tea, which Loki thinks may be something he actually brought from home.

"Lenox Hill."

Charles scoffs. "And you told the cabbie to bring you to the closest coffee shop? He may have been a bit daft. I make the trek from Carnegie Hill myself, and I would not consider that the closest coffee shop."

"Charles, not everyone has your brain power," Erik replies.

"You know he's going on a date with Victor von Doom later today," Charles says, completely changing the subject, and Loki looks over to see Erik's reaction.

His eyebrows are raised, and he looks surprised. "So you and von Doom are together. Interesting."

"Interesting? I feel like there is some undertone there."

"Erik," Charles says in a warning tone, taking a seat at one of the chess boards. "Where are you getting your tux?"

"Rothman's."

Charles looks stricken. "Of course not," he replies, taking Erik's shoulder bag from him and pulling out a box of chess pieces. "You're new to this city and the many offers of services that it has. You're going to my usual. I insist that you get the finest of all tuxedos, and you will not get that anywhere else."

"Charles, you're being pushy," Erik says as he sits down. "Loki, you can go wherever you want. Charles is just… outdated."

Loki realizes that Erik has pulled up a chair for him and sits down.

"I am simply traditional. I blame the old money."

Loki sits back and watches as they fall into a comfortable silence with a few comments here and there. They're good, and Loki's only played chess a few times, but this display is definitely something special. Also, he knows that there is an underlying tension between them, and any sexual attraction that he has for Erik feels strange like he's obstructing their love.

"Check," Charles says. "If I win, we go to my haberdasher."

Erik moves another piece. "Check," he replies, "and it's a deal."

"You're playing for my tuxedo, and I was not even given a choice in the matter," Loki says, shaking his head.

"Nope, you were not."

"Schachmatt," Erik says, and he turns and grins at Loki. "Checkmate."

Charles looks like he's about to throw a tantrum for a moment, staring down at the board with wide eyes. He looks like he could be a teenager, and Loki's about to ask what his age actually is when he returns to his normal demeanor and smiles softly. "Good game, my friend."

Somehow an hour has passed, and it's 11:48 when they leave the park. If Loki ever needs to pass more time, he knows what he's going to come and watch a game of chess. He has a feeling that he would be fairly proficient, being an excellent strategist. Perhaps he would be good enough to even beat Erik.

The first step they take into the massive store on 18th and Park is when Loki realizes that Charles does not take losing in stride and is actually a sore loser.

"It's far too industrial," he says as they go searching for an employee. "My haberdasher is more personal."

Erik ignores him as he gets the attention of the store clerk. "Excuse me; we are here for an appointment."

The man looks at the three of them, and when his eyes land on Loki they widen. Loki has no idea why people seem to have had that reaction around him as of late. "For a Go-See?" he says.

Go-See? Loki throws the phrase around his head until he matches it up with none other than… _America's Next Top Model_. He's guilty of catching a few episodes on the odd night, and it's been enough times for him to remember. But why would he ask Loki that? On that show they're all models, and Go-Sees are—oh.

Loki throws his head back and laughs. "No, I'm not even a model," he says, shaking his head. "I actually have an appointment at 12:00. Laufeyson, perhaps?"

"You're not a model?" It's his turn to laugh, and he does so until he's red in the face. "That's one of the funniest things that I've heard this morning, but come follow me anyway."

"He thinks you're lying," Charles says, and Loki wants to turn to him and say "obviously", but he doesn't think he will appreciate it. "You do have sort of a model-esque body. You're extraordinarily tall and thin."

"And, Charles, you are just realizing this?" Erik rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "He screams model. Look at him." Loki glances away when he gives him a once over. "You've seen _America's Next Top Model_, _Project Runway._ All of them have his body type."

"This is a 40L," the clerk says as he comes out with a garment bag. "Follow me, Mr. I'm Not A Model."

He is left alone in a fairly large dressing room, and he begins to undress. In the full body mirrors, he realizes how stroppy he looks, and it is easy to see why the man might think that he's a model.

He pulls on the trousers and oxford shirt, buttoning it up with ease. He shrugs on the jacket and lets the bowtie hang around his neck loosely. It's slightly too roomy for Loki's tastes, but he does not want people to be able to see what is underneath his clothes.

"Whoa," the clerk says when Loki exits the dressing room. "I mean… wow."

He stands in the center of the circular carpet, Charles sitting in one of the armchairs with a finger on his temple as he looks on, and Erik stands up from the seat next to him. He begins to circle Loki, or better yet, stalk him as if he is a baby gazelle, and Loki's almost terrified that he's going to attempt to murder him with the look he's got in his eyes.

"Erik, stop it, you look like a villain from a Disney movie," Charles says.

Erik stops stalking him and stands there, head cocked to the side. "It's too big." He looks at the clerk. "This is too loose. Give him something more form-fitting."

The clerk doesn't argue, disappearing to find another suit, and Loki's sure that he's as afraid of Erik as he was for a moment.

He changes into the next suit, having taken it from the smug looking clerk, and he realizes quickly that it fits much, much better than the previous one. It feels like his casual clothes with the way it hugs his body. He adjusts the jacket and checks out how he looks in the mirror.

If Thor were to see him, he wouldn't be able to resist, he thinks. Even if he is straight, he would not be able to say no if Loki were to just happen to fall into his lap and offer himself up.

He banishes the thought as he exits the dressing room. He should only care what Victor thinks, not Thor.

"You're such a liar," the clerk says. "That's a suit straight off the rack from a Hugo Boss show. You fit it perfectly. You are a model, and a bad, bad liar."

"You look… wow." Charles stands with his hands in his pockets next to Erik. "May I suggest an alternative option so we are no facilitating the instigation of underage sexual activities?"

Erik takes a step up to Loki before dropping down onto his haunches and wrapping his beautifully large hands around his leg and slowly moving upward. "Inseam?"

"36 inches," the clerk says.

Loki holds his breath when Erik's hands stop just below the line of his boxers. If he gets an erection in these pants, it's going to be extremely hard to miss. He stares straight ahead, trying hard not to think about the fact that one of the most beautiful men he's ever seen is only inches away from touching his penis.

"Rise?" His hands go up slightly, and Loki gulps.

"The standard 11 inches."

"Erik, there is a thing called child molestation, and it applies to people under 18 years of age."

His hands thankfully move to the outside of Loki's legs before settling on his waist. "Waist?"

"32 inches."

"It's perfect." Erik stands up, crossing his arms. "Yes, he'll take it."

He changes back into his casual clothes, and he feels slightly excited about the date now. He has his tuxedo which looks absolutely stunning on him, and there's no doubt in his mind that Victor's going to look the same in his own tuxedo. They're going to go to dinner and have intelligent conversation over gourmet food, and people are going to look on in envy at how perfect they look together.

"You need shoes," Charles says as the clerk rings up his tuxedo. "We have to get you shoes."

"Charles…"

"They do not have the best selection of shoes here. We could just make a quick stop at my haberdasher before…"

There's still around six hours until he has to be home, so he sees no reason not to take a stop at this perfect haberdashery that Charles insists is so good. "Fine," he says, taking the garment bag from him. "We can go to your haberdasher."

"He has excellent taste, Erik. He knows what's good for him."

"Going to SoHo for shoes, really?" He shuts the cab door. "Loki, don't let his patriarchal charm get to you. It's all an act. He's actually only a 27 year old man in ugly sweaters. Cares nothing about anything except his tea."

"I would point out that my sweaters are not ugly, but I see that you're biased with your love of leather jackets and turtlenecks, which I find to be quite endearing and true to your personality. Now, come and find the best shoes that shall ever grace your feet in this lifetime."

His haberdashery turns out to be a shop filled to the brim with formal wear displays. There are multicolored suits everywhere, hats line the walls, and gods does it make sense that Charles would like a place like this. It's so old-fashioned.

"Mr. Xavier," says an old man, coming to pat him on the back. "What can I help you with?"

"We need shoes for a black tuxedo."

"Then you came to the right place. Follow me." The man grabs a pair of shiny black shoes from one of the shelves, not even bothering to ask Loki's shoe size. "Here," he says, handing them to Loki. "Try them on."

He wants to protest and ask how he could possibly know but takes a seat in one of the armchairs and removes his shoes, replacing them with the oxfords. They fit perfectly, and Loki has to look up at the man to expression his surprise.

"I've been in the business since his father was a boy. I know my shoes, son."

"We're taking them," Charles says. "You now have your own H. Herzfeld Fine shoes and have become a real gentleman."

Loki reaches for his wallet, but the man stops him before he can pull out his debit card, chuckling.

"The Xaviers are our best customers. They never pay and never will."

"I blame the old money," Charles murmurs.

Loki wants to demand that the man take his money, but he sees the glint in his eye that tells him that he would probably just stand there and stare at Loki until he relented. He isn't stepping down. No, he's just choosing not to fight this pointless battle. He will eventually find a way to repay this man whether he likes it or not.

He takes the shoebox, looking the man in the eye hard as he does so. He tries to convey the message through his eyes that he has not won this battle.

"Let's go for lunch," Charles suggests as Erik hails a cab in between them. "I'm famished."

Loki glances down at the clock on his phone display and sees that there are still five hours.

"Where?" Erik asks, opening the door for Charles.

Loki slips in after him.

The three of them end up at _Gotham Bar and Grill_, which Loki wonders if it's intentionally named after the setting of most _Batman_ comic books, Charles and Erik sitting opposite him. He has to admit that the two of them feel awfully parental even if he knows that they're not trying to. It's because of the fact that they seem domestic with each other, and Loki just happens to be their teenage son. Most of the people they've encountered today probably think so.

Charles insists on ordering their food for them, and Erik gives Loki a look that says not to argue, so he lets him have some sense of control. "Loki, if you don't think this is inappropriate, may I ask about your relationship with Thor?"

"What about my relationship with Thor?" he asks. He does not know what Charles is implying if he is implying anything at all. If it's what he thinks it might be, that's not good at all.

"As in your adjustment to being his brother," he says. "I had a step-brother growing up myself, and let's just say that I never quite adjusted to having him around. He didn't either."

"Oh, we're… fine."

"I'm happy to hear that," he replies. "He's quite a nice boy. He talks about you often in class."

Erik turns and gives him a look that convinces Loki there's something definitely underneath his words. "Charles, please."

"I have a feeling that you're asking about something other than our platonic relationship," he replies, turning to look out the window. He has no right to ask Loki these kinds of things. "Correct?"

"No, of course not. I'm pondering if you two are friends or not, nothing more, nothing less."

"He loves Jane Foster," he replies without thinking. Now that definitely sounds incriminating.

"Jane Foster?" Charles' eyebrows scrunch together. "Well, that's extraordinarily new to me. Since when did I become so oblivious?"

Loki stares into Charles' eyes which reek of sardonic humor, and he has to clench his fists for a moment to stop from lashing out on him and asking him where does he get the authority to pretend that he knows everything about everyone. "They're infatuated with each other," he replies. "Adjusting to having a moony-eyed brother is not as easy as it would be without her in the picture."

"He's going through the phase of teenage love induced by Jane Foster?" Charles accepts their plates from the server, setting them down in front of Erik and Loki before taking his own. "Has Thor told you this himself? Has he let on about their relationship being romantic?"

"Charles, you're getting involved again."

"If you let your skills of observation take over for a moment unclouded by your judgment of Miss Foster then I think you will find that you have guessed wrong."

"What relevance does this have involving me?" he asks. "Thor can date whatever star lover he wants. He's his own person. My step-brother and I have a perfectly fine relationship the way it is, Professor Xavier."

"It's Charles. Remember we're not in school."

"Charles, eat your food, and shut your mouth."

"Erik, I'm trying to help him understand something he's clearly oblivious to."

"Oblivious?" Loki laughs, shaking his head at this outrageousness.

"You and I both know that your relationship is by no means 'fine', Loki."

"Victor von Doom," Erik says, "aren't the two of you in a relationship?"

"No." He takes a bit of his salad, chewing it sharply. "We're only friends now."

"The feelings of a rational-minded teenager can sometimes be confusing. I was like you once, Loki, and I tried to think logically most of the time. What I didn't realize is that it's sometimes best to not think rationally. You make mistakes that you cannot take back, forever to regret."

Erik turns and looks at Charles, his brow furrowed. "What are you-?"

"Wait, Erik, I'm not done. Loki, I think you should rethink your stance on a few things. You will find that your heart is the one to listen to this time."

He stands up from the table, done with this conversation. "Thank you for lunch and the help you offered me today, but I have to go and prepare for my date. I will see you both at school, professors. And, Charles, you should learn to listen to your own advice."

Loki can't help but seethe as the conversation replays in his head. Charles was oh so sure about his knowledge of his and Thor's relationship, and Loki doesn't recall him ever seeing them interact. Having powerful skills of observation does not suddenly make one telepathic about their feelings, but it seems that Charles skipped that lesson in life. He does not know Loki's feelings any more than Loki does most of the time.

And what of Charles and Erik's relationship? The two of them seem to be stuck in some limbo of domesticity and friendship, and Charles has the nerve to try and tell Loki what he should do romantically. He's a class-A hypocrite who should not stick his nose into places where it's not needed before someone breaks it.

"Loki, you're back," his mother says as he closes the front door behind him.

He goes into the kitchen and sees that she's making lunch. He only ate a few bites of his back at the restaurant, but he does not think he will be able to stomach anything right now. He's still digesting Charles' words.

"Did you get everything alright?"

"Fine," he replies, laying the garment bag on the counter and the box of shoes on top of it. "Where did you go this morning?"

"Oh, I had to do some grocery shopping. Did you get Thor's note?" So she knows about the note. He wonders if she knows the extent to how Thor strategically placed it in his bedroom.

"Yes, I did, and I was only ten minutes early, Mother. I did not need your chiding."

"You didn't tell me that you knew Tony Stark." She sets down a plate in front of him before spooning some broccoli onto it. "Thor says that he's a mutual friend of yours."

"He is, and I didn't think that it was important."

"All of your friends are important, Loki. I'm your mother, and I have to find out who your friends are from Thor, not you. That's not right."

He pulls the plate toward him, taking the fork from him, and begins to push the food around. "And neither is Stark. You do not need to be exposed to his tomfoolery."

"_Min lilla Jötnar_, he cannot be that bad," she says, offering him an amused look. "Thor likes him, and he's a-"

"-pretty good judge of character?" he asks, lifting an eyebrow at her. "Mother, please, he likes everyone."

"Not your little _pojkvän_." When he looks at her with wide eyes, she rounds the island and sits down on the stool next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. It feels as though she hasn't done this in ages, and he finds that he missed it. "I know, Loki, and I want you to know that I love you anyway. I've known forever, and ever, and I just want my _is prins_ to be happy. I have to say that I will not hesitate to destroy him if he dares to take the light out of your eyes."

It's something so like what his mother would say, and it makes a smile break out over his face. He can't imagine what life would be like without her.

"I said the same about Odin," he replies. "I still mean it."

"He likes you, you know that?"

He doesn't reply verbally, only putting a piece of broccoli into his mouth.

"He's always wanted another son, and now he has you. Thor's always wanted a brother as well, and I'm pretty sure that he's more than satisfied with you as you are with him." She runs a hand over his hair. "I know you, Loki. You're changing, but I know you. Now eat your food, and stop playing with it. You're a young man now."

"Mother…"

"Eat, Loki."

He does as she says, his mother watching over him as he eats, and it feels a lot like home again.

The two of them end up in the den watching _Wallander_ reruns to pass the time. Loki pretends to act put off when she begins to stroke his hair absently, but he silently revels in the familiar touch of his mother. She's usually too busy working or off doing something spousal with Odin to sit there and spend time with Loki. Gods, he's missed it more than he even realized. He was sure that he was over the childish need for maternal attention.

After three episodes, his mother pushes him to his feet and tells him to go get ready before Victor arrives, and he rolls his eyes but feels himself beginning to smile as he grabs his suit and shoes and heads upstairs to change.

Loki's not conceited by any means, but he has to admit to himself that he looks absolutely magnificent after he's fully changed into his tuxedo and shoes. His bowtie hangs loose around his neck because he knows that his mother will insist on doing it when he gets downstairs, and he buttons his jacket closed before straightening out his lapels.

"Damn, Loki, you look good," he says to his reflection, turning around to stare at his ass. It looks amazing.

His mother's eyes widen as he descends the stares, and he makes an effort to show her that he's rolling his eyes and huffing in exasperation. "Loki…"

"I know, I look amazing," he says, stopping in front of her to let her tie his bowtie.

She nods, taking the two ends in her hands and begins to tie it. "I am awfully tempted to tell him that he cannot ever see my son again or talk to him or especially not touch him. Yes, he cannot touch you under any circumstances. If you're choking, tell him to go ask for another mother to perform the Heimlich maneuver."

"You always said that I was the overdramatic one, Mother."

"I know; you inherited it from me." She steps backward, silence falling between them only accompanied by the low lull of the television in the other room. Loki would be afraid that she is going to cry if he didn't know her so well, but his mother is much more emotionally stable than he is. "You're becoming more and more like him every day," she says.

Loki doesn't know how to respond. There's a mixture of rage, sorrow, and pride running through his veins when he formulates his reply, but he doesn't get the chance to say it because the doorbell rings.

His mother opens the door, revealing an extremely dapper looking Victor. "Why, hello, you must be Victor. Come in, come in."

He steps past the threshold. "Yes, I am," he says, and he takes his hand and kisses it, Loki rolling his eyes at his mother's reaction.

"Smooth," she says. "It makes sense why my son's interested. Loki was never into the boring types. And I must say that you are one good looking young man. Your hair is… wondrous."

Victor's eyes flicker over to Loki, and he looks adorably uncomfortable. "Er, thank you."

"No, thank you," she replies, and Loki hears _that_ tone in her voice and knows what's coming. "Victor, you are legally an adult in this country, correct?"

"Yes, I'm 18-"

"I know, Thor told me. You know, he is an awfully helpful young man both mentally and physically. He is extraordinarily massive for a teenager himself, muscles and all of that. He gets it from his father. He's quite large too. They're also both quite protective as well."

Victor looks both amused and alarmed. "I mean well, and I do not plan on bringing any harm to your son. I am quite aware of the damage Thor is capable of doing on me, and it is a frightening prospect, but I hope that it will not come to that."

She smiles. "I hope as well. Now, you two should go if you want to make your reservation on time. Loki, behave yourself, and, Victor, bring my son home before 11:00. Any longer and there will be words."

Loki grabs Victor's jacket sleeve and pulls him down the stairs, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.

"Your mother is nice," Victor says, glancing up and waving at her through the window. "She's also very protective, almost unnervingly so."

Loki notices that there is a silver sports car parked next to the curb, and oh does it make Tony's car look average in comparison. He stops at the passenger side to marvel at how the environment reflects off of its metallic surface, creating a beautiful picture.

He moves to the side as Victor opens the door for him. "Care for a ride?" he asks, smirking.

Loki steps into the car, Victor shutting the door behind him, and he realizes that there's something Victor is not telling him. "Victor, what do you do for a living?" he asks.

Victor touches his finger on a cyan circle and the car comes to life. "I was a child prodigy with a knack for investing," he replies as he pulls away from the curb. "It's left me financially set for life, but that doesn't mean that I don't plan to pursue a career after high school. Laziness is not a trait I've been graced with."

Loki turns and looks at his profile. "You are amazing."

"The same can be said for you," he replies. "We're going to a French restaurant, so I hope you enjoy French cuisine."

"Je n'ai jamais dégusté la cuisine française," he replies. "Is it good?"

Victor glances at him in disbelief for a moment before grinning. "Yes, it is, and I think that may have been the most arousing thing I have ever heard in my life. If I can get you to speak French more, I think my needs will be permanently sated."

Loki grins. "Maybe I will."

They pull up in front of a building, Victor parking in front of the entrance before coming around to open Loki's door before he gets the chance to. Loki gives him a look which Victor responds to with a shrug and a smirk.

The actual restaurant is on the top floor of the building, and the entrance hallway feels regal with its deep purples and rich reds. It's a red a lot like Thor's bedspread, velvety red bedspread that Loki would-

"Von Doom," Victor says to the hostess causing Loki's mind to come back to reality.

"Follow me," she says, and Victor's hand comes up to rest on Loki's back, gently guiding him. "And here is your table," she says, gesturing to the table for two in front of them. "A server will be over in a moment to take your order."

Loki sits down opposite Victor, having pulled out his chair before Victor could, and he looks over the balcony next to them overlooking a lower level the other restaurant, seeing the fountain in the center. It's absolutely beautiful, and one of the prettiest restaurants Loki has had dinner in. He wasn't expecting anything less from Victor.

"What do you think?" Victor asks.

He turns and looks at him. "It's stunning."

"Fitting for the way you look tonight," he replies, and the two of them let out a laugh after a few moments. "Sorry, I could not pass up that opportunity. But really, Loki, you look… perhaps there's a word in another language that can properly express it because English is failing me now. Wait, pulchritudinous, it's English, but an underrated word."

"I could have settled for beautiful," he replies.

"No, don't ever settle. You're worth much more than anything you need to settle for."

"What did you do today?" Victor asks.

Loki sets his menu aside, having settled for a pasta dish. "I spent the day with two of our teachers, Professor Lensherr and Professor Xavier," he replies. "It was completely unexpected yet enjoyable for the beginning part. Then Professor Xavier lapsed back into his professor routine, and I decided to leave while we were still being cordial to each other."

Victor chuckles. "Yes, Charles Xavier is quite the charmer," he replies, grinning. "At least you got the life experience."

The server comes, and Victor orders their food in perfect French, and Loki wonders if there is anything that he cannot do. He's absolutely talented, and it's definitely enticing.

"You're near-perfect," Loki says.

He smiles. "Thank you, but we all have flaws. Near-perfect is an accurate term for sure."

Loki tastes his food when the server comes back with it, Victor watching him from the other side of the table as he does. He chews intently, holding back his reaction to make Victor more and more anxious. It's cruel, but what can he say? He likes games.

"It's… good," he says, and Victor lets out a sigh of relief. "As soon as I tasted it, I thought so."

Victor's eyes narrow playfully as he takes a bite of his food. "You're so uncouth."

As he eats, Loki lets his eyes wonder around the restaurant, taking in the classical paintings by French artists hanging on the wall and the variety of people who all appear to be dressed in their finest around them—though none of the ones that he sees compare to Victor. He turns to look back at Victor when something catches his eye or someone.

Loki takes another bite of his food to appear neutral as he turns his attention to the table on the Eastern side of the balcony. There are two men dining at a table situated slightly off the balcony, and a voice in Loki's head says that he recognizes them even if he's not sure who they are.

"What are you planning to do after graduation?" Loki asks Victor as he puts his fork down. He needs to distract him from the fact that he's no longer eating and instead looking around like a madman.

"During the summer, I'm travelling to Europe to…"

He looks back at Victor, offering him a smile, before he turns to look back at the table.

One of the men is holding a menu over his face, and a red flag is thrown up in Loki's mind. The restaurant is filled with the type of people who do not hold menus over their faces. Something is up.

"…and my philanthropic fund has been distributing…"

The menu drops low enough on the man's face for Loki's mind to instantly recognize the man.

Tony Stark.

Loki moves his gaze back to Victor for a few minutes to try and calm his now pounding heart in his chest. He glances down and notices that the veins in his hands are bulging because he's clenching his fists so hard, so he grabs ahold of his glass and takes a gulp of his drink to calm his nerves. He wishes it were something a bit stronger, but it turns out America's drinking laws are against him.

Stark peeks over the top of his menu—he's wearing those goofy sunglasses—clearly thinking that he's being covert, and Loki rolls his eyes into his glass. If he's going to spy on Loki, he should put up a better effort of not being so Tony Stark-like. He's not the most inconspicuous person.

"…and I told him that I planned to pursue a career in nuclear fusion due to the vast potential the field holds. Is there something wrong?" Victor sets his fork down and stares at Loki, probably having seen him looking over there.

"No, I'm…" His eyes flicker over to where Stark is staring at him over his menu.

Victor looks over in that direction, but Stark has already put his menu back up over his eyes. "What?" he asks, eyebrows furrowed. He knows there's definitely something Loki's not telling him.

"I thought I saw someone I knew," he says. It's not lying. "Continue. I was listening."

He grins at Loki and launches back into conversation, picking up where he left off without pause. Seeing him talk about something he's so passionate about is absolutely wonderful-

Stark has dropped his entire menu down and is pointing somewhere out to Steve across from him. Steve looks like he would rather be anywhere else, and Loki feels the same. He wishes that they were anywhere else too.

"…and I plan to go to MIT for undergraduate studies."

"They would be idiots not to accept you," he replies in an attempt to make sure that Victor knows he's listening. He seems to enjoy flattery, so all he has to do is interject subject-relevant compliments at different points of the conversation.

Victor takes a sip and nods his head. "Of course they would. What I worry…"

Loki glances at Victor once more before turning to see where Tony is pointing. Dear gods, Natasha and Clint are sitting across from the restaurant. Natasha's wearing some retro-style glasses that obscure most of her face, but that red hair is unmistakable. Clint's scarfing down his food as fast as usual, his bowtie undone around his neck. This is sheer ridiculousness.

He grits his teeth and turns back to Victor, flashing him a smile of reassurance. This is not Victor's fault that his friends don't seem to understand the concept of privacy. He was expecting a normal date as Loki was, but his friends took it upon themselves to hunt them down and stake themselves around the restaurant as if Loki's some target. He feels awfully like one with them "sneaking" glances at him like he's prone to leave.

"…and there's a fortune."

Stark takes his sunglasses off and puts them in the collar of his shirt, trying to pull his menu over his face before he thinks that Loki sees. It's deathly obvious that Tony Stark is sitting at that table now, and Loki thinks that it won't be soon before Victor happens to notice. Tony is not ruining this date.

"Victor, I think that I see a friend of mine over at that table, and I haven't seen them since I left Sweden," he says. "Do you mind if I go and say hello?"

"No, of course not. Go ahead." Victor watches Loki stand up, grinning handsomely at him. "I will be here when you get back. I promise."

Loki nods and keeps eye contact with Victor as long as his eyes follow him between the tables, but when Victor's head turns around, he speeds up his pace, balling his fists as he nears closer and closer to Stark's table. If he happens to punch Stark in the mouth for this, he cannot be blamed. Even Loki has his limits.

He stops in front of their table, staring down Stark as he talks to Steve about some binoculars that he's been working on that see through clothes, and he doesn't notice Loki until Steve turns and sees him there. Steve's eyes widen exponentially, and his jaw drops as he tries to formulate words.

Stark turns and sees Loki there not long afterward, his eyebrows raising in alarm, but he schools his features when the fear seems to pass. Tony should be afraid. He's gotten Loki very, very angry, and an angry Loki is not one to be trifled with.

"Oh, hey, big L!" he says, trying to smile that winning grin of his, but it falls flat. "Fancy seeing you here?" His tone is unsure, and he knows that Loki does not find this funny at all.

"What are you doing here, Stark?" he demands.

"Having dinner, duh. What does it look like?"

"You know exactly what I mean." He glances at Steve. "You're here to spy on us."

Tony stands up from his chair, holding his hands out defensively. Loki rolls his eyes, knowing that Tony is not taking this entire situation seriously. "'Spying' has negative connotations. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?"

"Stop with your jesting!" he shouts, and he gets a few looks from the patrons around him. Lowering his voice, he adds, "I don't have time for this."

"Hey, what's going—oh shit, that's not good." Clint stops short of the table, looking surprised to see Loki. "Was not expecting to see you here."

"I share the same sentiment."

Natasha comes up next to Loki and takes off of her sunglasses, looking up at him. "Loki, we should explain-"

"There is no explanation that will satisfy me, but you know what will? If you'd all so kindly leave, that'd really make me consider ever acknowledging your existence again."

"Uh…" Tony tilts his head to the side. "See we can't do that. There's this thing we have planned, and it involves us being here, and you being here too. So that means you can't leave either. We're all stayng."

"What makes you think I would be so eager to comply?" he replies, scanning all of their faces. He cannot believe that they have the nerve to look so confused at his anger. They're all guilty of delving into his personal life uninvited. His anger is warranted.

"Loki." He turns and sees Jane standing there. What is _she_ doing there?

"You're here too. A grand affair this is." He smiles sardonically. "Did you hire catering as well?"

"Loki-" Natasha starts, but she's interrupted by the entrance of yet another person. Actually, two people. Great.

Thor and Bruce join their crowd around the table, and Loki feels the anger and just pure, unadulterated rage he's been holding at bay begin to spill over. He wants nothing more than to hit someone, to make them feel pain and all of the feelings he's feeling at this mass betrayal.

Thor, his step-brother, is in on it. It makes sense that he went to Stark's so early. They probably sat around and formulated this plan while Loki was unsuspecting and busy getting his tuxedo. His step-brother who is supposed to stand by Loki at all times is here with his traitorous so-called friends!

"A sea of traitorous people," he says aloud, grinning at the craziness of it. "I've surrounded myself with them."

"Loki, these people are not traitors but allies looking out for you own well-being," Thor says, stepping forward toward Loki. Loki takes a resulting step backward. "I was told of this plan to get Victor to reveal himself not many hours ago, and I came along to ensure that you are protected."

"I don't need protection!" he shouts, and he glares at all of the diners who turn and look at him, causing them to turn back around. "I'm not a child!"

"We know that," Natasha says. "We're not protecting you because you're a child-"

"It's because you're our friend," Tony says, and he's wearing his serious face. How cute of him to try and take something seriously for once.

"You've all practiced your lines, great. Now, when does the next act start, or do I have to see this great reveal?"

"Victor's not who you think he-"

"And who in the Valhalla do I think he is?" he replies, baring his teeth at Clint. "What do you all think he is? What is this proof of his other side? Why not just tell me instead of humiliating me in front of my date. He probably thinks I've deserted him."

"Well, actually, no-"

"We knew you wouldn't believe us, Loki," Steve says, speaking for the first time. "I did not agree with this initially, but Victor is keeping something from you that he needs to share with you before your relationship goes any further."

He laughs. "'Any further.' I doubt that's happening after tonight."

"Yeah, that's a sure thing," Tony says, and Loki turns to glare at him.

"What do you mean, Stark?" When Tony's silent, he leans toward him, but Thor's hands come up to grab his shoulders. He flinches away from Thor's touch and turns to glare at him instead. "Do not ever touch me again."

"You see this as an affront on your decision making, and I understand that you must feel… betrayed, but that was not our intention-"

"What was your intention?" He can feel the anger coursing through his veins now, and he burns to just let loose a punch that takes the wind out of someone. "You see what you have done right now."

They're all silent as Loki turns around in a circle to view each of their despicable faces. They all share that same pitying, glassy look in their eyes that Loki knows personally, having been on this side of those looks since he can remember. He hates it more than being betrayed, and their eyes burn a bigger hole into his already damaged trust.

Loki didn't trust people for a reason.

This is the reason.

"Oh—uh, wait, guys there's a situation." It turns out Robert Reynolds is here as well. "The next stage is in action."

Tony pushes through the space between Loki and Natasha and goes to the balcony around the center, standing on his tiptoes. He comes back and takes Loki's arm, pulling him along before he can react and pull away at his traitorous touch. "Look, see? Your date definitely doesn't think you ditched him."

Their table is vacant, Victor nowhere to be found.

He yanks away from Stark and weaves through the tables to theirs. Victor's chair isn't pushed in as if he left in haste.

Loki's head jerks up at the sound of a familiar voice shouting, and he scans the room until he finds Victor's form standing in front of two others, one his height and the other shorter.

"Loki, wait-!"

He's already making his way over there before anyone can stop him. He doesn't know what he's expecting, and he's sure that he's not going to like what he finds. If this is what Stark and his gang wanted him to see, then he's not going to disappoint. He's going to figure out what they're talking about once and for all.

"Do you really feel the need to flaunt the love of my life in front of me like some kind of trophy?" Victor asks, and his voice sounds strained.

Loki stops behind him at that and listens, making no motion to let Victor know of his presence. What is he talking about? Who is Victor's love of his life, and why does he even have one?

"Victor, I'm not flaunting her." Loki recognizes that voice. It's Reed. He moves slightly to the left to get an unobstructed view of him and sees that it's him and Susan that Victor's talking to. "She's my—we're together."

"She's your what? You can't even call her your girlfriend. So much for true love, right? Isn't that what you said to me, Susan? You and Reed had true love?"

"Victor, calm down, and let's have a conversation like mature adults-"

"Mature adults who can't call each other boyfriend and girlfriend." He laughs, and it's the bitterest sounding one Loki's ever heard. "I think not."

"What do you want from her?" Reed asks. "She does not want to be with you."

"According to her words or her emotions? What, you didn't tell him, Sue?"

"You're misconstruing my words," she replies. "I never said that I wanted to be with you after Reed and I got together. We were bound to break up."

"According to who!" he shouts, and the restaurant goes quiet around them. "I love you. I always will, and you feel the same about me, but I'm not enough because I don't stretch myself thin limb for limb to spend time with you! I tried, Susan, but you always wanted more than I could give you. Now Richards stretches himself beyond what should be possible to make little Susan Storm happy.

"I want you to be happy, but I deserve to be happy too! I deserve your love more than he does! Does the mean nothing to you? Is it not enough that I tried even after you broke up with me? I'm sorry I'm not Mr. Fantastic Reed Richards with the gray hair patches of wisdom! I hate you, Susan Storm! I hate what you've done to me, and I hate that you don't care!"

"Victor-" Susan starts.

"Wait, Victor," Reed's eyes find Loki, and they widen, "Victor!"

"What?"

Loki clears his throat and steps forward as Victor turns around.

He looks absolutely wrecked, and a few minutes ago Loki would have been happy to rehabilitate him, but no, Loki does not want this Victor. He does not want this obsessive person who is more confused about his feelings-

Something inside Loki clenches when he remembers the jumble of feelings that are inside of him at that moment, and he realizes just how confused he is.

It seems that Victor is just as confused, possibly even more, and he has been for a while. Gods, Loki does not want to end up like that. He does not want to be near that either. Neither of them deserves to be in association with another person with a mess of confusion that rivals their own.

Victor glances around at the people staring and gulps. "Loki…" He gulps again, eyes darting away, and they land on something behind Loki that makes his eyes narrow. "What are they-?"

Loki realizes that the traitors are probably behind him.

Victor turns around and glances at Susan and Reed, looking back at the group of traitors again, and it seems that realization dawns on his face. He's been tricked just as bad as Loki has.

"They set you up," Loki replies. "They set us both up."

He stares back at Loki, a frown overtaking his face. "I should explain what just happened-"

"You owe me an explanation, but I'm finding that I don't want to hear it."

"Oh snap," someone whispers, and Loki thinks that he's going to kill Stark or Barton.

He inhales and looks back up at Victor, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I think it would be best if you resolved your personal issues before we continue any semblance of a relationship," he says. "It's—I-"

He closes his mouth and his eyes, composing himself as best as he can. He can't be in here with all of these people that he thought he knew. He has to be far, far away from anybody that knows him, or the rest of the rage is going to surface in a flurry of misplaced violence.

He brushes past Victor and runs for the stairs, descending them as fast as he can and running through the lobby at the speed of a madman. He pushes open the doors and bursts outside, the chill of the air welcoming him like a familiar friend, and he slows down enough to take a few breaths before he passes out from oxygen deprivation.

The street lights are on, and the streets are clogged with cars and taxis creating a cacophony of sounds with their beeps and revving engines. Even in the noise, the thoughts inside of his head are loud and clear, accusing Loki of things that make him want to crawl into a ball and weep. He will not weep for his so-called friends.

He cannot say that he won't weep for _that_ one.

"Loki!" several voices shout, but he continues on his mission to get as far away as possible from any of them.

It seems that everyone is trying to get involved in his romantic excursions without his permission, and he has no choice but to standby idle and face the aftermath of their decisions and actions. Gods, he thought that Xavier was bad earlier with his talk of Loki following his heart, but this, this is what he was not prepared for. He should never have let his guard down around those people. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be running through the streets of New York while the gang of traitors chase after him with their guilt-laced pleas and shouts for him to stop.

He picks up his speed and begins to run again. His shoes aren't the best for running, but he makes do and turns at the corner.

The footsteps behind him are still going strong, and Loki wants to scream in rage at them for even putting him through this. They could not have simply told him that Victor is in love with Susan Storm. They had to make it some grand affair that made Loki look like a fool. They all know by now that he hates nothing more than being played a fool.

"Loki, stop running!"

He wants to laugh at how they think that he would even listen to them after that escapade. He would do anything if it was the opposite of what they told him to do.

He looks up and sees that he's on 7th Avenue, the left side leading down into the bright lights of Time Square, and it would be perfect for his escape, but he's not in the mood to be surrounded by crowds of people. He heads to the left instead and narrowly avoids bumping into a woman.

It's a first for him, not being able to dance around on his feet as if he weighed a feather, and he blames it on the traitors. Emotional instability goes hand in hand with physical instability.

"Where are you going?" someone shouts, and it sounds like Clint.

"You don't even know New York!"

"Stark, please!"

Stark seems to be the worst person he's ever had the chance to befriend, and he regrets not listening to the warnings he received about him. It would have saved him a lot of unnecessary emotional problems.

He passes an open door with tons of men standing there in front, music in Celtic blaring loudly. He accidentally makes the mistake of making eye contact with one of the men, and he recognizes the glossy confidence in his eyes.

"Hey, pretty, where are you going?" he asks in heavily accented English, and he starts forward toward Loki.

Loki realizes that he's stopped walking and glances backward, seeing that Thor, Clint, Natasha, and Tony are the only ones still following him.

"Loki, wait!" Stark shouts, spurring Loki into motion again. He is not going to let them wax apologetic to him. "Shit!"

He crosses West 54th Street in a run, and thanks the gods when the light turns green before the four of them can cross. He continues forward and tries to walk as fast as he can, his calves burning from the exertion. He doesn't feel the coolness seeping through his clothes even if he can see the puffs of air coming out of his mouth.

The street lamps light the way into Central Park, and Loki slows his pace. He feels at ease here. It's familiar even if he's only been here less than ten times, but he knows it pretty well. He can navigate this side of the park without fear of getting lost.

He finds an empty bench amidst the ones with a person or a couple sat on them and brings his knees up to his chin, staring down at the ground.

He just stares down at the pavement, wishing that it would open, so he could escape this mess that his life has somehow devolved into. He can't bring himself to think about it now that he's stationary and alone, and he really desires to just forget. He wants to forget everything except for those blue eyes, and it's absolutely pathetic that he's still hung up on _him_.

If they'd never met, Loki would be fine with his life, cruising along, but they met, and he doesn't think that his life will ever be the same. He's not sure if he can even wish for that, for being ignorant of Thor's existence. He's dug himself too far into this hole that he cannot even remember seeing the sky.

He doesn't glance up when he hears the sound of fabric meeting the bench beside him, and he doesn't acknowledge why the world has suddenly become blurry.

A hand touches his shoulder, and a firm chest is behind him as he's cradled inside of his body. His heat is radiating through every point where they touch, and it burns so much that Loki cannot even feel the pain.

"Loki," he says, and Loki doesn't answer. "Loki."

He hugs his legs closer and shuts his eyes, biting the inside of his cheek as his body gives a shiver at the feeling of his hand trailing over one of the knobs of his spine. He's hopeless.

"Loki."

"What?" he hisses. The burning in his eyes subsides, and he's relieved when the blurriness dissipates. "What more could you want from me?"

Thor moves from behind him and unwinds his arms from his legs gently, taking Loki's face in his hands and turning it in his direction. "I want you to look at me," he says.

Loki does. He looks at Thor and tries so hard not to just let himself cover those few inches between them. It would be so, so easy, and like that their lips would meet. "Now?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

Thor's hand drops from Loki's face, and he sits back on the bench, pulling look back to rest against his arm.

Loki almost misses those large hands on his face, the feeling of being cared for, and it's stupid that he gets all of that just from his hands.

"We sit and talk."

The sounds of the city bounce off of the treetops, reaching the ground a lot lower in volume than they entered. They all mix together to form white noise around them, and it's surprisingly soothing. Well, that and Thor's presence.

"You flee when you are afraid," Thor says after a few minutes of silence. "You detest confrontation."

He neither affirms nor denies Thor's words.

"The city is still raucous even in this dusk, Loki. Men still commit crimes and attack those who are less-inclined to defend themselves. It's a terrible thing that innocents are harmed in the games of villains."

Loki tilts his head to look at Thor's side profile. "Are you saying that I'm one of those less-inclined?"

"No, I am saying that some will be apt to take advantage of your innocence." Loki would laugh if he were able to. "Yes, Loki, you are innocent whether you believe it or not. You are like a child with your curiosity and stubbornness. You are hard-headed and throw tantrums at the slightest turn of events-"

"I do not throw tantrums," he interrupts.

"You do not take the time to listen," Thor says, giving him a look. "You are rash in your decision making, and you are temperamental. You are childish, and there are those who would love to break that part of you."

"How is this relevant? I'm tired of being insulted for today."

Thor's hand finds his shoulder and squeezes. "If that man had touched you, I would have made him taste death without an ounce of remorse or hesitation," he says, his voice hard, and Loki turns in his arm to stare at him. "No one can hurt you, physically or emotionally. Victor is going to be repaid for his mistake."

He sighs. "Thor, what did you do?"

He looks away from Loki. "Nothing that wasn't necessary. That man who spoke out of turn to you will reawaken in a few hours."

Loki can only stare at Thor in disbelief. There's no other proper response. "Uh… thanks?" he says, turning around to face forward. He snuggles deeper into Thor's side and relaxes. "I hate them, Thor."

Thor doesn't seem to need clarification. "No, you're simply angry at them," he says. "They were acting in your best interests, however convoluted their reasoning and execution was. They are worried about you."

Loki snorts. "They should be worried about themselves because I'm going to kill th-" He's cut off by Thor's arms encircling his body and pulling him tight against his chest.

"No talk of slaying our friends," he says into his ear, and Loki's eyes almost roll back into his head at the feeling of his breath against the skin. "You are but a child."

He lifts his hands up to shove Thor away, but it's as if he's pushing away a mass of warm rock. He only gets out of his arms when Thor loosens up a bit, and he slides down and under his arms. "Stop calling me that! I'm not a-" He catches himself and notices Thor smirking.

"Child?" he finishes.

Loki surges forward, gripping handfuls of the front of Thor's shirt, but he stops when he realizes what he's about to do. Inches away from Thor's face, he tries to compose himself, not thinking about the fact that their sharing air now.

"Loki," Thor says, slowly removing his hands from his shirt, "you're tired. We should begin to head home."

Slowly, Loki nods and allows himself to be pulled upward by Thor. He almost did it. He really almost kissed him. Does Thor know? What does he think if he does? He needs to go to sleep before he does anything worse.

"I-"

Thor rushes forward, and their lips meet for a moment almost too short for Loki to realize that it's happened, and he freezes in place.

He inhales deeply, his mind working at a half of its normal speed as it tries to replay what just happened.

Thor-

Thor-

Thor kiss-

Thor kissed h-

Thor kissed him!

THOR KISSED HIM!

Thor kissed him?

He starts to bring a hand up to his mouth, but his waist is encircled, and he's being slung over Thor's shoulder. His face is feet away from the ground, and he knows that if he falls, his face will be permanently marked.

Wait, Thor is _carrying_ him! "What are you doing?" he shouts, his voice strained from the pressure on his chest.

"Brother, I'm carrying you home." He called him brother, which means that Thor definitely did not mean that in a romantic way. Loki's about 99% sure that Thor is not into that kind of thing, so he probably just meant it in a platonic way.

His mind doesn't register that fact with the rest of his body because his heart is still racing. He still got kissed by Thor.

Now, he definitely knows what he's dreaming about for the next few years of his life.

"I am afraid that I do not trust you not to run," Thor says, and the ground below them turns into a yellow crosswalk. "Also, I do not trust these people to not hurt you."

Loki crosses his arms and lets Thor carry him, knowing that the people around them are probably staring on in confusion. He almost feels proud to be carried by someone who is obviously one of the most attractive people they have probably ever laid eyes upon. Of course there's the part where they're probably salivating over him, and Loki already has Jane to worry about. He takes care of that by sending sharp looks in all of those who dare to look's direction, their eyes immediately averting in response.

"Wait, Thor, can we get a drink?" he asks, sliding down from his shoulder enough to crane his neck and stare at his profile. It's slightly uncomfortable, but Loki finds that his muscles provide good cushion. "I mean… I could use one a lot right now."

Thor's pace slows down slightly before he comes to a complete stop, and he slowly takes Loki by the waist and sets him on the ground, butterflies swirling around in Loki's stomach. The kiss flashes through his mind briefly, and he somehow retains eye contact. "A drink?" he replies. "Loki…you're sixteen."

"It's New York. They have those 'if you're attractive, you get in free' places everywhere," he replies. "I have you with me, so I think we'll be able to get in."

"And I have you with me," Thor replies, and there's a look in his eye that makes Loki's lips tingle in remembrance. "We only stay for a moment, and you are only allowed non-alcoholic drinks. Are we in accordance?"

He looks away from Thor and nods. "Let's go then," he says, pulling Thor along into the open door of a pub, and they don't get a second look from the man standing at the door. He drops his hand from Thor's arm instantly and heads for the bar alongside the back wall, cutting through the men interspersed on the outside of the room.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asks, and Loki glances around to make sure that Thor isn't anywhere near.

"The strongest thing you have." He pauses. "Wait, do you have absinthe?"

The bartender looks amused, but he nods anyway. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, young man."

He thanks the gods that it is one of those bars for "manly men" that seem to not care much about rules so they can prove their masculinity. Loki is not a fan, having been on the other side of men trying to prove their masculinity by pointing out his lack of it, but he appreciates the lack of logic that goes hand in hand with it. It lets him do this.

"Here are five tequila shots. You get through them all, I'll give you the absinthe, but, Slim, I have a feeling that you'll be out after the second."

Loki takes one of the glasses, and he knows he has that challenging glint in his eye. "Deal," he says before he downs the entire glass. It burns the whole way down, but the chill of the drink makes it tolerable. He picks up the second and downs it, the third and does the same, and when he gets to the fourth, he smiles at the shocked look on his face before he downs it.

"Who's the guy broke your heart?" he asks.

Before he brings up the fifth glass, but before he drinks it, he laughs. "Ha because I'm so obviously gay, right?" He downs it.

"I don't have anything against your type, Slim, but I mean… it's pretty obvious. You have a date or something 'cause that's a pretty fancy tuxedo."

He sets the glass down, dragging the cuff of his tuxedo across his mouth. When he sets his hand down, he feels the gears in his brain start to slow down. "Actually, yes, I did, but not with the guy who broke my heart or anything. He hasn't even broken my heart all the way yet."

The bartender ducks down and brings up a bottle which looks like it's labeled absinthe, but it's getting hard to read words already. "Since you're obviously wrecked, I'm giving you one glass, but that's it. You do not need anything else because you're pretty messed up already. Here, drink it slowly."

Loki accepts the glass but doesn't bring it up to his lips immediately. "I'm in love with my step brother," he says. Loki turns around, bracing himself on the bar, and points out Thor's blond head sitting at a table with some loud men. "See, that's him right there."

"Is he, uh…?"

"No, he's got a girlfriend," Loki replies, taking a sip of the absinthe. His tongue is lit on fire and frozen at the same time by the absinthe, and the strange feeling continues as it goes down. "He kissed me a few minutes ago actually." Loki laughs. "Called me brother after."

"Doesn't sound like any boyfriend you'd want."

Loki takes another sip. "I don't even know if they're really together or what. I just… guess they are."

The bartender hands a guy next to him a drink. "If you never ask, you're never going to know. All that guessing business doesn't do anyone good."

He isn't capable of actually processing the guys words, so he just stores them for a later date to access and mull over. He just wants to get drunk enough to forget this entire fiasco. "I hate all my friends because they were right the entire time but didn't try to tell me." He takes a drink from his glass.

"Slim, it sounds like all of these people in your life aren't doing you any good. I'm not a therapist, but those kinds of people are bad news."

"I know," he replies. "I know, but I love him… and I think I'm going insane."

The bartender comes back from wherever he went—Loki's not sure at this point—and takes his glass from him. "You definitely don't need any more of this, kid. You're just a kid, aren't you? Don't need to be in a place like this." He disappears again, coming back an unspecified amount of minutes later. "I've always kept clear of girls who messed with my head. It's best to just steer clear of all that love business. It fucks up your emotions and lands in you in bars getting drunk off your mind."

"You know what?" Loki pushes himself to stand. "You're right. I don't need love or him or-"

"You taking Slim home?"

Loki realizes that Thor is behind him, and he puts to hands on his temples to try and clear his mind enough to talk to him.

"Brother, what is—oh gods, Loki, what have you done?"

"You shouldn't call him that," the bartender says. "It's tearing Slim up, you know that? He's a confused mess."

"So you gave him the advice to discard love?" Thor sounds angry, but Loki has no idea why. He knows that Thor's body heat is coming to him in droves, and it's weirdly comfortable, but not much else. "He's completely inebriated. You allowed him to-"

"Blondie, see you're the reason why he even wanted to. Playing with his emotions, you know that?"

"What are you-?"

"Thor, hold me, I feel dizzy," he says, his hands coming up to grasp Thor's arm before he can fall. He lays his head on Thor's chest.

"Kissing someone when you got a girlfriend of your own ain't cool either."

Thor's other arm encircles around his shoulders, holding him to his chest, and wow is it comfortable. "What are you rambling about? I have no girlfriend!"

"Well, Slim's under the impression you do. Better fix that before he ends up here again."

Without any warning, Loki is hefted off the ground and put over Thor's shoulder. "I can assure you that he will never return here again."

The shock of the night air is enough to give Loki some of his awareness back, and he realizes that being upside down is much, much less enjoyable than it previously was.

"Loki, why do you get yourself in these situations?"

"Because it's all a game, Thor," he says, punctuating his name with a slap on the ass. He feels the rage toward Thor returning. "You like games, don't you?"

"No, Loki, I do not like the kinds of games you like to play."

He stares blankly at Thor's ass, wishing that he could appreciate it, but he's too angry to. "I hate you so much," he replies, slipping into Swedish.

"I love you as well."

They're going up the steps of their house some time after, Loki having not paid attention to anything but the view of Thor's ass the duration of the walk. He figures that he will be able to appreciate it at a later date, using the images for some of his stupid fantasies which are sure to be especially strong after tonight.

"You can put me down now," he growls as Thor shuts the front door. "I don't need your assistance anymore."

When Thor still keeps him slung over his shoulder, he wraps his arms around his waist and flips over onto his feet, somehow landing even though his vision is slightly swimming. He takes off for the stairs, and he tries to move faster than Thor, but he's still fast even with all of that muscle on him. It's so unfair, he absently thinks as he goes to slam his door, but Thor catches it before it closes.

"Quiet, Loki, before your mother wakes up!" Thor hisses in the dark, and Loki turns to face him.

He shrugs off his jacket, throwing it into his desk chair, and undoes the buttons of his shirt, waiting for Thor to take that as a cue to leave. "If you don't plan on seeing me naked again, you should probably leave."

"So you can asphyxiate on your own vomit?" Thor replies, and that's a far shot, Loki thinks. He's not that drunk. "No, I think I'll stay." He closes the door behind him.

"Suit yourself," he says, kicking off his shoes. He keeps eye contact with Thor as he unbuttons his pants and pulls them down. He pulls down his boxers in one smooth movement, sneering at Thor as he does. Games. He's going to play one with Thor, and there's no doubt that he'll win this one.

He stands there completely naked, the moonlight from the window shining around him and onto Thor. It… incenses him at how beautiful Thor's eyes look, and he feels like he doesn't have the upper hand in this situation as Thor stubbornly stands with his back to the door. Gods, Loki thinks that he would just give himself up to Thor right now if he'd had a few more drinks.

"You should go to slee-"

"I will," Loki interrupts. He shoots a glance back at Thor before he goes to his bed, peeling back the covers and climbing underneath. He scoots to the farthest edge of the bed and turns his back on him, hoping that he's conveying his annoyance.

Loki waits and waits to hear the door open and close, but he only hears the sound of a buckle being undone, and he turns and sees that Thor's shirtless and pulling his jeans down. This would be something out of both one of his dreams or one of his nightmares if he had them. He turns back to his side and barely contains his gasp when the side of the bed dips under Thor's weight.

He listens to Thor settle in inches behind him, trying to calm the thrum of his pulse and beating of his heart down to a normal rate. "Your bedspread is soft," he hears himself say, and a sober Loki cringes deep inside his mind.

"Go to sleep, Loki," Thor replies, sounding tired himself. His hand brushes the nape of Loki's neck, and a shiver goes down his spine. "Sweet dreams."

"I don't have them." He hears Thor shift behind him and sees him craning his neck to look at him in his periphery. "I haven't had them in years."

"I'm sorry, Loki," he says, and Loki knows what he's apologizing for, and it's nothing that Thor or anyone else could have prevented. "I know… how you feel. It's just—If it matters, you should know that I went through the same thing when… We have been through the same misfortune, but that is not the only thing that connects us, and I don't know if this is appropriate to say right now but-" He sighs in frustration behind Loki, and a few moments of silence passes between them. "Loki, I'm i-"

"Please, stop talking, Thor," he replies. He doesn't want to hear his pity or whatever he was going to say. "I'm tired."

Loki swears that he almost saw something other than the black expanse of unconsciousness that night, but he blames it on the several glasses of alcohol, not the comfort from warm breath on his neck or skin touching his.


	6. Chapter 6

Natasha Romanoff: Deadly Deathmonger!?

He opens his eyes, and the first thing that gets him is the slight burning sensation in his throat that pangs with each inhale he takes through his nose. It's his throat; it feels raw, and he keeps his eyes shut as he tries to reach deep into his mind to try to remember what could have caused the rawness.

Oh great, he went and got himself inebriated.

He can't forget pouring his soul out into a glass in exchange for absinthe and shots of tequila either. Some random bartender in the city knows how he feels about Thor, and is the first person he's told. There should not be much celebration around the reveal, but he expected it to feel much more liberating. Instead he feels like another drunkard telling a stranger his secrets, and it does not feel great.

_"I'm in love with my step-brother."_

His eyes pop open as the words appear in his mind along with the sound clip of his slightly slurred speech. He was just really, really drunk. He's not in love with Thor. No. No fucking way at all. Nope. He's only infatuated with him, and that's stretching it a lot.

He doesn't think that there's any way he could be in love with him after yesterday. The way he just discarded Loki's feelings in favor for a quick fix of "justice" makes Loki's heart sink. He doesn't think that Thor… loves him or anything—he's straight, okay?—but he thought that their relationship was close enough to warrant some kind of warning. Thor could have just slipped it into the note between the warning from his mother and the declaration that he knew Loki was going to go exploring into his room. There was more than enough time for that.

Loki realizes that there is a clicking sound coming from beside him, and he also realizes that the weight of Thor is absent in his bed. He finds that he's not alone though. Tony Stark, one of the last people in the Local Group that Loki wants to even be within his vicinity, is sitting there typing away on his laptop.

"Professor Lensherr said you left this," Tony says, gaze briefly flickering up to Loki. "He brought it by this morning. Your mother tried to get him to stay for breakfast, but he said that he had plans with someone else, so that plan was scrapped. Also, your wallpaper?" Tony twirls around the laptop. "What was with the picture of the gigantic wolf? That was your mythological son, right, Fenrir or something?"

He stares at Tony for a moment, waiting for him and futilely hoping that he will come to his senses and realize that he is not welcome in his bed. "Get out of my house," he says, and he starts to get out of bed when he realizes that there's a lack of covering on his body.

"I hope you like hot male models because that's who I'm putting on here. Look, his name is Jon Kortajarena, and he's a professional sexy man."

"Go away, Stark," he replies, lying down and turning his back on Tony.

"I really can't believe you still have the original Pokémon Red and Blue for Gameboy," another familiar voice says.

"Oh yeah, that's Bruce just in case you don't know since he's on the ground," Tony says. "Your mother might have happened to let out that you owned it, and we kind of went snooping and found it. I really hope you don't mind because there's a chance that you're never getting that back."

"Are you suddenly deaf? Leave me be!" he shouts, tugging the blanket over his head. He doesn't have time for Tony's strange ramblings this early in the morning or at any other time in his life. He does not want to be around Tony Stark or any of these other traitors. "We are no longer friends, if you're not aware."

His laptop is shut with a click and he hears and feels Tony moving around on the other side of the bed. Suddenly he's lifting up the covers and slipping under before Loki can protest, and he doesn't comment, instead remaining silent, which lets Loki know that he well aware of his state of undress.

"You're naked under here," Stark finally says. "If I were to sexually proposition you, would you say yes or would I be viciously kicked out of your bed because I think I want to weigh my options in this situation. I mean, it's not every day that you're sharing a bed with the Norse god of mischief, you know?"

Loki turns his head, careful to keep his front pressed to the mattress and makes out Stark's face slightly farther down the mattress beside him. "If I said yes, what are you offering?"

Tony starts to beam, and wriggles closer to Loki, Loki barely remembering not to back up and fall off onto the ground. "Can I get a peek at the produce?"

"Loki, Tony."

Stark pulls the blanket down off of their heads. "Hey, Thor, I was just… you know, planning on having sex with your brother, but you know, I can wait."

Thor does not look amused at all, and Loki notes that he's wearing a shirt now. "Breakfast is being served soon, so I suggest that you three come downstairs."

"I can't," Loki replies with a sigh. "I am naked if you remember last night."

"Whoa, what happened last night-?"

Thor begins to drag Tony out of his bed, careful not to pull the blanket off of Loki, and hauls Bruce up with his other free arm. Loki's thankful that he cares to preserve Loki's modesty, but that's all he's thankful for. He takes them both to the door before shoving them out rough enough to make Loki smirk in satisfaction and closing the door behind them.

Loki stands up from his bed, clutching the blanket to his lower half. "Are you planning on watching again?"

Thor doesn't react to his goad, only turning to face him. "You've forgiven, Stark?" he asks.

"Actually, no, but he was offering me sex, and I could not pass up that opportunity," he replies sarcastically, "since I am not getting it anywhere else. I mean, Stark is handsome enough-"

"Here," Thor interrupts, going into one of his drawers and pulls out a t-shirt and pajama bottom, "put these on," he says, tossing them onto the bed.

Loki stares back at him, waiting for him to leave. "I'm going to get dressed, Thor."

Thor rolls his eyes. "Loki, it's not like I haven't seen you… in the nude before."

He sends a strange look Thor's direction but shrugs and grabs the t-shirt, pulling it on all the way down to his hips before letting the blanket fall back onto the bed. If Thor looks, he'll definitely be able to see what Loki's got, but Loki realizes that Thor isn't even watching him anymore but looking out of the window.

He remembers the way Thor's eyes looked in the moonlight yesterday, and it doesn't leave the frustrating feeling as it did before. Loki figures it must have been the alcohol messing with his emotions.

Thor knows the exact moment Loki is decent—which Loki isn't sure how since he was looking out the window—and opens the door, leading the way downstairs. He seems different from yesterday somehow, and Loki cannot quite put his finger on what's different. During breakfast he will figure it out.

"Loki, you're awake," his mother says from her post at the stove. It appears that she's turning over a few crepes on the on griddle. "Did you sleep well?"

Loki stares at the back of her head, and he immediately notices the slightly stiffness in her movements. She knows. He does not know if one of them told her or what, but his mother knows, and this means many things for the involved parties. He would be happy for the revenge that he knows she plans on exacting, but he would rather think of other things than that fiasco of yesterday.

"Is prins, go take a seat in the dining room," she says, turning to smile at him. Yes, he's absolutely sure she knows. "After I finish these, you can all eat."

He enters the dining room with the expectation of seeing Bruce, Tony, Odin, and Thor sitting there, but Loki's in for his second surprise of the week already, and he's only been up for about twenty minutes. Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Robert, Steve, Tony, Odin, and Thor are all seated around the table. He's always thought that the number of chairs at the dining table was more than a bit extraneous, but it turns out that it's actually come in handy.

"A breakfast of traitors," he mumbles from the archway, and all of their eyes to turn look at him at the same moment. He doesn't quite think he's ever been more emotionally confused than he is right now. He's unsure of whether to be extremely infuriated at their presence or humbled that they find him worthy of their time.

"Laufeyson, sit down so we can eat, gosh," Clint says.

Feeling Odin's eyes burning a scrutinizing hole through his skull, he goes and takes his usual seat next to Thor with Tony on his other side. He narrowly stops himself from demanding that Stark move somewhere else—preferably not in his house—and doesn't because of how Odin will no doubt react. He knows that he would scold Loki for his lack of manners and hospitality, and Loki would end up angrily recounting his date—coming out to him in the process—and how betrayed he feels.

His mother sets the plate topped with crepes down in the center of the table along with a pitcher of orange juice before sitting down next to Odin. "And now you can all eat."

The table devolves into an organized kind of chaos as plates of food are passed around and food is piled in front of them. Loki only sits there, staring down at his plate, and makes no effort to get any food, but somehow his plate ends up filled. He notices Thor and Tony not-so-covertly sneaking food onto his plate as if it's second nature to them, and it enrages Loki that they can just pretend that everything is fine.

"Ms. Laufeyson, please marry me," Clint says around a mouthful of food, and Loki almost expects Odin to glare, but Odin only appears amused. Of course he would.

"I'm afraid that is impossible, Clint, since she is already taken by another man who would have no trouble fighting and winning her honor."

"Eat," either Tony or Thor says, he doesn't notice.

He lifts up his fork to appease them and stabs his ham and nibbles a small piece. He's not hungry, not in the mood to eat anything that reminds him of home and a time of contentment. There's nothing more than solitude that he wants.

"Loki, you never told me how smart Tony was when we talked about him yesterday," his mother says.

He has to resist the urge to roll his eyes, not wanting to get that look of disapproval from all other nine people at the table. One is usually enough. "It wasn't important."

"And Bruce too," she says. "You didn't tell me about any of your other friends. They're all such wonderful people. My son's got excellent taste in friends, which doesn't surprise me, you always have."

He wants to point out the fact that he hasn't had many friends during his life up to this point—he thinks he's back at point a of having zero—but he knows that she's trying to put on a happy face to conceal the same anger that lies beneath her skin. She's so much better at concealing it than he is, but Loki knows better.

Tony lazily points a finger at his mother, and Loki is tempted to break it and tell him to never do that to his mother again, but he knows that their social customs toward parents are much different here. He probably doesn't mean to seem disrespectful, but it still makes Loki angry. That, and Loki still hates him for yesterday. "Ms. Laufeyson, you should consider adopting me."

"Tony…" Steve starts, and this is exactly like lunchtime, Tony saying stupid things and Steve trying to correct him and failing most of the time. "Don't start."

"No, Steve. Listen to me, Ms. Laufeyson. I'm a very smart student as displayed earlier, and I have good potential value to your family. I provide comic relief."

"I wouldn't call whatever you do comedy let alone relief," Loki says, dropping his fork with a clatter.

"Tough crowd then, hey?" Something that resembles guilt flashes across Tony's features, and Loki wants to cry in victory at breaking the Stark façade if only for a second. "I'm just saying you should consider."

Odin and Loki's eyes meet, and Loki knows that there is a silent warning there that he wants to laugh at and totally ignore, but he simply stares back with defiance. He listens to no man, especially this man. "Farbauti, these crepes are excellent," he says. "One thing I can say about the French is their love for food. I quite love French cuisine myself. What about you all?"

Silence falls across the table, and Loki clenches his fists and holds on to the bottom of his chair to stop from leaping up and ripping them all a new one for their part in last night.

"Uh, I guess it's okay," Steve says, the only one brave enough. Loki has always admired his valiant heart except for in situations where Tony Stark is the one he's going against.

His mother and he make eye contact, and he sees the anger just boiling above the surface. He glances away before anyone notices.

"I'm afraid I must depart for work," he says, standing up from the table. "Farbauti, wonderful breakfast as usual, and it was nice meeting you all. I shall see you at another time."

"Bye," they all say, but Loki. He only watches his back recede.

When he hears the front door close, he tries to stand up from the table and leave, but he's seized by hands on both sides, Robert somehow reaching around Thor's chair and gripping on the bottom of his t-shirt, Thor holding his arm, and Tony holding his other arm.

"Nope, no, you don't," Tony says, and they all push him back into his seat.

"We're talking?" Tony asks, and Loki sees the rage finally pour over onto his mother's face, her eyes taking a predatory look to them. "Yup, we're talking."

"Loki, do you want to join me in the kitchen so we can get more orange juice?" his mother asks, smiling, but he sees the anger clear as day. "Yes, come on."

"Wait, Ms. Laufeyson, I think we should all talk as a group-"

"Yes, Farbauti, this is an issue that affects us all-"

"How about we not talk at all?" Loki shouts above the rest of them. "I'm fine. Emotionally unmarred by your attempts to make a fool of me in front of multiple other people instead of coming to confront me in private. I am a resilient person if you happen to notice the lack of hang—headache on my part, and I do not need emotional council from any of you traitorous 'friends'. I would rather we simply agree to cease all contact and go about our lives as if none of these past month happened. You treat me like a stranger because I plan on treating you like one. I need none of you!"

They all stare at him with wide eyes.

"Loki, come. Now."

He follows his mother into the kitchen wordlessly, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter as he waits for her to speak. If he had laser vision, there would be a gigantic hole in the ground by the point she comes over the stands opposite him against the refrigerator.

She takes his head and tilts it up until they are staring into each other's eyes. If Loki could be afraid of something to the point of tears, he thinks it would be now and his mother would be the thing. There's a bright red anger in her eyes clear in the blue of her irises, and it's frightening. He knows that she probably sees something similar in his eyes, but it is nowhere as angry.

"I told you to be careful," she says, the last half of the sentence in Swedish. Her words are harsh even if they're not meant to be. "I told you not to open your heart to these people, and you did!"

"I did not," he spits back in their native tongue. "I did no such thing, Mother. I was blind-sided by one person that I did trust, and it is the only thing that bothers me."

"You lie."

"I do not, Mother." He yanks his face out of her grip, still keeping eye contact. "These people claim to look out for my best interests, but they do not such thing! They only care to insert themselves into my affairs."

"Victor, what happened with him?" she asks, and Loki doesn't answer, turning to look elsewhere. "Loki, you will answer me."

"Or what?" he shouts, and for a moment he sees the fear in his mother's eyes, and it shames him. "I… apologize," he replies, hoping that he never has to see that look again. He loves her too much to invoke that fear in her, in a woman who is stronger than he will ever be. "I did not mean to… scare you."

"The pieces of him inside you scare me more than anything, my son," she says. "I meant it what I said yesterday. You become more and more like him every day, and…"

"You do not like it," he finishes for her, staring down at the ground again. "You don't know me anymore, Mother. I am nothing like him, and when you say that, it—You're just like them, are you not?" He gestures to the silent dining room. "You claim to want the best for me, yet your actions say otherwise."

"Loki, please."

He turns and sees Natasha standing there, a pitying look on her face. He hates the way it looks on her. It's wrong, so wrong.

"Don't say these things," Natasha says in Swedish, and it does not surprise him that she speaks it so naturally. There's always been more to her than simply red hair and sharp looks that make most people quake in their boots. "You will regret them."

"I regret many things, but this is not one of them," he replies, looking from their faces before turning around and going up the stairs. He doesn't try to lock the door, only climbs underneath the covers to hide away from all of those people. He feels like everyone is under the impression that they're helping when Loki thinks they're doing quite the opposite.

When someone slides in bed next to him without alerting him of them even entering his bedroom, he knows that it could possibly only be one person.

"Natasha," he says, acknowledging her presence. The rage that he feels for them as a collective is only somewhat directed at her. Her portion is so small that he's not even angry with Natasha. He doesn't think that he can even partially blame her for this entire fiasco.

She begins to card through his hair, and it's not arousing in the least but still calmly as Thor's hands. "You should not have said those things to your mother," she says. "If you are to lose her, you will regret them until the day you die."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon," he replies. "I'm not even worried about Victor."

"I know, I know," she says, smoothing his hair down. "I know about your love, Loki, and I know that it hurts too, but you can't let it get to you like this. You've got to learn to not take our your anger on your mother. She's only trying"

"I know that, Natasha," he replies, "but it doesn't make her attempts any more successful. She's failing."

"And so are you." She strokes his hair in silence. "Are you ever going to tell him?"

"No."

"Then it is time to forgive your friends, Loki. We were trying to let you figure it out on your own. You weren't supposed to end up going out on a date with him so soon, and-"

He turns to face her. "Can we not talk about this, Natasha? It's the last thing I want to talk about unless I'm screaming."

She looks amused but listens, nodding her head. "Then we're not going to lie around moping." She gets off of the bed, pulling the blanket from Loki's body. "We're going to finish eating breakfast with the rest of us, okay?"

With a curt nod and an eye roll, he follows Natasha back downstairs, taking his sweet, sweet time to descend the stairs, Natasha looking back at him every few steps to send him a reassuring look. The steps into the kitchen are when Loki begins to realize what he said to his mother, and his conscious tries extremely hard to make him feel remorseful about it, and it's nearly successful when he enters the dining room and they're the first to make eye contact.

The fury in her eyes is absent but replaced by the all-too-familiar look of worry.

Natasha comfortingly smiles at him as they sit down in their previous seats.

"Yay, you're back," Tony says, holding up his glass of orange juice. "How about a cheers for our friend-?"

"Please, don't," Loki says, grabbing his fork and finishing the nibbled piece of ham. He rolls his eyes at Tony, and a relieved smile spreads across his mouth. He's giving him a small mercy, okay? "I think my mother will not appreciate splatters of orange juice all over the table."

"I will not," she says, smiling at him, and the worry is still in her eyes but smaller. "Loki, I think we need to talk about last night as a group."

He shuts his eyes and sets his jaw, setting his fork back down on the table. It seems that no one can just let Loki get through this entire ordeal on his own. It just has to be discussed at length.

"I see that you're not hurt about him, but your friends… you're still angry at them."

"I'm not," he replies. "Anger is overrated."

She frowns. "Loki…"

"I do not care," he says, taking a bite of potato. "I'm moving on. Dwelling on it will not do anyone any good. You know this."

"Ignoring it won't either," Steve says. "If we talk about it-"

"We are not going to."

"Hey, why don't we all just kiss and makeup and try to forget about that disaster?" Tony says.

Loki turns to look at him. "What did you say?"

"Kiss and…"

Kiss.

He and Thor-

They kissed.

His eyes widen, and the piece of potato he swallowed is suddenly obstructing his airflow, so he coughs and wraps a hand around his neck to try to get it out. He does not want to die choking on a piece of potato at the epiphany that he kissed his step-brother. Natasha's right. He will regret saying those things to his mother for the moment before he dies when he realizes that he cannot take them back.

Thor's hand hits his back one time, and the potato is dislodged and safely swallowed. "Loki, are you alright?"

He finds Thor's eyes, and anyone who knows how he feels—which is thankfully only Natasha and questionably Tony—can see it in Loki's eyes. He doesn't even try to conceal it because if Thor feels the same, and he can see it, Loki wants him to.

There's nothing in Thor's eyes besides basic concern, and there's a sensation of disappointment in Loki's stomach. He should be thankful that things can keep going along at the strange pace they are, but he wishes that something would happen, would let him know if he is going insane from his infatuation—not love—with Thor.

"Er, yes, I'm fine," he replies, grabbing and downing his orange juice. He can tell from the looks from a few of them that they know he wishes it were something a little more strong, similar to his last drinks of the night. "You all stayed the night?"

"Yup, it was like a sleepover," Clint says. "Of course you were dr—sleep the entire time, and Thor was sleep until like six, it was pretty fun. Should have another."

"That sounds excellent."

"Nope," Loki says, staring at Thor like he's lost his mind. "That should last us a lifetime, and I was not even conscious. I find myself not feeling as if I missed anything."

"You say that now," Bruce says. "You say that now, but you don't know."

Tony quirks an eyebrow in Bruce's direction. "Uh, well, why don't we just not talk about that-"

"Professor Lensherr," Robert says, leaning forward to point in Loki's direction. "Why did he have your laptop?"

"Reynolds knows to go for the meat of the matter," Tony says. "Asking what we're all thinking."

He remembers Tony talking about Professor Lensherr stopping by to drop off his laptop. Gods, he wishes he were awake to see the interaction between his mother and Professor Lensherr. He's the kind of man he always imagined his mother going after, a man a lot like the ghost of words and traits that Loki remembers from his early childhood, not like Odin at all.

"We spent yesterday together."

Thor turns and stares at him, his eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I happened to meet Charles—Professor Xavier at a coffee shop-"

"That's not surprising," Tony comments.

"-after I left the house. Erik and he already had a meeting set up prior, so I inadvertently crashed their date." That was probably a poor choice of words considering, but Loki does enjoy the way all of his friends turn their heads to look away as they redden. "They play chess in Bryant Park, and somehow they ended up playing for my tuxedo fitting, but Erik won, and we went to Rothman's anyway. Charles insisted that we go to a haberdashery that he loves, so we got my shoes there. Went to lunch together. Charles tried to tell me that I should follow my— I was wrong. I left. Somewhere in there I forgot my laptop."

"Um," Tony scratches the back of his neck, "I don't think anyone actually understood any of that-"

Clint shakes his head. "No, who the hell goes to a haberdashery? What is this, the 1900s?"

"It's Charles Xavier, what do you expect?" Bruce replies. "He wears grandfather sweaters."

"He's only 27 years old," Loki says absently. "I estimate Erik's around the same age, but I'm unsure."

"You're on a first name basis with them both, and you know his age?" Steve says. "Wow, I'm more than a little impressed."

"That Erik Lensherr is a beautiful, beautiful man," his mother says, leaning her chin on her steepled fingers. "One of the most beautiful men I have ever seen."

"That's the only thing you got from him when he came?" Robert says. "Well, I hope I have that effect on women."

"He is… rather attractive."

"Oh, Loki, have a bit of a crush on our sexy Chemistry teacher?" Tony asks, shouldering him. "I do not blame you at all."

"Stark, please, you're being annoying," Natasha says. "And what does it matter if Loki finds him attractive? You're all aware of it and don't have crushes on him."

"But," Tony holds up a finger, "he spent time with him outside of school. What is that? He even knows where you live, so if you want some extracurricular loving, he knows where it's at."

His mother stares at Tony, her eyebrows furrowed. "My son was right about you after all. You're… eccentric."

"Thank you, Ms. L!"

"And extremely wrong. He will not engage in any 'extracurricular loving' with my son." His mother has that expression of hers that she gets when she is so sure of herself. "He does not seem like the type anyway."

"He's cool for the laptop thing," Robert says. "That's what matters."

"Professor Lensherr has the potential to become a marauder," Thor says, and he has that dark look in his eye that makes all of the blood in Loki's body rush south much to his dismay. Loki turns away from him because there is not anything beneath these pajamas to hide his problem, and Thor is not worth going to change into something more masquerading. "I do not like him."

Tony falls out of his chair in laughter, clutching his heart like he's going to die—Loki wouldn't be so adverse to the idea—and his mother stares at Thor is shock.

"Thor, what's prompted this?" she asks. "It's so… unlike you."

"I know, he likes everyone," Bruce says. "That's a pretty surprising thing to hear from you. He's had to have done something pretty serious to get that from you."

Robert puts a hand on Thor's shoulder. "Yes, Thor, what'd he do?"

"He did nothing," Thor replies harshly, shaking his hand off. "I see through his smoke and mirror routine. He's conceited, predatory, and evil."

"Evil?" Tony begins to laugh again. "Oh gosh, I'm going to die." He lets out a high-pitched giggle.

"Tony, you're the only one who finds this funny," Steve remarks as he tries to get him off the ground.

"Yeah, Stark, when benevolent gods declare someone evil, that's not hilarious at all," Clint says. "I mean, Thor, I understand if you hate him, but evil?"

"Loki, you should stay away from him."

"You know, this explains the death glare you sent his way when you opened the door." Tony's finally upright again. "I thought that maybe you weren't a morning person, but hey, this makes a lot more sense, and is a lot funnier, and I mean a lot."

"Um, it's really not," Bruce says.

"I can't believe you're telling me to do that," Loki replies, standing up from the table. "You can't control me!"

"Oh here we go again…"

"I'm not controlling you, Loki. I'm trying to protect you!"

"Loki, Thor, please," his mother says, standing up. "Calmly talk about this."

"He's actually nice to me, you know that? He's a good person unlike you all!"

"I have to go to work, and I do not want to leave you two fighting amongst yourselves!" his mother shouts. "You will solve your differences in a normal conversation, not a shouting match. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Yes, Farbauti."

"Now, I would appreciate it if you would all clean up when you're finished. I will return later today, and I expect everyone to be emotionally and physically at their best. Understood?"

There's a chorus of yeses that reminds Loki of primary school.

"I will see you all Wednesday if you're not here when I come back." She nods a goodbye to them all, but her eyes still remain on Thor and Loki, warning them. When she disappears through the archway, Loki turns and glares hard at Thor. He's definitely not finished talking to him and has zero plans to heed his mother's warning.

The front door shuts, and Loki doesn't hesitate to launch back into his response.

"I do what I want!" he hisses.

"Oh yeah Halloween is Wednesday, yes!"

"Children do not do what they want!" Thor shouts back. "They are children."

"Hey, Reynolds, you coming with us? You could totally pull off a Mr. Marvel."

"I'm 16!" he replies.

"If I say yes, I think I may live to regret it."

"Nah, but even if you do, free candy."

"Going on six years old!" Thor cocks his head to the side, smirking, and Loki wants to jump him and shove him all at once but settles for clenching his fists at his sides.

"Wait, that's a movie, right?"

"Yeah, _13 Going On 30_."

"Bravo, Thor, for being so right," he replies, smiling sardonically. "If I am six, then you are seven. A year does not give you the right to command me around."

"Wanna go watch that? I love that movie."

"Hell, yeah. Let's clean up first. Have a feeling Ms. L was totally serious."

Thor takes a step toward Loki, and Loki takes a step backward, instinctively trying to put as much space between them to prevent his dwindling control from being tempted. His eyes do a once over of Loki's body, and the smirk returns in full-smug-force. "Afraid?"

"No, not of you," he replies quietly. "Of my feelings, yes." Lifting his head, he meets Thor's eyes again, and there's something there that makes Loki's heart do a flip of hope, but it disappears when Robert steps between them, grabbing their plates.

"If you two are done fighting, we're going to go watch a movie, so…" He steps from between them, sending an amused look at them. "I'll take these too."

During the movie, Loki sits between Tony and Natasha, not paying much attention to the plot. His mind is a muddle of feelings of which about 85% are directed at Thor. When the boy took over his every waking thought, he has no clue, but he wishes he could travel back to that moment and stop himself from succumbing to his fate.

He doesn't try to pretend he is sad to see them go, only bothering to feel something akin to sadness when Natasha walks out the door, turning around to nod him a goodbye and give one in beautiful Swedish. He's gotten over any resentment toward Natasha. She's forgiven, but he cannot say the same for the rest of them, and if he lets Bruce take the old Gameboy color, it's because he doesn't care much for it.

There's not sticking around to have Thor try to lecture him either. He escapes to his bedroom, locking the door—as if that would keep him out; he knows it was Thor that set the alarm clock for sure—and retreating to his laptop. The wallpaper of Stark's choice stays because Loki appreciates the way the man looks a lot—which leads him to think that Stark may not be as straight as he lets on—when he switches from window to window.

Odin returns home first, his voice booming from Thor's room in a way that makes the actual words unintelligible, and it's not long before he knocks on Loki's door, firm and with enough force to make Loki dread getting up to open it.

"Odin," he says, shutting his laptop as he sits back down on his bed.

"How did your book date yesterday go?" he asks, skipping the greetings. "I did not get the chance to ask you this morning." Odin's on a roll for being oblivious, and Loki knows where Thor definitely got it from.

"It was… satisfactory," he replies, and it's a lie, a gigantic lie, but Odin probably won't notice.

"Your friends… their presence was awfully shocking."

"I feel the same way. Thor extended an invitation without my knowledge."

"Yes, well, I did not know that the two of you shared so many friends in common. It seems that my advice was not needed after all." Odin glances around Loki's room. "I will see you at dinner."

Of course he does, and Odin doesn't stop glancing at him like he expects him to say something. Loki doesn't give him the satisfaction, eating his dinner in silence, only replying with a nod or a shake of the head. It's not satisfying for Odin if the frown on his face by the end of dinner is any clue, but Loki finds that he does not care.

Before his mother can tell him to stay, Loki's gone from the dinner table, in his room with his laptop back in front of his face. There's no time for him to listen to her lectures, or anyone else's for that matter. Listening to others' opinions has not proven to be helpful to him, so why waste his time? Their criticism of him isn't even remotely constructive except for Natasha. Her opinion is worthy of listening to, one in a sea of pointless prattle.

"Loki, wake up." Loki's eyes open, and he inhales in shock at being abruptly awakened. Thor's hair is hanging loosely around his face, inches above his own, and in the blue light of the clock, he's gorgeous, frustratingly so. "Are you going to get up?"

His hands find Thor's on either side of his head, and they slowly trace upward until they land on his bare shoulders. He uses the leverage to pull himself up, and it's only inches away from Thor's lips does he realize what he's about to do. Trying not to let his shock show on his face, he drops his hands from his shoulders and onto the bed. "Uh, yes."

Loki feels out of place at school, pulling the sleeves of his shirt over his hands as some kind of protective barrier to the world. The fact that Thor seems to linger at his side anytime he gets the chance doesn't make his anxiety about the entire situation any better. Jane's absent for the most part—Loki remembers Thor's insistence of not having a girlfriend when he sees them interact in the morning, and it's satisfying knowledge that each touch supposedly means nothing—and she does not acknowledge Loki other than one first greeting.

Now, Victor, on the other hand, Loki's apprehensive when he doesn't see him the first half of the school day. He would rather get their awkward meeting over with and done, but it appears that Victor does not feel the same. Reed's silent during Chemistry, startlingly so, and Professor Lensherr is in a fairly cheerful mood.

He's the only other person besides Natasha that brightens Loki's day even by a meager amount, nodding him a greeting and flashing a smile. Loki thanks him for returning his laptop, and he is gracious as he replies with, "no problem," and apologizes on Professor Xavier's behalf for lunch. Tony's proclamation that Loki has a crush on him sits weird in Loki's mind. There's just something wrong with the words, but he tries to not let it distract him during class.

It's lunch when Loki's apprehension starts to get a stronger hold on him. He can't bring himself to eat even when Thor stares at him disappointedly, and that makes Loki's emotions more of a jumble than they already are. Since when does Thor make him feel guilty?

"You know Victor is like depressed," Tony says as he sits down. "This morning, he just slinked around NYU, and people thought he was like one of those freshman who realize they're failing everything and have to go home for thanksgiving and tell their parents they're dropping out. Totally deserves it."

Loki glares at Tony, shaking his head in disbelief. "He doesn't deserve anything, Stark. He did nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong? Do you not remember him freaking going ape shit on—oh. Look, Loki, I… I'm sorry that we kind of went behind your back about this, but you were already going on a date and would just think that we were being assholes if we told you before, so-"

"I've already heard this, Stark," he replies, and Tony gives him a confused look. "Natasha."

"Gee, Romanoff, thanks for not leaving enough for the rest of us to use to try to look good. Loki, you're pissed and have every right to be, but if you'd just listened-"

"Shut your mouth, Stark, before you say something else stupid." He cannot believe Tony has the gall to act like this is his fault. "You should be thankful I'm even talking to you right now. There are better things to do than listen to your semi-apologetic drabble."

"You're being such an… ass right now, you know that?" Tony stands up. "I can't sit here and let you talk to me like this is my fault."

"It is, Tony!" he shouts. "If you would have just minded your business, none of this would have happened. Why didn't you just tell me after the date, huh? There was no point in setting up that entire charade unless you were trying to play me for a fool. That's what you were doing, Stark. You were trying to play me for a fool!"

"I was attempting to be a good friend, which it seems like I'm the only one doing right now."

Loki shakes his head. Where does Stark get off thinking that he's some kind of good citizen? "Yes, you are correct, Stark."

Tony opens his mouth.

"Because we are not friends."

He closes it, and finally Loki has peeled back and revealed what's behind the mask of aloofness that Tony wears. He stands there bare, his emotions clear on his face. "You… you don't mean that, Loki. You don't mean that, so don't say things you don't mean!"

Glancing at Natasha briefly before he looks back at Tony, he replies, "I do not say things that I do not mean, Tony Stark." He's lying. Natasha knows too.

At this point, he expects the tears in Tony's eyes to begin falling and for Tony to turn and run out of the cafeteria, Steve standing up to chase after him like the devoted friend he is. Things don't happen like that at all though.

He's shocked when Tony grabs him by the shoulders and pulls them chest to chest, and there's a brief moment where he's fearful of Tony trying to do something unexpected like kiss him, but Tony only hugs him, burying his face in his chest. Tony's head barely clears his shoulder, so it's as if he's being hugged by someone much, much younger.

He stares down at Tony's hair. There are not many people that he's ever hugged like this, and Loki does not know what to make of it.

"Tony Stark does not admit he's wrong to any human, only Steve and occasionally Jarvis," he mumbles, "and you're a Norse god, so I guess you don't fit into that category anyway, and my record remains the same. I… I know that I went about it in a kind of stupid, non-Tony Stark-like way, but I did it because I was afraid of seeing you hurt. Looks like I fucked that up, doesn't it?

"I hate what you said, Loki. It… you can't just break up with me like that, okay? I… there are two of us in this relationship-"

"Stark," he says, rolling his eyes. Can he not keep his mind on the subject at hand?

"Okay, okay, I'll get back to my main point. We're still friends whether you like it or not. Once you're my best friend, you're it for life; just ask Steve. He's tried leaving me a few times, and I always get him back because I… care about someone forever." He pulls away enough to look up at Loki. "You say something like that again, and I can't guarantee that you will not end up in a dungeon downstairs."

"If I ask you to hug me for the rest of my life because this is comfortable, will you possibly say yes?"

"No, there's absolutely no chance whatsoever." He pushes Stark away and takes a step backward, the mood ruined. "I half-accept your apology though you are on a strict probation of sorts. We are not friends, per se, but acquaintances. Those are the terms."

"Alright, that's pretty overboard, but it's better than nothing." He tries to smile. "So one wrong move and," Tony makes a slashing move across his neck. "I agree to that, but no promises."

"I don't expect them."

Psychology is when he sees him for the first time since Saturday, and it's only the back of his head. He's sitting across from Reed, and they're talking in a manner a lot quieter than last time. He begins to wonder what went on between them, but he remembers that it doesn't concern him anymore.

There's a hand on his shoulder, and it turns out to be Thor offering him a smile of reassurance. He nods at him that he's alright and turns to face Natasha, noting the empty seat at their table now.

"That wasn't as bad as it could have been," Natasha says as they walk to English sans Victor. "I can't say I'm slightly disappointed though."

"You dislike calm resolution?" The look on her face says yes, and Loki purses his lips. "Not all that surprising."

"Loki," Charles says when they happen to see him as they enter the observatory. "I hope Professor Lensherr relayed my message, right?"

He nods. "Yes, he did."

Charles puts a hand on his shoulder, taking a sip from his mug. "My apologies for Saturday," he says, and Loki can only stare at him in shock that he somehow knows. He doesn't even need to explicitly say it for Loki to know he is not talking about the morning. "That is… most unfortunate."

"You told him?" Natasha asks when he walks away.

Loki takes his old seat next to her. "No, I did not," he replies. "There was no reason to."

His friends make an effort to completely separate Loki and Victor's tasks on the screenplay. He never has to talk to him directly because one of them is already on it before he can get the chance, and he kind of resents it. If he talks to Victor now, all of the future awkwardness can be avoided while it's still minimal.

"I'm walking you to Earth Science," Natasha says, and there's no argument put up.

He nods a goodbye, walking straight into the classroom. The absence of Victor has less of an effect on him than it should, and he blames the thoughts of the one he sits next to in this class. He somehow ruins any attempt Loki gives to let his mind make sense of how he feels toward the situation.

"Your projects are due next Friday," Mrs. Munroe says. "You will all present in front of the class with your partner, and will be graded on both the project itself, presentation quality judged by your classmates, and overall creativity."

"This project will be extremely successful," Thor says, leaning on his arm as he does his warm-up. He looks so uncaring as if there is nothing in the world that worries him, and Loki envies that. "I expect the two of us to get the highest mark possible."

"Feeling cocky?" Loki asks.

"No," Thor replies, "I am merely stating a fact, brother." There's _that_ word again. "You know that as well."

"You're arrogant," Loki says in realization. How could he not see this before? He's intrinsically arrogant with everything he does. It's why he's so blasé toward everything because he thinks that he will always succeed. "You call me arrogant, but you are much more arrogant than I am."

Then he has the nerve to shrug as if Loki's words mean nothing. "My confidence is easily mistaken for arrogance, Loki. I am not arrogant."

"Semantics," he replies, rolling his eyes. "You're not so benevolent now."

"I never have been. Loki, you assume too many things about me."

He can only scoff at him. "Since when? Why do I even bother talking to you? You just sit here and tell me I'm wrong."

Thor sighs, giving him an incredulous look that is going to drive Loki insane from either sexual frustration or irritation. "Because you often are."

He opens his mouth to reply, narrowing his eyes at Thor.

"Loki, Thor, please stop talking." Mrs. Munroe is smiling, but he knows that she doesn't mean it and is seconds away from becoming angry. "Thank you."

When the bell rings at the end of the class, Thor leaves before Loki does, strutting out of the door, his "confidence" as plain as day now.

He goes into the hallway, shaking his head in frustration. Why is he always attracted to the pompous assholes? Is it too much for him to fall in love with a nice boy who doesn't worship the own ground he walks on? Steve, Loki should have fallen in love with Steve, not Thor—he's not in love with Thor; he's just saying it theoretically—and all of his emotional problems would be nonexistent.

Natasha appears out of nowhere and seizes his arm. "You're going to the gym with us."

"Why-?"

She doesn't give him chance to ask, pulling him along with an incredible amount of force for a person of her size. It doesn't help that Clint is behind him, pushing him with a small amount of effort, but enough to make any chance Loki has to trying to run away extremely difficult.

"I don't see why-"He stops talking when he sees that in the center of the gym is a blue mat, one lone light in the gym shining down on it like a spotlight, and Coach Logan is sitting on a foldout chair slightly off to the side. This isn't dodge ball.

Natasha pushes him the rest of the way until he's only a few steps away from the mat before letting his arm drop. "Logan, we're here. Where are the other chumps-?"

"Here they come," he replies, standing up from his chair.

"I don't understand the logic in this-"

Loki turns around and sees that Tony, Hank, Bruce, and Victor have entered the gym. His heart slightly drops at the sight of Victor, and it seems that Victor is shocked by his presence as well if his jaw drop is any clue.

"Keep moving, Doomy, we're not there yet." Tony, Bruce, and Hank haul Victor to the mat so he's standing closer to Loki than he has since that night. Loki feels nothing but a slight curiosity at whatever they're here for. "And now we're here, and don't you dare try to run. We're trying to not let you get hurt more than is necessary."

"Stark, what do you mean h-?"

"Shut your mouths, you fairies," Coach Logan says before he grabs Victor by the arm and pulls him onto the mat. "I'm guessing that Stark did not take the liberty to explain to you why you're here, so it falls to me. You've been summoned here to answer for your crimes again Chef over here and for your overall existence for Mr. Stark."

Tony holds up two thumbs to Loki, but Loki just stares at him neutrally. He seems disappointed when he turns back around, and Loki has to stop from smirking. Seems that the mask is not fully back in place.

"Miss Romanoff has stepped in as your challenger, and you two are going to fight until one of these two says otherwise."

Victor snorts. "I didn't agree to this. You can't just force me-"

Natasha interrupts him with a kick to the shin. "We're ready, Coach."

Coach Logan grabs their arms and holds them up, and Loki notices how big the height and size difference is between the two of him. A few months ago, Loki would have put all of his money on Victor if he didn't know Natasha. "And go!" He blows his whistle and jumps off the mat, narrowly avoiding a punch from Natasha.

Victor dodges the punch, his eyes wild and surprised, and he's still unprepared for the fight. It takes him another kick on the side of the leg to realize that this an actual fight, and he responds with defensive moves instead of hits.

Natasha doesn't relent at all, not stopping to her catch breath or relax, and assaults him with a variety of kicks and punches, which of about half are either dodged or reflected with an arm. A normal person's bones would be broken after the first few hits, but it appears that Victor's bones are made of some kind of steel. It turns out that everything about him is abnormal.

One of Natasha's hits lands on his sternum, and Victor narrowly catches himself from falling off of the mat, arms flailing as he catches his balance. He regains his balance fully and goes for Natasha, finally dropping the defensive tactic. He lunges for Natasha, and she flips over his back, turning around and punching him head in the spine.

"Ow, that's gotta hurt," Tony says, and Loki makes eye contact with him, making an audible humph noise in agreement.

Victor recovers quickly, rolling into a somersault and back onto his two feet. As Natasha aims a punch toward his throat, he bends down and lands a punch in her rib.

A shot of shock and rage runs through Loki, and he almost jumps onto the mat to beat Victor to within an inch of his life. He doesn't want any of his… friends harmed by the hands of anyone, especially a person like him.

Natasha steps back, laughing. " EȘti complicat," she says in what Loki guesses in Romanian.

Victor begins to laugh too. " Și tu eȘti iute," he replies.

Natasha runs and slides down on her knees, going between Victor's legs, and as she does, she lands twin punches on each knee. She grabs ahold of the back of his legs and uses her momentum to flip over to the front of him, corkscrewing in the air, and she punches him in the chest, flinging him backward onto his back.

"Wimp!" Tony shouts.

She kicks him in the side until he turns over before she steps over his back and pulls him to his feet.

Victor lets out a high-pitched scream as Natasha knees him in the lower back and twists his arm in the socket, and Loki feels that he's been mortified enough to satisfy him.

"Stop," he says because Tony looks too entertained to even think to do so. "Logan, tell them to stop."

Coach Logan stands up and blows his whistle after he gives an audible sigh. "Relent, Romanoff. I think Chef feels his honor has been restored or whatever the fuck you teenagers call this shit today. We called it a smack down in my day, but I know times have changed."

"Nope, Logan, come of us more inclined individuals still call it a good old smack down," Clint says. "Good old-"

"Shut the fuck up, Barton, dammit," he says. He crosses his arms. "Von Doom, you living?"

"I think I'm just going to lie here for a few moments if you don't mind."

Natasha steps off of the mat, grabbing Loki's forearm, and pulls him along with her. "Convinced I care?"

"I only doubted you for a few hours," he replies. "That display did nothing but make me feel embarrassed for him."

She grins. "Then I succeeded at something."

"Whoa, that was just—that was fucking awesome!" Tony shouts, running to catch up with them. "That bitch got what he deserved! Messin' with my bro like that? What did he think was doing?"

"I regret that it wasn't Stark," Loki says.

She quirks an eyebrow and smiles. "If that is what you want, we can go back…"

"I don't think any amount of physical pain will make Stark realize that he was more wrong than he admits." He smiles at Natasha and sees the relieved look on Tony's face. "Worried, Stark?"

"For a moment, hell yeah," he says. "If you would've said "yes", I would be total dead meat. Romanoff is one of the scariest people I have ever met. Notice I said people, not women or men. She's scary compared to both genders. Wait, where's Clint Barton to agree with me?"

Natasha stops and her entire complexion goes pale. "Oh dear god, he's going it again." She sighs. "He's going to try to goad Logan into a fight, I know it. He always does this." Then she goes back to normal, shrugging. "He'll be fine."

"I'll see you later. Steve's probably missing me in band."

Loki nods him a goodbye, feeling slightly relieved with his absence. "That was extremely unnecessary."

Natasha stares at him hard, her eyes not showing how she's feeling at all, and Loki can only stare back as he waits for a response. "It wasn't just for you," she replies, tucking a curl behind her ear. "You're not the only one that he's wronged. I don't despise people for things like that."

His curiosity spikes, and he decides that he's going to get to the bottom of this deepening sinkhole. Natasha despises Victor and not for the reasons that he thought before. There's something worse that he's done.

Tuesday he only gives Thor an eye-roll anytime he attempts to talk to him, putting his earphones in a few times when Thor doesn't notice and keeps talking. A break from Thor is what he so direly needs, and there is nowhere he can seem to escape him except for in the cyber world.

Wednesday morning, Loki's not woken up by the standard pull away of covers. Instead, there's someone gently carding through his hair. He almost makes the mistake of thinking it is his mother except the hand brushes over that one sensitive spot, and his entire body comes alive from sleep including _that_.

"What are you doing?" he groggily asks, trying to calm his rapid pulse. He doesn't want Thor to touch him or be near him unless he has to, and he definitely does not want him to have this effect. He could have just done the standard blanket rip off and gotten out of his room.

"I initially disagreed," he says in a low voice, completely bypassing Loki's question. Great, he's talking about something else. "I thought that Stark was out of his mind with his scheming."

He's talking about that. An even better start to Loki's morning.

"Can we just… not?"

"Natasha took me aside in school a few days prior, and… she told me things that he'd done," he says. "I was just… so angry that he'd pretended to be innocent and gained your trust and—I told them that I could not take part, but she looked me in the eye, and I was reminded of what she'd said. This anger came out of me toward him. I wanted to see him humiliated, but it was never my intention to hurt you in the process."

"It's a bit late for that."

"I know, I know, Loki, please."

He sits up away from Thor. "Please, what? Please forget just because of more secrets about Victor? I tried that thing before, remember? That's what got us here, me being ignorant of the so-called truth." Loki stares him in the eye. "Tell me Thor."

"Loki… I can't. It's not my place to nor is it anyone else's but hers." Her. Who is this her? "I want you to know that I am sorry, genuinely sorry that you had to get involved in this attempt to pay Victor back for the wrongs he's done. I was afraid that he would wrong you as he had she, and it was terrifying to know that you would not care if I told you. I asked Stark why he didn't just tell you about his feelings for Susan, but he responded that it was not his place either. Their history is quite…" Thor sighs. "I am just grateful that Stark's scheme stopped anything from happening even if you do hate me now. Your hate for me is better than your pain."

"What do you call my emotional pain then? Betrayal leaves a mark, Thor."

Loki watches as Thor stands up from the bed, frown evident even in the low light.

"Betrayal is much better than what the alternative could have been." He opens the door. "You should get ready for school."

If he felt out of place the past two days, he feels like a complete stranger today. Talking to the others makes it even worse, but talking to Natasha is occupied by him trying to analyze her words for any explanation of what she was speaking of yesterday. He hates being out of the loop, and Thor and Natasha are in it. As far as he knows, they are the only two in the know.

He doesn't need to hide himself behind his earphones because everything Thor says goes in one ear and out the other, and Loki finds himself staring into empty space the majority of the day..

"Hey, Laufeyson, take this," Clint says at the end of the day, holding a garment bag in one hang. "Here, don't just stand there."

Loki stares in confusion at the bag, sending a glare at Clint for being so aggressive. He may have not been involved very much, but he was still somewhat involved, bystander or not. "What is this?"

"You're kidding me right?" He shoves the bag into Loki's arms. "It's Halloween, duh!" Clint rubs a hand over his forehead. "My god, you better be real grateful that I exist. If I didn't, you wouldn't have a costume."

He hands it back to Clint without hesitation. "I'm not going with you," he replies, hoping that he really does not have to elaborate why. Clint's thick, but not _that_ thick.

"You promised though? Remember we said we'd drag your skinny ass out of the house if you didn't want to?"

Loki sighs, shutting his eyes briefly to try to ground himself. Getting angry at Clint will do nothing but start an argument he really is not in the mood to have. "That was before you all double-crossed me and made a spectacle on my date."

His eyes soften, and his shoulders slump forward. "I—Natasha, she explained-"

"An explanation doesn't miraculously solve anything, Clint," he replies, beginning to walk away. "I have a date with my room, and if you all come, you can't bring Susan and Reed to make a fool of my date this time."

"Dude, that's not-"

He walks past Thor on his way out of the school, not stopping to see if he's following him. He wants to be left alone by all of these people who claim to have his best interests yet act in a way that states otherwise. Their words are supposed to ease the feeling of distrust in Loki's chest, but it does nothing but make his anxiety about this entire situation much worse than it already is. All of the things they say are excuses, excuses for something that would never have happened had they opened their mouths and explained at length what was going on with Victor.

Loki ends up inside a Starbucks a few blocks from the school, ordering a plain coffee before retreating to one of the window seats. He nurses his coffee as he watches the people walk by, their lives probably filled with as much misery as his own. The saying is that misery loves company yet Loki finds himself wanting to be completely alone by himself.

The scenery and pedestrians provide a good backdrop as he walks through the streets, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. There are a few looks he gets, but they all turn away, seeing the look on his face. He probably just reeks of sorrow, he thinks after a woman begins to frown after looking at him. He finds that he doesn't care all that much.

He makes the walk across the city all the way to Amsterdam Avenue, and Loki happens to pass a clock with the time 6:27 on it. There are children walking the streets already in their costumes, and Loki decides that it's time for him to go home.

The cab ride is spent staring out the window. He cannot help but wonder what it is like to be the little boy in the Batman costume with the oversized cape or the Princess Daisy dress holding the hand of a toddler in a Mario costume. Their lives all seem so simple, but Loki knows that they have their own stories that he cannot begin to fathom. Some wish to be children again, but Loki doesn't. His childhood was something that he would rather not relive anytime soon.

Children are cruel, however innocent they appear to be, and their actions are so much more everlasting when you're a child yourself. Perhaps if Loki was a child and his "friends" were too, he would not have had the same reaction. He can only imagine himself lashing out with violence against Thor only for the sheer scale of his betrayal while slinking away to a corner to plot revenge on Stark and company.

He can cope with it much better now, he decides as he pays the fare and climbs out. Whatever choice he makes will not lead to him becoming some sociopath later on in life for the most part, and these people are a lot more disposable whether they believe so or not.

The house is empty when he goes inside, and he recognizes the deafening silence upon ascending the stairs. As he passes, he notices that Thor's room is cracked open, the light off inside. He wasn't expecting him to sit around waiting for him. He has friends to go prance around with in costume while Loki is home and acting "unfair" about this entire fiasco. Good for him. Good for all of them.

Loki needs no one but himself. That's a truth he learned at five after multiple "you'll be alright, sons" and "make your father prouds" from his father's colleagues, and it's turned out to be more true after each time.

He drops his blazer on his bed before sitting down atop it, not turning on the light. He sits with his face in his hands, reveling in the actual feeling of being alone. His heartbeat is loud in his ears and the low lull of the clock is more irritating than it ever has been.

He spins around in the chair to grab his laptop off his bed when he finally notices it on his bed. It's that garment bag Clint was carrying earlier.

Leaning forward, he pulls it toward him with the intention of seeing whatever garb Clint put together, but he knocks off a piece of paper in the process.

'_Loki,_

_You are free to come if you decide you are in the mood. Call Stark for our location._

_-Thor_

_P.S. I hope that you have a good Halloween.'_

He wants to crumple the note, but he finds himself folding it and tucking it beneath a book on his desk. Absolutely pathetic is what he is. He… likes or whatever someone who has demonstrated that they have no problem hurting him for their own personal gain. It's wrong, and illogical. He should hate him, but he can't.

The costume looks like a military uniform from the future, black, silver, and purple, and Loki will admit that he is impressed with it. He can imagine how he would look in it if he were to wear it, completely powerful and commanding respect.

With a shrug, he stands up and begins to strip. Trying it on will not do any harm.

Predictably he is right. The costume actually fits him pretty well—almost perfectly, which almost scares him considering Thor said he estimated the measurements—and he looks like an alien general in possession of copious amounts of strength and other super powers.

At the bottom of the garment bag, there's something solid, so Loki looks inside to figure out what more Clint could have provided with his costume and discovers boots. He blindly turns on his desk lamp to reveal that there are Kryptonian symbols on the bottom. When Clint is creative, it appears he does not hold himself back.

It's an absolutely amazing costume that looks like Clint worked extremely hard on, and as Loki's said before, he hates to see hard work go to complete waste. It would be entirely wasteful of him to let it hang in his closet until he finds some proper use for it because Clint's not going to want it back, putting on a stubborn face and claiming that it's "his time keep" with a wave of dismissal.

Wallowing around the house in his costume would be absolutely pointless, and he does not have to even talk to them. He can just wear his costume and cast looks of superiority over the other people as they marvel at how powerful he looks.

Slipping on the boots—they add two inches to his height—he grabs his phone, hooks his keys on a chain and slips it around his neck, tucking it into the collar of his shirt, and wallet, heading down the stairs. He waits outside the door as the phone rings, a song playing instead of the standard tone. Why was he even friends with Stark or even considering trying to befriend him again? Is he insane?

"Hello, this is Steve Rogers answering Tony Stark's phone by his request. How can I help you?"

Loki is slightly relieved he does not have to talk to Tony, knowing how he would react with veiled surprise. "It's Loki." There's a gasp. "Where is your location?"

"Oh, Loki, hey! Um, we're at Tony's house, but we're about to leave. Hey, guys, wait it's Loki!"

"Give me the phone, Steve!"

"No, Steve, keep the phone," he says as he hails as cab. "Should I meet you—Where are you going?"

"Okay, Loki, we're waiting for you. Tony says you should hurry-"

"Thank you, Steve." He hangs up the phone and tells the cab driver where to go and uses the time of the trip to try and prepare himself for whatever they have for him this time. He hopes that they will be too preoccupied with their childish pursuit of candy to try to earn his forgiveness.

A deep breath in and he opens the gate, walking up the short path to the door.

"Hello, Master Laufeyson, Master Stark has been expecting you," Jarvis says, and the he door opens. "Come inside."

He steps inside, looking around for them, and he narrowly jumps out of the way from getting tackled to the ground by Tony who was hanging from the ceiling using one of his contraptions. With a glare, he pushes Tony further away from him.

"What is your problem?" Tony asks, waving what looks like a small hairdryer around. He's wearing most of his costume—not the mask—which looks like an exact replica of the one Christian Bale wore in The Dark Knight trilogy. It's impressive. "I'm just testing out the digs, gosh."

"You almost fell on me," he replies, gesturing to the device. "Did that escape your small attention span already?"

Tony shrugs, unfazed by the insult. "Should have knocked, and Jarvis doesn't tell me everything anyway. How was I supposed to know you wouldn't move out of the way in time?"

"Actually, Master Stark, I was the one who informed-"

"Shut it, Jarvis. Come on."

He follows him down the hall and up a flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs is an open room that looks like a massive lounge of some sort, a bar lining the back wall. The rest of them are all sitting in different chairs around the lounge, Bruce, Robert, and Clint all watching one TV while Natasha, Thor, and Luke are crowded around another on the opposite side of the room.

"Look who I brought!"

"Loki, you made it," Steve says, standing up. He's wearing his Superman costume, and through some sort of illusion he does not look as small as he usually does. "Wow, you look… wow."

"I'm a fucking wizard," Clint says. He's wearing his costume as well. "What up my villain?"

If Loki were ever to rethink his sexuality it would be now with how Natasha looks in her Wonderwoman costume. She's wearing a black wig complete with the crown, and she's beautiful. "You look great, Loki."

"Loki, what's up my fucking dude?" Luke pulls him into a hug that's reminiscent of the one Odin and he shares weeks ago. He's Hawkman, Loki realizes, seeing the helmet tucked under his arm. "Damn you look evil, and I guess sexy if that's what the girls and gays like these days."

"We all need to get our asses going before all of those little twats take the candy," Tony says. "Come on, come on."

Loki realizes as they exit Stark's house that Luke is the only one he can actually trust, and it's a thought that scares him a bit. He's in the presence of traitors.

"I hope you all don't mind, but I happened to hire a few guys to actually do that trick or treating for us, so…" Tony knocks on the window of a truck parked in front. "Hey, you guys going to get candy from these rich bastards or not?"

The door opens, and four well-muscled men in suits climb out.

"They're going as the Men in Black." Tony giggles, but Loki doesn't find it amusing at all. "See you guys later then, eh?"

They all climb into the truck, Loki fortunately ending up sitting between Luke and Natasha.

"We'll divide the candy evenly at the end of the night," he says from the front seat. "Osborn's party shouldn't last as long as it did last year since his old man is supposedly within the city, and we all know how Normal can get when Harry gets all uncivilized."

"I hope it does," Luke says. "That little shit should get what he deserves."

"Well… true, but Harry's good people when he tries and throws a good party. Not as good as thee, but good nonetheless."

There wasn't really a need to even take the truck because the ride there is less than five minutes.

Loki climbs out after Natasha, feeling relieved to no longer be in a closed space with _him_. They haven't talked yet, but Loki's been sensing the looks Thor keeps sending him. He's not oblivious like him.

It's a mansion a lot like Stark's and extremely similar in size and look. There are walls around the house, orange tinsel lining the top of them.

"Festive little shit," Luke says, and Loki shoots him a grin.

The vines are trimmed to a reasonable height unlike the ones at Stark's, which he has no problem pointing out, receiving an annoyed smile in return.

When they get inside, there are already a generous amount of people there, and Loki does not take a moment to disappear into the crowd of them. He basks in the looks of impressed awe he receives from both male and female alike. His attractiveness is going to be used at full-force tonight. There's nothing more he wants to do than get his mind away from the way Thor looks and how that costume hugs his body in all the right places.

The party seems to be filled with people who are either wearing heels or are tall, so Loki does not have to worry about sticking out like a tree among grass. The women are dressed in scandalizing versions of recognizable characters—he catches the eye of a Cruella de Vil wearing underwear and a fur coat and begins to laugh at the ridiculousness—and the men seem to all be in excellent shape, showing off their bodies in ways that Loki appreciates.

"Hey, Loki!" Harry's the first person he recognizes tonight, and he's wearing robes with a Superman symbol on a t-shirt beneath them. Jor-El. "Dude, you're not allowed to look this good. What the fuck, you're literally Zod. I have to fucking kill you. We're like enemies in the comics."

"Who are all these people, Harry? I do not recognize any of them."

"Oh, yeah, they're from HYDRA, another private school on the opposite side of the city. They're all cool. You should meet some of them. Might find your Mr. Right. Could even make someone kneel before Zod, right?" Harry throws his head back, laughing. "Good bye, old friend."

"What the f—oh." A boy with shoulder length hair and eyes an almost silver color stops in front of him. He's wearing a long trench coat and casual clothes beneath, but it doesn't matter that he's not wearing an outlandish costume. He's absolutely gorgeous. "Mr. Mxyzptlk," he says, holding his free hand out to shake. "I mean, no, I'm Hero, Hero T."

Loki shakes his hand, his fingers brushing the inside of his wrist. "Zod," he replies, "but you can call me Loki."

The boy gulps, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat attractively. "I—You don't go to HYDRA," he says. "I would know. You're very, very, very attractive, and no matter what my brother says, I'm not a total clutz who forgets everything. You're like beautiful, and I do not forget beautiful people like you whether you can believe that or not."

"I'm beautiful to you?" Loki replies, causing the boy to turn pink. "The feeling is returned."

"Wait, what-"

"Hero, who the hell are you bugging." A boy with purple eyes—is that even naturally possible?—and bright red hair steps in between them, towering over Loki. He turns to Loki, revealing that his eyes are in fact a violet blue, which makes Loki blink a few times to try to see if there is something wrong with his vision.

"Your eyes are violet," Loki says, "correct?"

"Who wants to know—wow." The boy turns and his eyes widen before a smirk crosses his mouth. "Who is this?"

"Lok-"

"You're beautiful," he says, "and I'm Thanny."

"Thanny?

"Yeah, TH instead of D. I know, it's so exotic like Hero's is. Our parents are into that type of thing," he says, waving his hand dismissively. "Anyway, General Zod, why don't we just go find a small corner in Osborn's house and get to know each other. You look like someone I would like to know."

Loki happens to see the disappointed look on Hero's face, and notes the relationship dynamic between the two of them. It seems that Thanny has done this many times before. "Actually, I was getting to know your brother, Hero. Maybe another time?"

Thanny's nostrils flare, and he turns a glare on Hero. "Uh, Hero's not the most interesting person-"

"But that's your opinion, and if I heard correctly, you're brothers, so having copious amounts of anything can lead to you becoming quite tired of it fast." He takes ahold of Hero's hand. "Do you care to find a small corner with me?"

He beams. "Yeah, definitely." He turns to Thanny. "See you later, Thanos."

"Don't call me that," he replies angrily, crossing his arms as they walk off.

They find a couch in a quieter corner of the living room, Hero's cold hand tight around his.

"I've got quite the brother, right?" he says, taking a sip from the cup in his hand. "He's definitely a charmer."

Loki laughs. "I prefer your company by far."

"Well, I'm surprised. I have to say that you've made the better decision because I am the far more interesting Titan, and he's really only good for the physical thing if that's what you want."

"Why can't I have both?" he asks, and he's not saving the one-liners for elsewhere. Victor's nowhere to tell him to lay off them. "I mean, you are here," he touches his knee, "right?"

Hero smiles, biting his lip. "Mr. Mxyzptlk is known for getting what he wants, so it seems that the costume has done me some good tonight. I'm here," he leans in toward Loki, and Loki only realizes that he's leaning in too, "you're here, and there's no one to stop us from doing whatever since my brother is off somewhere nursing his wounds."

Loki looks around them, and he just happens to catch a glance of Susan Storm standing toward the edge of the crowd, and it hits him right there. She's who he needs to talk to. Turning to Hero, he takes his hand and pulls them both so they're standing. "I have someone I need to talk to, but," his eyes flicker down to Hero's lips, "I am going to find you as soon as I'm finished, and perhaps you can kneel before Zod."

Hero's eyebrows rocket up. "Only if I can use my magic on you," he replies a little unsteadily. "I look forward to your return."

Letting go of him, he turns and goes after Susan. This entire situation can reach some sort of resolution if he just talks to her. She's the "her" Thor was talking about for sure. There's no other female involved that he knows of, and it's only logical for her to be the one. There was something between them, and it ended badly.

Sliding past Peter, he manages to grasp her arm. "Susan, wait."

"Who is grabbing me—oh, Loki." She glances down at his costume. "You look… good." Susan contrasts with most of the other girls, wearing a full bodysuit with a hood and cape. There's something in her eyes though that makes her look like she would rather be anywhere else.

"Susan, I have to talk to you."

"If this is about the date, you should know that I wouldn't have even been there if it weren't for Tony threatening-"

"No, Susan, it's not exactly about that, but it's pertaining to… you and Victor."

She freezes. "What do you mean, Victor and I?" she asks, her eyes narrowed. "Did someone-?"

"No, I was simply curious about what went on between the two of you-"

A bitter laugh escapes her mouth. "Loki, I'm sorry, but I am not having this conversation with you right now, or anytime soon. If it really interests you, go ask around since I'm sure that he let it slip to someone if you asking is any clue. Have fun. I'll see you around."

"Susan-" It's already too late, Susan pushing into the crowd of people and slipping in with ease. He's made absolutely no progress so far, only managing to bring his mind back to the root of his problems.

"Lokinator!" Johnny shouts as he comes up with two girls on each arm. He's dressed as an astronaut, and he's the wrong Storm that Loki is looking for. "Looking all villainous and shit, right, ladies? But he's gay so off limits, okay?"

"Yes, Johnny!"

"Nice costume," he says, passing him. If he finds Susan again, he can try his best to convince her to tell him.

"Loki!" He sighs and stops, turning to see Sharon in a Formula 1 uniform. "Hey, wow, you look great!"

"Same to you," he replies, glancing around for her strawberry blonde head. "Have you seen Susan Storm?"

"What? Oh, no, why? You okay?"

"I'm fine." He turns to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow." He circles the crowd once and comes up empty of Susan Storm. The way everyone is writhing and jumping is making is extremely hard for Loki to distinguish those not on the outside of the mass, and the red and orange lighting are not helping either.

He decides to return to the couch and make good of his promise to Hero, but he finds that the couch is vacant. He wasn't even gone that long, and Hero lost his patience. There's a part of Loki that can empathize, despising being made to wait more than most.

With a sigh, he sits down on the couch and watches as both people who are strangers and acquaintances alike move about with grins on their faces. He has no idea why he ever bothered to come. It's done nothing but let Susan know that he's curious, and that's much worse than her not knowing that all. She'll be hesitant to even talk to him now, worried that he will ask again, and he can only blame himself for not being more discrete about his intentions.

"You're all beautiful, and you're sitting there are alone. What's gotten into people?" Thanny sits down where his brother should be sitting, and Loki feels the slight resentment toward Hero for being left alone and open for Thanny to think it okay to just come to try to seduce Loki. "Zod's always talking about kneeling, and no one ever does. I think I would if given the chance."

Loki gives him a sideways look, hoping that he decides that he is needed elsewhere. "Zod only wants the most powerful, intelligent disciples."

He slings an arm over the back of the couch. "At HYDRA, I'm top of the class and a shoe in for valedictorian. I don't even know what a B looks like. Well, my parents don't either, but that's beside the point. You tell me about yourself. I know you definitely go to SHIELD, which is kind of unfortunate, but I'm not complaining."

Great, he's only convinced him that he wants to hear about his achievements. The only way is to just bore him to death. "I'm from Sweden and only moved here a month ago. I'm not as intelligent as you are, but I do take all of advanced classes at, you guessed, it SHIELD, so that must be some indicator of being of moderate intelligence. I'm in the eleventh grade and 16, but I do have aspirations of becoming a biologist when I graduate. Environmental science interests me and has since I was a small boy. I," he pauses to look over, and Thanny is staring at him attentively, "that's all really. Nothing else to say."

He grins, and it's borderline frightening. "You're the most interesting person I've ever met, and you're only spoken a few sentences." He leans forward, and Loki puts a hand to his face, pushing him backward. He looks at him in confusion.

"No, I am not kissing you," Loki explains, standing up from the couch. "I—there's someone else."

"I won't tell if you don't. Maybe you should just forget about him-"

He escapes before Thanny can futilely attempt to try to convince Loki to stay. Slipping through the people proves to be easy, all of them parting without much complaint, and he makes it to the center of the mass of people and finds no one other than Hero dancing with a girl in a Supergirl costume.

Hero and he make eye contact, and a smile spreads across Hero's face. "Loki, you've found me," he says over the loud music. "Marcia, meet my new friend," he says to the girl.

She turns, revealing that her face is painted like a skull. "Oh, he is beautiful," she says, taking Loki's arm and pulling him toward her. "Hero's lucky you play for his team. All of us women are missing out on something extraordinary, I know it."

Loki turns to Hero and grabs him by the wrist, pulling him so they're standing chest to chest. "You like to play games," he says into his ear, reveling in the shiver he gets in response.

Hero smirks. "Are you a player?"

"Yes, and I always win," he replies, pulling back to look into those strange eyes, and just like that, Loki makes the decision to kiss him, the two of them meeting halfway in a harsh kiss, teeth clattering. His hands come up to rest on Hero's neck and run through his hair as their lips move in near unison.

"Go Chef!"

"Hero, wow, didn't know you it in you!"

"Get a room!"

When they pull apart, they're both panting.

"We should take his advice," Loki says, Hero nodding in response. All rational thought has seemingly decided to take a break, and for once Loki is thankful for the chance to do as he pleases without thinking of the possible repercussions.

Hero kicks the door shut behind them, not bothering to turn the light on before they surge forward to continue kissing. His lips are amazingly soft and full, and Loki's eyes drift open to admire him as their lips move together. One of his hands is fisted in Hero's soft brown—_blond_—hair while the other is on the side of his sinewy—_muscular—_waist.

No, he's not going to let this be ruined. Loki deserves this, unmarred by his thoughts of_ him_.

Pressing Hero against the wall, he grinds their hips together hard, Hero moaning into his mouth.

He doesn't think, his hand leaving Hero's waist and trailing over his underwear band for a few moments before sliding beneath. The thoughts—the ones that he desperately wishes to avoid—pound on the invisible barrier of arousal, but he ignores them, wrapping his hand around an already hard Hero and tugging down to the tip with a firm grip.

"Oh—I—Loki…" Hero's hands leave his body before they find his zipper and pull it down, pressing against his semi-hard-on, and his mouth opens in a silent moan, his eyes closing when Hero takes him in his hand.

_That big, strong hand_.

Loki begins to stroke Hero harder, kissing him with more force than necessary, banishing the stray thoughts back to the recesses of his mind.

"Th—hero," he gasps, eyes opening again in shock at how bad his control is. He rests his forehead on Hero's shoulder, trying his best to keep all of his focus on his hard-on and stroking Hero, but his mind keeps drifting.

"Loki, can I…" Hero slips from between him in the wall, spinning Loki around and pinning him to the wall by his hips. He sinks to his knees and looks up at Loki, his eyes peeking from beneath his dark—_light_—eyelashes.

The lights come on before Loki can react. "What really fucking sucks is that he doesn't even kn—Oh!"

Loki pushes away from Hero instantly, eyes widening in surprise at Robert and Luke standing there.

Robert looks away immediately while Luke just stands there, shaking his head. "Luke, please," he whispers, elbowing him in the arm.

"We're gonna get drunk in here, and you two should get the fuck out, but we think that you two should probably not do this… ever, ever again in your fucking lives." Luke looks at Hero, frowning. "Kid, you've just gotten yourself involved in a whole lot of shit whether you like it or not, so you better take your HYDRA hide and get the fuck out of here."

Hero glares at them as he makes himself decent. "Fine. Loki," Hero stops in front of him, reaching out to touch him but pulling back when Luke makes a sound, "I—find me before the night ends, okay?"

He nods absently as Hero slips around Luke and Robert and out of the room, leaving him to be scrutinized by Thor's friends. He can only cross his arms, averting his eyes elsewhere because he knows that the looks they're giving him are not ones that he wants to see in the least.

"Dude, the fuck was that about?" Luke asks.

"Luke, don't get involved-"

"No, Rob, Loki's fucking some HYDRA snake-ass motherfucker while Thor is off moping in a damn corner like some green bean off his antidepressants. I don't know what the fuck happened between you all, but fucking people you hardly know aint gonna fly around me, okay? Man, Thor fucking—He would have fucking ripped that bitch in half if he walked in with us. 'Kneel before Zod', my ass. You better get your ass out there before you brother notices that someone's been doing the kneeling and decides to kick some HYDRA ass." Luke starts to shake his head again. "Never fuck the enemy, Loki. Never."

He nods sullenly, wrapping a hand around his other wrist. "I-"

"Nope, don't wanna hear it because it's going to be some bullshit, and Luke doesn't have any time for bullshit. Rob and I come back here to get wasted on some rich boy beer, and we walk in to this shit. I should have known that this year wasn't going to be any different than last year. Dammit, why do I come to these things?"

"Because Harry Osborn has good fucking taste in beer," Rob says.

"You're damn right he does. Now, you," he waves a hand toward the door, "go do something with your other head, and no, I don't mean your mouth…"

He leaves the room, ducking his head to try to avoid making eye contact with anyone he knows. That was one of most mortifying situations he has ever been in, and he thinks that it's probably written all over his face.

And when his night cannot get any worse, Jane fucking Foster appears out of nowhere dressed as Velma from Scooby-Doo, red wig and all. Why is she even here? She could be off staring at the sky instead of wasting her time inside where the stars aren't visible.

"Loki, General Zod, how fitting." She stops in front of him. "Nice show on the dancefloor," she says, her eyes narrowed. "Everyone saw."

"I don't have time for you, Jane Foster," he says with a sigh. "I really, really don't."

"Thor has to be a masochist." She shakes her head. "I don't know why I even bother talking to you. It's painful."

"I don't either."

Jane puts her hands on her hips and makes an unattractive expression. "You're such a bonehead for not seeing why he did what he did. If you just let him explain-"

"Loki!" None other than Wade Wilson saves him from talking to her, and for once tonight, Loki is relieved to be interrupted. "Damn, all dressed up and shit. Foster, 'sup! You annoying him with your stupid fucking talk of stars?"

Jane purses her lips. "Wade, you're ridiculous."

"And so I've been told baby. Now, when you give that speech at graduation, put a shout out for me in there. Make sure it says 'tapped this booty in freshman year'."

She rolls her eyes, the only other thing they seem to share in common. "Goodbye, you both."

"Thanks for the free gay porn. Guessing you got some then?"

Loki turns to stare at him, not amused by him at all. "No, I did not."

He claps him on the back and shakes his head in disappointment. "Some of these HYDRA kids will have no problem with turning your frown upside down, Chef. Pull out some Swedish on the straightest of those guys, and they'll be at half-mast for you. I'm going to go get laid again, so peace out."

He watches Wade walk up to a French maid, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her toward the hallway. It should be so easy to just let out of all of his concerns and worries and attempt to have some sort of fun, but it's harder than he thought it would be.

"Loki, where have you been all this time?" Steve asks, walking up with his cape billowing behind him. A girl behind him almost trips over it. "None of us has seen you since we got here."

Steve's one of the least people he would rather talk to, but he's better than the alternative options of supposed friends. "I was fraternizing," he replies.

"Rogers, Laufeyson, hey," Harry says, joining them. "How's your time been so far, and hey, Loki, nice show on the floor! I mean, dude, that was pretty awesome."

"What is he-?"

Cutting Steve off, he answers, "Nothing important." If he didn't see, there's nothing to discuss.

Harry's grinning in a way that makes Loki think he's not completely sober. "There are so many hot chicks tonight. These HYDRA girls know how to show off their assets."

Steve scratches at the back of his neck awkwardly. "Harry, can I ask what's with all the HYDRA kids this year?"

"They're good people too," Harry responds with a sudden frown. "Jeez, Steve, didn't know you were so close-minded."

"Uh, I'm not close-minded," Steve replies, hands on his hips. "I am… concerned. You know about the rivalry."

"Fuck their rivalry. This is my party, and if people want to act like that, they can get the hell out. Halloween is a time for friendly bonding," he says, making a strange motion with his hands. "It's time to get drunk, not fight. Catch you two later. Rogers, don't be afraid to unwind. Stark's nowhere to be found."

Steve looks worried now that Loki is paying more attention. "I haven't seen Tony in an hour."

"Perhaps he's off with someone," he replies, and he gets a cruel pleasure from how Steve gulps nervously. Thor has the nerve to call him a child when Steve exists.

"You're… probably right."

"Steve, are you ever going to tell Tony-?"

"Turn up the fucking music!" someone shouts, and the lights around them start to oscillate between many different colors in time with the loud music. "Yeah, bitches!"

"I need air," Loki says, turning around and heading for the French doors on the back wall. He opens one, walking out onto the balcony. There's only two people out there, some boy with a purple Mohawk and Susan Storm. Silently, he goes to the railing, leaning his arms on the cement.

They have a view of the city from here, and he can see that there are people below in the yard dancing underneath the paper lanterns. It looks much calmer in comparison to the party inside, and he decides that he's going down there when he goes back inside.

"The music was too loud for you too?" He turns and looks at Susan, staring at her profile. "I haven't been a fan of parties for a while."

"I hate most of the people," he replies, and she laughs beside him. "The ones I know and the ones that I don't know alike. There's no point in trying to differentiate when they are all not worth my time."

"But me, I'm worth your time," she says with a sigh, and blue Mohawk boy opens the door and goes back inside.

"Susan-"

"No, it's fine. You have every right to be curious," she says, "but I have every right not to tell you shit."

He doesn't know what he was expecting from her, but he isn't surprised that she does not want to tell him anything. He casts another look at her and starts to turn to leave.

"Yet I find that I trust you for some unknown reason."

Loki turns back around, basking in the quiet sounds drifting from below. "You're going to tell me," he says, and it's not cockiness. He knows that this is it. He's going to hear what he's been yearning to for the past few days.

"Victor and I have known each other since we were little kids, you know?" she says, turning her body toward him. "My dad, he's a surgeon, and there was a pretty bad accident when Victor was younger, so he had to operate on him. Had to put steel rods in his spine, and he was so amazed by how great he took to the surgery. He and Victor were close afterward, my dad telling the von Dooms to put him into the same pre-school as Johnny and I, and he ended up at SHIELD.

"God, we were all so close as kids. He was so smart and changed all of these things while I was always just little Sue Storm, but he still spent as much time with me as he could. And oh god did I develop a crush on him. It was huge, like I thought I was going to just die if I didn't have him or something. Johnny used to tease me endlessly about it. He knew, oh did he know," she says, letting out a breathy laugh. "I think he knew the entire time but wanted the entire relationship to be on his terms. He's always had a control thing."

He thinks back to the interaction between him and Victor, and in retrospect, he realizes how right she is. Victor was always the aggressor even when Loki was sure that he was the one in control. How ironic that in the end he wasn't in control for once.

"Eighth grade was when he finally asked. I remember that day so well. He came to school with these black diamond earrings and told me—practically demanded that I put them on right there in the hallway. I did, and he told me that I looked like his future wife. It was so stupid, but I almost fainted right there. We were suddenly dating, and I could touch him and even… kiss him when I wanted. I thought it was my dream.

"Then I met Reed in ninth grade, and I was so amazed by him and by just how he was so… in control and sure of himself. I mean, Victor was too, but Reed was just…" She sighs before shaking her head. "It was bad. I knew that I didn't want to be that girl who was torn between two people, but Reed was so focused on his schoolwork and science that I was sure that he didn't even notice when I stopped by the lab during free period to talk to him. I started to subconsciously dress up for him, and Victor knew. He definitely knew, and it hurt him so bad."

The image of the wrecked look on Victor's face pops into his mind, and he can only imagine that same look on a younger Victor.

"Reed, he asked me to come to dinner with him over Solstice break, and he was just filling up some test tubes with mystery liquid while he said it in this completely nonchalant voice like it was nothing special at all. I thought he was kidding until he told me to wear my hair in waves because it made me look 'mystical.'" She closes her eyes and smiles to herself, and Loki smiles despite himself. "I was going to go because I thought that maybe Reed meant it just as friends, but I guess I knew because I didn't mention it to Victor. God, if I'd have just mentioned it to him… things could have turned out so much differently."

The two of them stand in silence, Loki not pressing her to continue. He has a feeling that wherever this is leading, it's not something that Susan is in a hurry to retell.

"I—the day of was after Christmas, so I didn't expect to see Victor back already. He goes to Europe to visit his family, but he got back a day early that year, and Johnny—he didn't know that Victor didn't know, and he told him that I was getting ready to go to dinner with Reed. He could have phrased it a lot better, but that's literally what it was, dinner. Victor was not happy at all, which was—he didn't want me to go, but I didn't see why. He accused me of things—of secretly… 'fucking Reed on the side,' as he put it. I… I wasn't… fucking at all. I was only 15." A sob escapes her mouth, and he's almost startled to see the lights reflecting off her now wet cheeks. "I was only 15."

"He—Victor was just so, so angry, and I—there was this feeling in the pit of my stomach that it was my fault that all of it was happening, and I—I did nothing. I did nothing, and I… I hate myself for it so much. If I had just screamed or something, I could have stopped it but… it's too late now."

At some point Loki goes to Susan and pulls her into his arms, resting his chin on her head as she tearfully recounts her… tragedy, and he stares at a paper lantern because it's the only thing his mind can process now. He cannot think past the present.

"I should have told. I should have just told, but I was so scared and weak and I—Victor and I were supposed to share our lives together, and I loved him so, so much. He was the love of my life, and I thought—if I just forgot it, it wouldn't matter. And I tried. I didn't even go to dinner with Reed that night. I cried, and he held me, saying that he loved me so, so much, and he was sorry. I didn't believe him, and I broke up with him the next day in front of Johnny. He knew better than to try anything in front of him, and he just left with this look on his face."

He expects her to be done talking, and he's almost relieved that he doesn't have to hear anymore of her painful tale, but she doesn't. She only inhales and continues to talk, and Loki realizes how much he didn't know, how ignorant he was before this.

"I spent weeks puking my brains out, and I couldn't keep anything down. I just thought it was some side-effect—my body's way of coping with the anxiety of seeing him, but I was wrong. I was so, so afraid because I was alone, and he was Victor von Doom, the child prodigy that everyone worshipped. Natasha—somehow she knew, and she helped. God, she didn't even ask, but I trusted her and told her like I'm telling you, and she didn't try to make me do anything or even tell. She just helped me through it, and after, she didn't expect anything in return. I was free to return to my place as school sweetheart, and no one even knew.

"I could have told them all, and even if they believed me, I didn't want people to see me and always think 'oh look it's that poor girl that was raped by Victor von Doom,' and I know it's so shallow and petty, but—I'm so much more than that, and I don't want others to silently pity me when I talk to them. I don't just want to be known for being Reed Richard's girlfriend either, and I'm okay with not putting a label on whatever we have. We're taking it slow. Reeds okay with that, and it's… he's helping me whether he realizes it or not."

"Loki, I've been looking for you this entire fucking—oh, sorry." Tony stops at the door, Loki glaring hard at him. "I'm interrupting something."

Susan pulls away, wiping her cheeks dry with the backs of her hand. "No, no, he's free." She stands up on her toes, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for listening. I never realized how much I even needed that. See you tomorrow, and I apologize for ruining your costume."

He looks down and sees the dark circle where her face was. "No, thank you, and goodbye, Susan." He grabs her hand before she can leave. "I sincerely mean it. Thank you."

Tony stares wide-eyed at her as she slides past him. "That—what-"

"What was Victor like freshman year?" he asks, interrupting him.

"Uh… he was a total asshole like he is now, but even moreso. Um, let me think 'cause he did a lot that year. Oh yeah, he told everyone that he slept with the person you just talked to, so most people dislike him out of principle. Why, is there something I'm missing? Because if this is about Saturday, I'm going to have to admit that I don't regret making him look like the asshole he is. He's a fucking queen to work in the lab with, you know that?"

"Stark, are you, by any chance, ready to leave?" he asks, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder and guiding them both inside. He doesn't feel the same disgust toward Tony. The disgust he's feeling is for someone else.

"Actually, I am," he replies. "Being in the same room as so many HYDRA snakes is going to kill me soon. Or better yet, I think it might kill him first."

Wade is standing opposite Thanny, the crowd putting as much space between the two of them and themselves. They're in a circle like a fight scene from a movie, but Loki thinks that this fight will end up a lot more gory than anyone shown on the Silver Screen.

"The fuck are you doing near her, you scumbag piece of shit?" Thanny shouts, gesturing to the girl Marcia that Hero was dancing with earlier. His eyes look to be almost glowing.

"Meathead, calm down for a second and realize that I didn't do anything she didn't want me to," Wade replies, arms crossed. "Marcia isn't a little angel."

This only manages to make Thanny angrier, his veins in his neck bulging and his teeth bearing. "Marcia, when did he touch you?"

She looks extremely bored, her hands on her hips. "An hour ago, Thanos, why?"

Thanny looks like he's going to explode, his eyes wide. "You—fucking—you touched her?"

"Uh, yeah, I've actually been fucking her for months, you piece of shit moron," Wade responds with a shrug, "so you should just lay the fuck off or something-"

"Don't you dare use the word fucking when talking about her!"

"Well, you just did so…"

Thanny steps up to him, towering over him. "Stay away from her."

"Or what? Why does it even fucking matter? She wants to fuck me, and I want to fuck her. It's a win-win situation."

"Marcia deserves better than you, you SHIELD bastard!"

"Oh fuck, no you didn't! Come the fuck on then HYDRA bitch!" Wade takes the beer bottle in his hand and smashes it with his left hand, blood spilling onto the ground, but he appears completely unaffected by the wound. "Want to get fucking killed, bitch? I don't mind gutting a fucking HYDRA fucker like you!"

"And there goes the insanity," Tony says from beside him. "We're going. We're definitely going before it gets-"

Wade screams and rushes forward toward Thanny, holding the broken bottle in one hand. Before they can meet, a boy steps between them, punching Thanny right in the sternum and kicking Wade in the neck, and subduing them both without much effort.

"Enough!" he shouts, and everyone goes deathly silent, the music the only sound. "Your violence is absolutely pointless. You are a mockery to both of our schools."

"Go, Radd!" someone shouts. "What a badass!"

"Loki, let's go." Tony pulls him around the ring of people, and down onto the next floor, Loki still glancing back in awe at how commanding that boy was. He took them both down without even breaking a sweat and quieted everyone just as easily.

"Reynolds, Cage, we're heading out," Tony says, stopping to talk to the two of them who are just about to go up the stairs. "Come on."

Luke looks at Loki, shaking his head, and Loki has to look away before he can feel guilty.

They find Natasha and Clint sitting on the stairs down to the next floor.

"Barton, Romanoff, we're leaving," Tony says. "Come on."

Loki stares at Natasha, wanting to simultaneously hug her for being the person she is and scold her for keeping that from him, and Natasha cocks an eyebrow before realization flashes across her eyes, warmth spreading across her features. He nods once at her, a promise to talk to her before the night is over.

"Steve, Bruce, come on." Tony taps the two of them, standing and talking to each other, on the shoulders. "We're leaving. You seen Thor?"

"Yeah, he's in the backyard," Bruce says.

"We'll get him when we pass. Let's go."

He shuts his eyes for a moment to calm the sick feeling in his stomach at the prospect of seeing Thor.

"Laufeyson, hello?" Clint says. "Following us?"

He opens his eyes and follows them out of the house, dragging his feet a little.

"Happy to be out of that ho—Mr. Osborn, hey!"

A grim looking man is standing in the path to the front door, holding a briefcase in one hand and a goblin mask in the other. "Anthony," he says, bowing down slightly. "Hello, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Barton, Ms. Romanoff, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Cage, and Mr. Banner. It's nice seeing familiar faces." His voice drips with sarcasm. "I will see you at a later time since you are all departing so soon."

"Yeah. Bye, Mr. Osborn."

They all start to walk down the path, stopping when Tony holds up a hand, pointing in the direction of the backyard.

"I'll go get him," Bruce says with a sigh.

"He's going to get Thor," Robert says, and it seems he's vilifying Loki too now. "You know what that means," he says to Luke.

He thinks of what Luke and Robert could be referring to. They're Thor's friends, and they saw him… They're definitely planning to tell him, and he has no idea what he's going to do after that. His feelings for Thor are a lot easier to define now though he is confused to where he wants to go from here, but he does not want to go down that path.

"Loki!"

Loki turns around and sees that Hero is coming from the opposite side of the house. He was just in the backyard with Thor. Two people he's kissed in the same place, but Loki's not sure if what he and Thor shared could be considered a real kiss.

"You're leaving," he says, glancing at his… friends, yes, they're his friends even if he doesn't want to admit it. "Wait, before you leave-"

Hero kisses him, cradling his face in his hands as he does, and it's a lot slower than their previous kiss. He can taste the passion from Hero, but he does not return it since he's not entirely okay with doing this with him in the first place. The marvel has worn off for the most part. Putting his hands on Hero's shoulders, he starts to push him away.

"Oops," someone murmurs.

Thor is standing right beside them, his eyes narrowed at Hero. Before Loki can think to tell him to leave, Thor grabs him by the shoulder, turning him his way, and punches him right in the nose, Hero staggering backward onto the grass.

Hero's nose is pouring blood, more blood than Loki has seen in years.

"Hero, where the hell—oh, what the fuck?!" A boy with fake spider legs on his back stops a few feet away from Thor. "You fucking bastard, you can't fucking punch my friend's brother like that! Thanny's going to whoop your ass!" He drops to Hero's side, tearing off his t shirt and holding it to Hero's nose. "Thanny!"

"Prop him up," Natasha says, her eyes briefly looking up at Loki. "If it's broken, get someone to set it."

The boy does as he's told, lifting Hero up onto his thigh.

There's the sound of the door being flung open, and Thanny and two other boys appear in the doorway. "Carny, the fuck are you—what the fuck is happening tonight? Bitches are asking for it!"

"Come on!" Tony hisses, grabbing Steve. "Come on! Let's go! Let's go now!"

Loki stares at Thor in shock, unable to verbalize his disapproval, and Thor only stares back at him neutrally.

"I told you that I did not want anyone else touching you," he says before striding off after Tony.

"Come on, Loki, you fucking twat!" Luke says, grabbing his arm and dragging him away.

Loki happens to look back and make eye contact with Thanny, and the fury in his eyes is terrifying enough for him to have to look away. They're not going to get away with this even if they walk away unscathed tonight. Loki knows better. Revenge on behalf of someone you love is the worst kind.

"Thor, man, what the fuck was that?" Luke asks once they're in the truck.

Loki's between Clint and Robert, and it's not the best position that he can say he's ever been in, but it could be worse.

"Yeah, Thor, not cool," Tony says, turning to shake his head. "That was—Fucking Thanos Titan is a psychopathic genius! He's going to try to hunt you down and kill you."

"Stark, please, kindly shut the fuck up," Robert says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is not the best, but we can beat Thanos Titan. His size is the only thing he's got going for him. When he gets angry, all logic switches off."

"And how do you know this?"

"We were friends," Robert replies. "Remember, I was once HYDRA scum?"

"Oh, shit, I do remember that," Tony says. "Good to have you on our side then."

"Speaking of friends," Luke says, leaning forward to stare at Loki. "Should I tell him or are you going to?"

"He can't punch him in the face now, can he? If only we'd known that before," Robert says.

There's a click as the doors lock.

Tony turns around and points at Thor. "I can't put it past you not to do a stop, drop, and roll out of this car after this." He turns to Loki. "Yeah, Loki, I did happen to catch the end of that smoochie session. Is this where that leads or…?"

"Well, Luke and I walked in-"

"I do not care to hear about my brother's sexual escapades nor about this boy who he has been fraternizing with!" Thor shouts. "Can we all please be silent for the duration of this ride? I would rather not raise tensions higher than they already are."

"He has that right," Bruce mumbles.

"Wait, stop here," Tony tells the driver. "Anyone up for a little old school trick or treating?"

"I thought you were paying people to do that," Clint says. "Why waste your money?"

"Because I have too much of it to spend it while I'm alive. It's either this or start and fund a war, so I think this is the better option."

They all stand in a semi-circle in front of a row of townhouses, Tony rooting around the trunk for more pillowcases to carry the candy in. When he tries to hand on to Loki, Loki glares his answer at him, and Tony instead hands it to Bruce with a grumble about "people being crazy."

"Come on, let's get us some candy!"

Loki folds his arms across his chest and drags his feet, lingering at the back of the group a few steps behind Thor. He finds his mind drifting to the perfectly sculpted ass in front of him instead of how he is going to resolve this situation. He's been given the tools to finally reach some kind of resolution here, but he's being distracted by his step-brother's ass.

"Hey, nice Batman—whoa, you all look great," a middle-aged man dressed as a skeleton says, dropping candy into each bag with a swoop of his arm. "You Parsons' students or something?"

"Nope, SHIELD," Clint says with a shrug. "Thanks for the candy, dude."

The man stares at them like he's just heard some shocking news. "S-SHIELD? Oh."

"Yes, Nerd Ropes!" Tony shouts, biting into a long piece of candy.

"You should check that, Stark," Natasha says. "It could be poisoned."

"Yes, she's right." Steve somehow takes Tony's already hefty bag of candy and slings it over his shoulder. "No more candy for you until we check it all."

Thor's gait is firm, the peak of perfect posture, but Loki knows that he is not his normal cheer from each step taken anyway. Something is off, and it's bothering Loki more than he should. Gods, all he needs to do is talk to Thor and things will be on course for something remotely resembling the un-normal it was. A year of this? He won't last a year.

After they get their candy, Natasha walks back to Loki, falling into step beside him. "You should talk to him," she says.

"I _should _talk to you," he counters with a quirk of the lips. He inhales and exhales. "You know that she told me."

"I do, and I know that it's… helped how you feel." They wait at the bottom of the stairs as the others go up to get their candy. "Susan… Saturday was hard for her to do, you know? She still feels guilty about the end of their relationship, and it took her a lot of convincing to even consider it, but she did because of you. She was worried what he might do to you."

Loki glances up, making eye contact with Thor across the stairs. "He wouldn't have. I—Victor and I were… not like he and Susan were. I don't know what it was, but there were quite a few differences. Perhaps it's the fact that he's not eternally in love with me that makes the big difference."

"He doesn't actually love her. He loathes that he wasn't able to control her in the end."

"Love is different for everyone," he replies, finally looking away from Thor. "This doesn't change the fact that you could have told me."

"But would you have actually believed us?" she counters as they begin to walk behind the group. "Loki, you knew that we hated Victor, and you liked him. Would you have not defended him? Susan seemed like kind of a… bitch that time in English, and put yourself in your shoes back then. Imagine this girl who seems to have ill-will toward Victor accusing him of something like that. Would you really have believed us then?"

The time in English when Susan wanted to see what they accomplished, Victor had taunted her—oh does that make Loki seethe now—and she stomped off a lot like a spoiled girl who didn't get her way. The thought never occurred to him that they maybe had some romantic history. He'd thought she was just like the rest of them, perhaps even worse. If Natasha had told him that Victor had—that Victor had raped her, he would have-

He would have…

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Knowing what he knows now, it seems like such a despicable thing, but he can only blame his lack of facts. If his friends had told him why—it's all a cycle with no beginning. Was there any way this could have been avoided?

"It's not your fault, Loki," she says, "but you can try to make things right before it's too late."

"Natasha, it's not that simple," he replies. "Things are never that simple."

"Tony, stop it now!"

"Just one bite, Steve, come on!" Tony jumps down the last few steps, holding a candy bar above his head. "Steve!"

Natasha steps in front of Tony, tripping him and catching him before he can hit the ground, and takes the candy bar from his hand. Calmly, she walks it over to Steve and puts it in his hand. "Loki, but they can be," she calls over her shoulder.

"Guys, guys, guys, we're getting close!" Tony exclaims, seemingly recovered from his robbery. "Oh man, oh man, this is going to be so awesome!"

"What is he talking about?" Luke asks, turning to look at Loki as if he has any clue. "I want to know what the hell he's talking about."

Natasha turns around, walking backward. "He's-"

"No, Natasha, wait." Tony stops walking all together, holding his hand up and stopping their progress down the sidewalk. When he turns to face them, the look on his face is full of mischief that makes Loki proud for a moment. "We're here."

Tony opens the gate to the massive mansion first, sending looks over his shoulder at them—mostly Loki—every few seconds as he leads the way to the door. There's someone who lives in this monolith of a house that's making Tony excited for a reason, and Loki is not eager to see the person on the other side of the door. There are not many things that make scatter-brained Stark excited.

Tony tries to ring the doorbell, but Clint gracefully jumps up the stairs and hits the doorbell a split second before Stark does, his finger landing on top of Barton's. The look of anger that Stark gives him is funnier than anything else, and Clint turns around, winking at Loki and holding a thumbs-up in his direction.

When the door swings open and reveals a grinning woman with wavy blonde hair and a giant bowl of candy— no one that Loki knows—the worry in his chest only tightens because he knows that there is something coming.

"Hey! Oh my gosh, look at you all. Wow, this is just—I'm so proud," she says, leaning against the doorframe. "Oh my gosh—Charles, come here!"

"Raven, hold on, I'm-" Charles Xavier appears next to her, eyebrows cocked in surprise. "Oh, hello, to all of your familiar faces. I was not expecting this."

"We surprised the master," Clint says with a grin. "And Miss Darkholme, all credit belongs to moi. I am the creator of these magnificent costumes."

Miss Darkholme? The name doesn't ring a bell other than the occasional mention of the name in passing. She must be a teacher at SHIELD if she knows them and is friendly with Charles.

"This was my idea," Tony says, pushing Clint to the side. "I brought us here. I deserve the credit for this."

Miss Darkholme shoves the bowl into Charles' arms. "Hm… Stark as Batman, Clint as the Green Lantern, Luke as Hawkman, Banner as…. Doomsday, Steve as Superman, Natasha as Wonderwoman, Robert as Mr. Marvel, Thor as Green Lantern, and…" She cocks her head as she leans to look at Loki. "I've never seen you before, which means that you're-"

"Loki," Charles finishes, smiling.

"Oh, Thor's brother that he talks so much about." Loki watches Thor look away in embarrassment in his periphery. "Wow, you are awfully good looking."

"Speaking of good looking people, which Loki happens to be as you've just said, Would a Professor Erik Lensherr happen to be in there?" Tony asks, getting on his toes.

"Um… yes, actually, he happens to be," Charles replies wearily. "Is there-?"

"Raven, Charles, what is the—oh, it's you," comes the familiar baritone of Erik, and Loki's unsure of whether he's referring to them as a whole or just him. Erik's eyes scan the others until they land on him and linger for a few moments, his face unchanging, and Loki can only stare back as he scrutinizes him.

"Oh..." Stark says, turning to grin at him. "Loki!"

Natasha slaps him on the back of the head, Luke punches him in the upper arm, Steve plucks him on the cheek, and Clint sticks his tongue out at him. That's so much for his defense.

"Erik, don't be so rude, they're nice kids!" Miss Darkholme says, making an enter motion with her hand. "Come in, come in!"

Erik opens his mouth. "Well-"

"Thank you, Miss Darkholme. It would be our pleasure!" Clint exclaims.

Loki passes Erik on his way in, grinning when he turns a confused look on him.

"You're General Zod?" he asks, looking like it is the most foreign concept he's heard in his days. "General Zod as in the antagonist of Superman?"

"Yes, he is," Robert says, clapping a hand on his shoulder. He's giving Erik a sharp look in the corner of Loki's eye. "He's truly evil whether you've discovered that or not. Come, Loki."

"What are you doing?" he asks Robert as he is dragged along. "We were talking."

"I was saving your life. Thor is already looking for a reason to go ballistic again. You do not want that here and neither do I. Sit next to me, but not too close or he'll get suspicious of me next."

Loki begrudgingly follows Robert's directions, putting an inch between them when he takes his seat next to the arm of the couch. If that is what it takes to keep the night fairly serene, Loki is willing to acquiesce.

"Now, what are you all doing here?" Charles asks, sitting down in the love seat next to Miss Darkholme. "Should you not be at Harry Osborn's yearly bash?"

"We should, but we're not," Tony replies. "It sucked ass."

Predictably, Tony's keeper Steve shoots Tony a warning look. "Tony-"

"No, it's fine. I'm not going to give you detention," Charles says. "Loki, tell them. I'm cool outside of school."

"Not when you say that," Miss Darkholme says.

Thor and Luke come in, Luke's hand on Thor's shoulder. Thor's shoulders are visibly tense from Loki's seat across the room, and the look in his eye is cold and closed-off, completely different from their usual sparkle. If he just… says something, he can renew that spark, but Loki can't bring himself to speak a word to him.

"Nice of you to join us," Clint says. "Harry's party was crawling with HY—kids from other schools."

Loki leans forward slightly and sees that on the opposite end of the couch, Natasha's arm is around Clint's shoulder. He has a feeling that the arm is pressing against a major airway.

"The guys were hot though," Tony says, and when he sees the tired looks he's being given, he corrects himself. "Girls, okay, girls. I was just kidding. I'm a kidder. You know this."

"Gay jokes aren't that funny," Bruce says. "They're like element jokes. Only so often that Oxygen and Potassium can go on a date and have it go OK before that gets old."

"Wait, did I just hear an element joke? Charles, was that—oh, wow, didn't know more people had arrived." Dr. McCoy enters the room, a red silo cup in his hand and a bag of candy in the other. "Oh, hey, I know you people. You're students… my students."

"Not all of us," Tony says. "Had you last year though, Mickey. Good times."

"Sure, Tony, whatever you say. Loki, Steve, it's nice to see you. Nice costume," he says, sitting down next to Steve, the worse place he could possibly choose. Steve turns pink, staring at the ground, and Loki has to look away from this spectacle. "I'm a fan of Superman myself if you note the red S on my shirt."

"That's not even a real costume," Tony says. "None of you are wearing real costumes. Only shirts."

"It's meant to be ironic, Stark, and Hank looks good in it anyway," Miss Darkholme says, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You're only mad that Loki's got the best costume out of all of you. He looks sexy, really sexy."

"And, Raven, that's definitely not appropriate at all. He's 16 years old." Charles takes a piece of candy from the bowl. "You're just like Erik. I had to remind him back at the tuxedo fitting to keep his hands to himself if he didn't want the police to haul him off for child molestat-"

"Whoa"—Tony grins, leaning forward—"tell us mo-"

Erik runs a hand over his face. "Charles…"

Loki stands up, needing to escape this mess before it gets worse. "Is there somewhere I could go to lie down? I'm feeling slightly nauseous, and…"

"Of course, let me show you," Miss Darkholme says, standing up. "Charles, don't say anymore totally incriminating things about your BFF while I'm gone."

He follows her out of the room, feeling their eyes on his back as he tries to keep his posture neutral to not betray how he's truly feeling inside. The plethora of emotions floating through his body mingling and separating from each other are making this so much harder than it truly has to be. There is only one way that Loki can clear his mind enough to make any decisions.

"Here, this is a guest bedroom, so if you puke in here, it's not a big deal," she says, opening the door to a large room decorated in brown and cream. "There's a phone on the side of the bed that connects to the intercom, so if you need anything, just call down to us. If you're dying, you can dial 911. Also, the bathroom is right through that door, so… there you go."

He stares at her evenly, taking in the youth of her face. She's another younger teacher, probably an art teacher of some type. "Thank you, Miss Darkholme. Your assistance has been appreciated."

"No problem, and call me Raven. Charles thinks you're cool people, so you must be pretty cool, and you're cute, so you get a free pass." She smiles at him. "My brother can be a total idiot sometimes, you know? He's been drinking way too much wine tonight, so he's not entirely to blame for that word vomit back there."

Oh, so he's her brother. Darkholme? Perhaps she has a different father. "Yes, it's not his first time of saying too much when I'm involved."

"That's Charles Xavier, always saying stuff that he observes like a total idiot. Well, I'll leave you alone to puke by yourself, but call me if you need me, 'kay?"

He sits down on the bed, nodding toward her as she shuts the door. He slips his boots off, knowing that they will make Lotus position a lot more uncomfortable than it is supposed to be.

He lowers himself onto the ground on the other side of the bed, his back facing the door in case anyone decides to come and try to provide any "entertainment" while he supposedly lies down. It was probably a thin excuse, but he does not owe them the truth unless they are involved.

Thor owed him the truth the moment Loki discovered their charade, but he withheld it until Loki was knee-deep in angst and regret toward all parties involved. Tonight, he only discovered the motivation behind his and Natasha's involvement and perhaps Clint's, knowing how close he is to Natasha, and it's changed things. There's no telling where they go from here, and the only way to know is by making a move.

First, he's got to make a decision of whether he wants to make a move or continue on in this limbo they've reached in their relationship.

He shuts his eyes 75% of the way, inhaling deeply and letting it flow into his body, expanding his stomach. He sits like this for who knows how long, letting his mind go empty of all of the stresses he's facing, and focuses on the sound of his inhales and exhales.

"Shut up, Barton!" a voice hisses, disrupting his state of non-thought for a moment. His mind still lies half beneath the veil, and he tries to block out the hiss-like whispers not far from him. "Shut up!"

"No, you shut up, Stark! You're the one who is talking!"

"No, I'm telling you to stop being so noisy!"

"I'm not! I'm moving as quiet as a ninja."

Ninja. The word appears in his mind accompanied by the slight quirk of his lips. No, he tells himself, stay focused.

He exhales, his mind returning back to its state of total blankness.

That does not last long at all, the hisses becoming progressively louder and louder.

"Where is he? He's not on the bed—oh, sh—we weren't doing anything, we swear!"

"Yeah, we were just seeing if he wanted company! Okay, okay, we're going! We're going!"

Giving up on his attempt to remain inside his bubble, he lets the dam of thoughts reopen, but he's surprised when the worries and stresses that were there are absent. He doesn't feel the same anxiety as before, and it's more than a little liberating not to have the worry on his shoulders.

He half-expects Natasha to join him any second, and when he hears the slight displacement of air in next to him, he says, "I should thank you for chasing them away, but that would not be the first time," and opens his eyes to find that it is not in fact Natasha.

Thor is seated only inches away, his arms folded across his chest.

"You're not Natasha," he says stupidly, but he thinks that it's the most intelligent of the responses he came up with. "You… snuck up on me."

Thor silently regards him, and Loki wishes that he would say something already. The silent thing is his, and he does not hesitate to tell Thor so.

"Say something. I am the brooding, silent one," he says, earning a smile for his efforts.

"I worry about you, Loki," he says, "but I'm sure that you already know that. You seem to have everything figured out for yourself."

He pulls his knees up to his chest, resting his chin on top of them. "I… do," he replies. "I—a part of me wishes that I would have found out beforehand, but I also know that I would not have been the most understanding. Although it does not change what happened."

Thor's hand comes up to rest on the back of his neck, big and firm and just right. "I don't expect it to, but I also know better. Loki… you are entitled to feel betrayed, but I want you to know that I find myself wishing to regret what happened that night but not actually doing so. I simply wish that I could have done more."

"But you don't need to. Enough has happened," he replies, biting his lip as his fingers ghost around that area of his scalp. "I understand that you and Natasha did it for a more serious reason than the others, and that makes the difference between you and T-Tony Stark." He gulps as Thor's fingers hit that spot. "It makes quite th-the difference."

Thor suddenly pulls his hand away, and Loki's extremely thankful. "Tony Stark and I are quite different," he says. "He will never be me nor will I ever be him, but I thank him for having the confidence that I would have never had. If it had ended up differently, I'm afraid that we would not be here having this conversation."

"Obviously we would not, Thor. I wouldn't have gone and made out with some cute boy either, and you wouldn't have punched him in the face."

Thor's jaw clenches, and his eyes darken. "I do not regret that, and I never will. I should have done worse to him. I know that he… touched you, Loki, and I want no one el—no one at all to touch you. You are too pure for these people to deserve."

"We didn't-" Loki stops himself, turning away from Thor. "It doesn't matter."

"It does, Loki. You… you matter to me whether you believe that or not. It does not matter because I know that I care, and I will do whatever is in my means to protect you in every way possible," he replies. "It is drastic, but drastic measures are needed to protect the ones we l-" Thor pauses, doing a once over of Loki before he takes a deep breathe in. "-the ones we love and care about."

They stare at each other for a moment, the room suddenly becoming simultaneously hotter and colder.

"I love you," escapes his mouth before he can think, and he panics when he realizes exactly what he's said, adding, "brother," on the end for good will.

Thor tilts Loki's head on to his shoulder, running a hand over Loki's hair. "Ich bin leider in dich verliebt," he replies, and Loki's found yet another person who can make German sound incredibly sexy.

He looks up at Thor, furrowing his brow. "You know I don't speak German, correct?"

Thor sighs. "I know." He smiles almost sadly, and it causes a pang somewhere deep in Loki's heart. "Just know that it… means the same thing."

He hesitantly nods, noting to go and ask Mr. Wagner or even Erik what the phrase means when he gets the chance. For now though, he lays his head back on Thor's shoulder and absorbs the serenity that surrounds the two of them. He doesn't think that there is anywhere he would rather be than next to him, and it's not that there is anywhere else he thinks that he would be. Even if Saturday hadn't happened, he's sure that he would be exactly where he is, next to Thor.

But Saturday did happen, and he's here. This is definitely the thing he least regrets that's happened.


	7. Chapter 7

Odin Borson: Overbearing Bastard?!

There's a new ease that Loki has around Thor accompanied by a parallel feeling of uneasiness. It's the lack of trust he has for his step-brother after everything, and it's going to take a lot for him to truly get over the fact that Thor holds his own emotions over how Loki is feeling. It's not okay nor will it ever be.

Holding grudges has always been a part of his being, what's kept him at odds with a great aunt after she called him "gaunt and spindly" after he fell off his bike and scraped off a rather significant part of skin on his arm. It healed; Loki doesn't even have a scar, but he's never forgotten the screeching of her voice as he cried and his mother patched up his wound. Perhaps grudges do nothing but hurt him, but it's the intention that matters. If he continues to hate then it will make all of the difference when he encounters said person in a situation similar to the one involved in the grudge.

He glances at Thor from the corner of his eye, Tony talking at a mile a minute about some topic that doesn't interest Loki or Natasha if the bored look on her face is any clue. Thor's leaning on his elbow and watching Jane as she makes erratic hand movements. The jealous pang Loki usually feels is nearly absent.

Perhaps he should be worried that he's getting over his drawn out infatuation with his step-brother, but he only finds that he doesn't care much about it.

He narrowly avoids brushing Victor's arm when he goes through the door. Through his periphery, he notes that Victor doesn't look in his direction, continuing in the opposite direction. Loki's almost curious which way he takes, but he realizes that it's not his concern.

Loki allows the other members of the group try to contribute in his stead, sitting back and watching as they work on the screenplay as he sits there doing anything but thinking. It's as if the haze from yesterday has lasted until today. Loki realizes that this is much better than the alternative option of moping around in his friends' wake.

Like everything good and true in Loki's life, it does not last against the impending job he's being forced to do for newsletter. It's as if he walks through the threshold and the gods tug the veil of nonchalance back from his being, tossing it to the side in favor for incredulity. Loki can't say that he was expected much else.

"You have to interview your brother," Gwen says, tilting her tablet to him to reveal a picture of Thor under the headline 'Student to Look Out For'. The rest of the page is noticeably blank, and it seems that is where Loki comes in. "We all agreed that he was the perfect option."

Loki numbly nods, staring at the tablet as if it has cursed his firstborn to a parentless life—the gods did half of that to him, ha—and there's nothing he can do about it. "When?" he asks, following her into the other room.

Gwen sits down at one of the chairs at the table. "Today since you see him soonest. It's best to just get it out of the way."

A few female reporters enter, all of them smiling salaciously at Loki, but he knows too well that Gwen has taken the liberty to inform him of his disinterest in their sex. He knows too well that admiring is much different than touching although it does make him feel strange getting their lusty glances. It's flattering, but still quite discomforting.

"They're all editing the basic questions for you to ask," Gwen says, pointing to the folder in front of them. "They do this for each one, so they're good at what they do."

They chortle in their small gaggle, and Loki's immediately suspicious of these girls.

"I have to ask them all?"

"Yes, all of them," Gwen says, flipping through a folder. "If the answer sucks, we won't use it. He's your step-brother. How hard can that be?"

"I have only known him for a few months, you know that?" He turns to look at her, staring at her until she looks up and meets his gaze, Gwen making a face when she notices his expression looking.

"Point is? People fall in love with each other in minutes," she replies, and he knows that she isn't talking about him and Thor, but it still brings a panicked tinge to his chest. "You spend all of your time together anyway. Just pull them out before dinner or something. It's really not that big of a deal."

"You say that now," he murmurs, glancing back over at the overly-excited girls. Those questions on that paper are definitely not all harmless ones that Loki hopes for. He can hear it in their giggles, little traces of mischief that he is all too familiar with, and it's almost karmic for all of the mischievous things he has done to people in the past. It's the gods trying to give him back some of what he's handed out.

"Okay, we're done," Carol says, turning around with the manila folder in hand. She snaps it shut before holding it out toward Loki. "Like Gwen said, you have to ask him all of the questions. There's a lot, but we go through them to see which ones are best. Clear?"

He stares evenly at her, detecting the trouble in the way her mouth is curved slightly. He takes the questions, albeit as if they were explosives, and holds them at his side. "Diamond," he replies with a sneer.

A flush travels up her neck. "Uh… good then."

The first thing Loki does when he sees Thor is inform him of his victory as the 'Student to Look Out For', and he makes it his point to show Thor that he is not bothered and does not care as he does so, saying it in a voice so sickly sweet that he almost gags from the absurdity of it.

"Oh," is all Thor replies, shrugging his shoulders, "that's nice."

"That's nice?" Loki questions. He turns to stare out the cab window before he can take out his excess anger on Thor. It's not his fault that everyone sees him as some school-boy messiah among men. Loki sees through his façade clearly.

"I suppose. I must admit that I was expecting it after Carol Danvers mentioned it to me this morning."

It makes sense as to why they made it their point to write down the worst selection of questions possible. Loki hasn't seen the questions, doesn't want to see them yet, but he knows these things. They were setting him up for failure when they slipped in their questions about his heroics and similar Thor-like activities.

He goes for the kitchen first, eating a salad with more croutons than needed to try to take out his pent-up aggression on something that won't lash out back or hold it against him as some attestation to his growing lack of sanity where Thor is involved.

He can do a simple interview. It's not even that bad. All he has to do is ask a few stupid questions and write down Thor's poetic answers for the female population at school to fawn over, Jane Foster sitting behind the scenes and seething that Thor is not truly hers. That's perhaps a plus. Yes, it is a definitely pro for this.

Loki goes to his room, clasping the folder at his side and pacing back and forth. There's nothing to be anxious about. It's only Thor he's interviewing. Simple questions. Stupid, poetic answers. Fawning girls.

He knocks rapidly on Thor's door, tapping the side of his thigh as he waits for an answer. It comes fairly quickly, and Loki opens the door, holding his breath as he does. He lets out an huge exhale and calms himself as best as he can.

"Thor, I need to ask you… some questions," he says, holding the folder a bit tighter at his side. "Can I do it now?"

Thor looks up at him, a grin spreading across his face, and he pats the bed in front of him. "Yes, of course. Sit."

He does as he's told, sitting toward the edge in case he needs to flee. The door may be shut, but he can get out if he's prepared enough. "Okay," he says, setting the folder out in front of him. The front page is a scrawl of loopy handwriting, the questions written in red pen. "I should tell you that I did not write any of these."

"Well, that's unfortunate, but feel free to begin. I am all ears."

Loki sighs, summoning all the professionalism he can. "The first question is: what is your name?" Loki looks down in confusion, shaking his head. "Yes, that appears to be the first question."

"Thor Odinson," Thor replies, seemingly unfazed by the stupidity of the question. "Next?"

Loki writes the answer, trying not to look at the next one. If he sees the question, he's afraid that he may flee prematurely. "When is your birthday?" Gods, is this some kind of questionnaire?

"December 5th," he replies, Loki nodding in agreement. He looks up and sees Thor cocking an eyebrow. "You already knew?"

"Of course I knew, Thor. It is my responsibility to. The next question is: what is your favorite color?"

"Red and blue."

Loki finds himself nodding along and stops, briefly meeting an amused Thor's eye before looking away. "Awfully patriotic of you, Thor," he comments, writing in the answer. "What is your height?"

"6' 4". Is the next question about my weight?"

Loki glares at him. "I told you that I did not write these questions."

"And I believe you. Is it?"

He rolls his eyes, reading the next question which is not about his weight. "No, actually, it's about your hair color. You would think that these girls have never seen you before, but-"

"Blond," Thor replies, smirking.

Loki blinks at Thor, becoming steadily more irritated with the boy as time passes. He thinks that this is funny, but it is not funny at all. They are making Loki sound as if he is some teenage girl filling out a quiz in some magazine! Loki is not nor will he ever be a teenage girl, and he is not doing this because he wants to. It is his job.

"Blue if the next question is about my eyes."

He's right. The next question is in fact about the color of his eyes, and Loki begrudgingly writes the answer, keeping the adjectives to a minimum.

"What is your gym regimen?" he asks, knitting his eyebrows as he reads the words. Now, it appears, the girls' true motives are starting to show. "This is a completely inane question. Can I ask you the next one?"

"Five days a week," Thor answers anyway.

Loki writes in the answer with a little more force against the paper than needed. It's as if Thor is in on this stupid scheme to get him to lose his mind. "Wow, never knew that," he says. "What is your favorite band? My gods is this ridiculous."

"If you're saying specifically a band, Sigur Rós"—Loki doesn't find that surprising—"but if you are referring to a singular musician, Jean Sibelius."

"Sibelius?" he replies incredulously. Thor's favorite musician is a classical music composer? This joke has gone too far. "You jest."

"No, I do not. If you truly do not believe me, I would be charmed to show you my extensive collection of his finest works."

He stares at Thor, examining his face for any of the usual telltale signs of lying, and he finds nothing except an irritating smugness. "No, that won't be necessary," he replies. "The next question is: what is your favorite trait in others?"

Thor brings his finger up to his lip, tapping in a manner that shouldn't distract Loki as much as it does. "Valor and independence."

"Valor as in bravery?"

"Yes, valor. Is there a problem?"

Loki writes down the answer, shaking his head to himself at how predictable this is turning out to be except for the minor revelation of his love of Sibelius. "What is your favorite trait in-" Loki sighs, shaking his head. "What is your favorite trait in a romantic partner?"

He pointedly doesn't look at Thor, trying to convince himself that Thor's answer does not matter at all to him.

He only sees Thor grin because it's something that is quite hard to miss, no matter how hard Loki is trying to concentrate on the knobs of Thor's closet. "Mischief," he replies, and yes, there is the admission as clear as day that this entire thing is a set up to drive Loki to an insane asylum.

"Would you mind if I asked you the same question?"

Loki turns to Thor, cocking an eyebrow though his lips are still pursed in contempt at this entire situation. "I would mind although I do feel obliged to answer."

"Then tell me."

"Independence," he replies without thought, only realizing what he is doing as he catches himself. Keeping his smirk to a minimum he continues. "Intelligence." He stares at Thor. "Confidence."

The look Thor gives him is confused at first, but it quickly registers that Loki is referring to their unfinished exchange in class the day before, and he gives Loki an unsure look. Perhaps he's on to Loki and his stupid little infatuation with him, but Loki isn't afraid of him jumping to his own conclusions. He's jumped to his.

"What is your ideal romantic partner? Anyone specific you are interested in?"

"If I were in doubt that you did not author these questions, I would be sure that you did not after that," Thor replies, tucking a lock of stray hair behind his ear. "To the first query, I have no ideal… perhaps a characterization of what said person would look like in my mind based off of an"—he clears his throat—"existing person."

Loki cocks his head to the side, regarding him. "So you're interested in this person?"

"I suppose," Thor replies, sounding strained. Loki doesn't understand why. It was a simple question that he could have answered with the obvious person, Jane Foster.

"And finally we actually get to relevant questions," he says, reading the next question in his head before he does aloud. "What do you like most about SHIELD?"

"The learning environment," he replies. "It is quite… academic."

"Quite." He smiles despite himself, catching himself before it turns into a full-blown grin. "What is your favorite subject, and what subject are you best at?"

"I am fairly fond of Earth Science although I am best in English subjects. I have a proclivity for literature."

Loki shakes his head as he writes the answers. He would think that Thor is mocking him except he knows that Thor is good with English, perhaps even better than he is—and that's a strong perhaps because he has no firsthand knowledge—and it's even believable with how… romantic he is. And he means "romantic" in the sense of those archaic knights who bent on their knees and offered roses to fair young maidens like Jane Foster because he does not know if Thor happens to possess any romance in that other sense, but he has a strong feeling that he does. Thor seems to be good at everything as much as it burns Loki to admit.

"What are you answers to the last few questions? What is your ideal, er, romantic partner like?"

Loki turns to look at him, dropping the pen. "Seriously?" Thor nods. "I have no ideal," he murmurs, and it's a massive lie if he's ever told one. "I have no interest in anyone. Chemistry is currently my favorite class, but I admit that Calculus is my strongest subject. I am good with absolutes."

"You're much too disingenuous for your own good, Loki." Thor chuckles, earning a glare. "You, the most particular person I have ever met, do not have an ideal romantic partner? That's an untruth, and we both know it."

"You're calling me a liar? I have never been so offended."

"Save it, Loki, and answer my question with something other than one of your lies."

He sighs, knowing that there is no use in arguing with Thor. "Patrick Bateman," he replies. "He is the ideal man of my dreams: charming, insane, physically appealing, and unfeeling. I want a less murderous version of him for my own use."

Thor is not amused. "That movie was quite disturbing."

He shrugs. "It's a personal favorite," he says, and he's thankful that he evaded that question with grace. "What are your plans for the future?"

"I wish to be an ecologist."

"Ecologist?" Loki scoffs. "I am finally genuinely surprised. I was under the impression that you were seeking to enter the field of astronomy. It seems to be the only topic you and Miss Foster discuss."

In retrospect, it is the only topic he's heard them discuss. They only talk about astronomy, and it's more irritating than not that the only thing they have in common is a central topic in every conversation they hold. Maybe in private they discuss other things, but for being his close friend, they have very little in common in general.

"Loki…" Thor says, and Loki turns to look at him. "Jane is not-"

"I really don't care. Honestly, I care about the state of the economy in Azerbaijan more than that, and the favorite color of their president much more." Loki gulps, feeling his hands suddenly go clammy. "Next question is about your plans for college. Where do you plan to attend?"

"I have a great amount of time to decide, Loki, and I have made no such decision," Thor replies. Loki looks up at him and sees the worry in his eyes, which only manages to make him feel uncomfortable being the object of said worry. "You do not have to worry about me leaving you."

"I'm not," he snaps, immediately regretting it. "I mean—it's natural that you leave to go to college. I'll be perfectly fine when you're gone."

"If you insist…"

"What is your father like?" He tries to hide the crinkle of disgust at the thought of Odin. He cannot help that he's not quite fond of the man. "I think it best if you answer this question."

Thor gives him a peculiar look but answers. "My father is quite the influence on my life," he says, suddenly slipping off of the bed to go pace, Loki tracking his movement. "I think I would not be much of the man I am—wish to be if it weren't for him. As a young boy, he was very encouraging when my academics and sports were involved. I am successful mostly because of the lasting affect it has had on me. With him as a constant presence in my life, I have been pressured to reach my full potential."

Loki finishes writing a paraphrased answer. "That sounds oddly Freudian," he replies, elaborating when Thor gives him a curious look. "I mean, it sounds as if you resent him. I am not saying that you do, but-"

"I understand. It verily does. I would appreciate it if you perhaps…"

"Toned it down? Don't worry, I've got you covered. My duty as your brother, right?" It sounds bitter even to his own ears, but he ignores it. "You owe no explanation or warning to me."

"The next question?"

"And what is your mo-" Loki closes his mouth, remembering that this could be as touchy a subject for Thor as it is for Loki. He can't believe he didn't see this question coming. It was a natural progression from one about his father to one about his mother.

Thor turns to look at him. "What?"

"It's—what is your mother like?" Loki cringes on behalf of the girls, wondering what they were thinking when they decided to write out such a question. Perhaps they were not thinking their brains at all.

Thor appears unaffected, simply turning back around to look at the bureau. "What _was_ my mother like?" he repeats with the correct tense, and Loki bites his lip, looking down at the floor. "My mother was the most amazing woman that I have ever met, and I guess I'm biased, but it's true. Her presence had a profound influence on how I developed even after her death. I grew up under my father's guidance, but she is as responsible as he is for how I turned out.

"She smelled like cinnamon and ginger. I remember it clear as day as much or perhaps even more vividly than how you waft the smell of your aloe body wash and your berry shampoo though my father has never and still doesn't believe me and gives me strange looks when I go into a soliloquy about her. He thinks I make up stories to try to feel closer to her."

"Are you?"

Thor turns, a picture in his hand. "No, I don't enjoy lying as much as you do."

It's meant to be comic relief in a conversation about such a heavy topic, but Loki finds himself feeling out of place in Thor's room, wanting to stand up and leave. This is getting too close to a place Loki would rather not venture with Thor.

"And he always told me to 'hold onto what is yours', which is what he failed to do considering that my mother was about to leave him when…" Thor sighs, placing the frame back on the bureau. "Her presence is red and gold in my memory like the sun on a clear summer day or a large solar flare. Perhaps even a bit like autumn, like the browning leaves and the withering trees. We all enjoy the colors of parts of them dying, and it's rather morbid when you take the time to reflect on it. Autumn is quite full of death."

"The world is quite full of death," Loki replies, staring up at the ceiling. There's a new heaviness in his stomach that makes him want to throw up everything he's eaten with every memory he has of his life. The alternative of remembering nothing is better than the burden of carrying around repressed memories. "You're born, you live a miserable life, and you die."

"My mother lived quite a happy life though I suspect it was rather unpleasant at times toward the end. Your nihilist outlook on life will do you no good."

He laughs, shaking his head. "Should have told that to my father."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I would rather talk about my romantic woes than that," he says, sitting up. "I—we're finished. You've answered enough questions." Pausing at the door, he turns to look at Thor once more. "Thank you for your time."

"September 22nd," Thor replies, and Loki knows that he's telling him the day she died by the way he's avoiding looking in Loki's eyes. "I was five."

Grabbing the doorknob, he sneers, and shoots a, "Ditto," in Thor's direction before he closes the door. It's not the most appropriate response, but it seems that humor is the one thing that provides an excellent distraction from the root of the issue.

The talk provides nothing but a constant nagging in Loki's brain that he should go back and try to reciprocate to Thor, pouring out his emotions in his most vulnerable state in an attempt to try to form some connection with him. He wants nothing more than to be okay with Thor, but if that's what it takes, he would prefer keeping him at arm's length.

It's not like he can trust him after that. He's unsure of whether he won't go and tell their mutual friends of Loki's "little emotions" and laugh at how cowardly he's being.

He often wonders what the life of his peers are like when he encounters them, listening to them while he dissects their inner thoughts and feelings from each word they say. The chance of him assuming incorrectly or being off base is great, but he knows that he's more than often right about their ticks and quirks. It's much easier than conquering his own inner demons. Talking to Bruce is particularly fruitful the next day.

Bruce speaks to him about a science journal he read the night before, making motions of a heliocentric model of the planets and a possible star configuration that could lead to another planet with a similar environment to earth being only a few dozen light years away. He knows the least about Bruce out of all of his friends but simply paying attention to him provides him with a lot of background of what Bruce is like.

The primal beast lurking behind the surface is ever present as he speaks and leads Loki to believe that Bruce's involvement in his friends' scheme was nothing more than as a possible reserve needed if things blew up in their faces. Perhaps Robert and Thor would have been helpful, but there's something that tells Loki that Bruce would have been as helpful as both of them, maybe even more. Tony's jokes about Bruce being insane make a lot more sense with the wild look in his eyes, and Loki's small fear of Bruce does nothing but increase.

"You should know that I'm sorry," Bruce says as they're changing out of their gym clothes. "I shouldn't have gotten involved at all, but I had this bad feeling that it would turn out bad. I was right as always and wish I could have stopped Tony from doing something so showy. I know that it's his thing, but that was wrong."

He turns to Bruce, cocking in eyebrow in slight surprise. "Um, thank you. I accept your apology."

"I just—can I admit that I'm happy that you're no longer interested in the mysterious von Doom?" Bruce looks at him curiously, and Loki nods. "He's—Betty was almost victim to his charm once too, but he let it slip to her early on that Susan was always the object of his true love. I probably sound jealous, and it's, it's because I kind of was."

"You and Betty were…?"

Bruce nods. "Yep, but we agreed that it was kind of stupid. We're kids." He sounds slightly put-off, but Loki doesn't point it out. "We have time for that stuff later. Come on, we'll be late for our next class."

At lunch, Loki pokes at his food, only eating a piece when Thor or Tony points out that he's "enough of a twig" or "adequately lean", and his thoughts keep trailing to other places. He would call it being "homesick" if he missed his old home. No, he only misses the old routine. This new one is never quite as regular as he would like it to be.

In newsletter, he shows up with the folder, ready to hand it off to Gwen with an expression of smugness on his face. He accomplished what was asked without much hassle other than the obvious impromptu soul-to-soul he had with Thor. His expression is quickly exchanged for a glare at Gwen when she flips through the manila folder and tells him that they're only using two or three of the actual answers in the article, filling most of it in with the "basic journalistic fluff." There's a slight twitch in his brow as she gives him a satisfied look, unknowing of how the rage boiling inside of Loki dying to be let out.

Calmly, he nods and walks into the other room, taking a seat at the head of the table with his back turned to Gwen as he tries to reign in the anger that wants to surface in the form of scathing words.

Carol enters the room with Pepper, Pepper chattering excitedly, and the looks on their faces quickly become fearful when they notice that Loki's teeth are bared. Carol takes the longest way around the table, shooting scared glances to Loki throughout while Pepper takes a seat next to him, leaning forward with concern on her face.

"Are you okay? You look like—you look scary."

"Thank you," he replies, turning to glare at Carol through the doorway. "It's nothing important. I'm fine."

Pepper leaves it at that, pulling her laptop out of her bag. As she types, she keeps sending him the same worried look and Loki simply stares back at her, eyes devoid of anything resembling warmth.

He attempts to keep the look on his face when he sees Thor in the entrance hall after school, sending him the same look her sent Carol, but it only ends up making Thor feel the need to try to attempt to comfort him with a hand around the shoulder.

Loki is shocked at the sudden weight on his shoulders, but his body adjusts quickly, leaning into Thor to compensate for the slight weight on one side. It's incredibly confusing and even more infuriating that he can just brush off Loki's emotions like feathers, and it's not as if his sudden relaxation is doing anything to help that. His body wants Thor to comfort him as stupid as that is.

Thor's arm leaves his shoulder when they get into the cab, and Loki uses the newfound space to try to clear his mind. It proves to be fruitful because he focuses on something other than the emptiness he feels with the absence of Thor's arm as a pressure against his neck.

For what he thinks must be the first time in days, he jerks off. It's quick and does the job of relieving some of the sexual tension Thor's touch left him with, and he passes out not long after.

The following morning, he wakes up, and his intuition is telling him to spend the entire Saturday in bed. A quick glance at his alarm clock tells him that it's only 6:00, and there's nowhere he has an obligation to go.

He stares up at the ceiling, hearing the silence around the house that alerts him of everyone still being asleep. It appears he and Thor aren't going to the gym today though Loki wishes he had something to do to take his mind off of his romantic and parental woes. It shouldn't bother him, talking about his father, but it does and the feeling in his stomach isn't indicative of anything good.

If he'd never had to ask those questions, he would have never even talked about that with Thor. His mind would be clear except for the usual regret over not seeing the signs that could have warned him of the week before, and Loki could wake up without worrying about something happening in the day.

A soft knock on the door, which Loki answers with a dry, "come in," later, Thor is nudging him to the side and climbing into bed with him. It's a surprise like no other, but Loki's still sleep-addled mind does not seem to understand the sheer seriousness of this situation. When Thor's arm brushes his, it seems to give his mind some of the kick start that it needs.

"What are you doing?" He struggles in the tangle of blanket to get as far away from Thor as he possibly can. "I'm awake."

Thor's eyes shine in the morning light coming in from the window, and Loki looks away from the sight to pray to the gods that Thor decides to pity him and leave as soon as possible. There's no telling what Loki's body may do in his presence. "I came to talk."

Loki turns to look at him, hoping that the incredulity is there in plain sight. "Talk?" He snorts. "It's"—he cranes his neck to see—"7:03, and you want to talk?"

"Yes, is that a problem?" he asks, and Loki slaps a hand over his face at Thor's craziness. "7:03 is a reasonable hour to be awake."

"Why are you here? I mean, in bed with me?" Well, that definitely sounds like some kind of innuendo though Loki will not be surprised if Thor doesn't catch it.

"Why, we have shared a bed before?" Thor looks down at Loki's covered body. "Are you… naked?"

He struggles not to flush in embarrassment. "No," he says, pulling the blanket down and revealing that he is in fact clothed as proof. "I am dressed. It's just… nevermind. Forget I said anything and talk."

There's a sigh from Thor, but he drops the subject without arguing, and Loki's thankful for being spared that much. "I know that you are not keen on discussing it with me, but I feel obligated to press the subject whether you are consenting or not."

He sighs, turning to face Thor. "You're not 'obligated' to do anything like that with me." Oops, another double entendre. "I'm not going to be forced to talk about this with you, Thor. I would rather not talk about it with anyone. It's fine. I'm fine."

"Why do you insist on lying so much?" Thor asks. "Your lies are as transparent as your masks, Loki. We are going to talk about this whether you like it or not. I wished that you would be more cooperating, but we both know that is not one of your gifts."

Loki scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Wow, you're in a rude mood this morning."

"You said that you were five as well," Thor says after a few moments of silence. "It was actually 'ditto', but I know what was meant."

"Great to see that you know your slang."

"Bad coincidence. Five years old is a cursed number."

"Or maybe we're just cursed," Loki replies, glancing away from Thor's face. "It makes no sense to blame a number."

"Your mother took upon your last name after his death." A pang goes through Loki's chest at the last words, his eyes closing reflexively. He hates that word a lot. "My mother would have done the same."

"She didn't have to," Loki replies. "It makes no difference. It's a name. It means nothing."

"Perhaps you're right, but the intention was what mattered. She loves you a lot."

"Obviously," he snaps, but it doesn't hold the proper anger he wishes it did. "It's her moral duty to or whatever. She is my mother."

Thor's hand brushes his shoulder, and he flinches away from the touch, Thor sighing. "If he were alive, he would be proud of who you have become."

At that, Loki lets out a low bitter laugh, hoping it conveys how wrong and hilarious Thor is. "You did not know Laufey very well then," he replies, turning away from him. "I'm sure that he would feel nothing than his usual contempt. I'm sure that he would be slightly put off that I did not receive the family height."

He imagines a silhouette of a tall figure, a mixed aura of disapproving and satisfaction emanating from him as he towers over Loki. He feels as if he's a child again, trapped in a small body and impossibly shorter but remembers that he always felt like that in his suffocating and chilling presence. He was always looking up, craning his neck to get a glance of the same contemptuous look that his father wore when he was around. It frightened him and made him intrigued all the same. He only wanted his attention, even a simper.

"You're fine the way you are Loki," Thor says, his hand running over Loki's back, "and you are rather tall though you are shorter than me by not much. There are not many are taller than you here."

"It doesn't matter. You're still wrong whether you believe it or not."

"I know that my mother would be pleased with you though she is not a great fan of liars. Me, on the other hand, she would probably have some words with me."

"For what?" Loki asks. "You're… perfect. More people want to be you than you know."

Thor snorts. "Then they are all fools," he replies. "My mother was a fan of the brave. I inherited the love of the trait from her though not the trait itself."

He turns to stare at Thor in disbelief. He's spewing madness. "Wrong again, Thor," he says. "You're an idiot too. If she hated idiots, then she'd be furious to find out that you've become one." He realizes how harsh he's being but doesn't stop. "Your bravery is astounding, fool. If I could borrow some for a day, I would have a much more enjoyable time in life. Don't deny the obvious. There's nothing wrong with you even if you do act like an idiot far too often. Now, my father would like you, but he would have some qualms about your foolishness.

"Perhaps it is a given that he's not-" He's cut off by the sudden motion of Thor pining him on his back and straddling him, effectively stopping him from moving without Thor's consent. He stares up at Thor, eyes wide and waits for him to move as he's just sitting there, pining Loki's arms to his sides.

"Shut up," Thor says, enunciating each word clearly. "You are as much a fool, or perhaps even much more of one than I am if you believe any of the words you are saying. I cannot stand to listen to any more of your self-deprecation or double-edged insults any longer, so you will listen to me, okay?"

Loki nods because there's nothing else to do.

"I cannot change the past or any wrongs that went on between you and your father, but I can help you overcome them to the best of my ability. You may feel otherwise, but I feel that we have made some headway here." Thor inhales. "Loki, your appearance is… more than satisfactory, and the opinion of a, a dead man has little effect of how I feel or anyone else for that matter. Am I understood?"

He takes a moment to blink before nodding. "Yes, you are understood," he replies with a roll of the eyes. "Will you get off of me now?"

Thor appears to not hear the second question, staying where he is, or he just ignores it. Instead, he leans down and lies his head down on the pillow beside Loki, pressing them together chest to chest.

Loki stares up at the ceiling, willing all of his blood to stay where it is. Thor's weight is entirely too comfortable against him when it should feel as though he's being squashed, and they fit together too well.

"If she would have survived, my mother and father would have divorced," Thor says, his voice rumbling through his chest to Loki's. "I would have probably been raised by her and a different person. Knowing that, I sometimes used to wish that the clock would turn back, so she would still be alive. Then my father wouldn't have as much control over me as he does or as much as I thought he did during my early teenage years. I went through the normal resentment phase as everyone else, but it did not last as long as yours has."

"Ha, ha." Loki rolls his eyes. "I am not in a 'resentment phase.' I am-"

"Fine?" Thor turns his head, his breath brushing against Loki's ear.

"No," he says, eyes briefly meeting Thor's. "Conflicted is what I was going to say before I was interrupted. We wouldn't know each other."

"What?"

"If your wish had come true," Loki clarifies. "We would have never met. You wouldn't be… here." _On top of me_, goes unsaid.

"I know which is why I am happy that it did not. I admit that I prefer being here on-"

There's a sharp knock at the door. "Are you two boys in there?"

Loki urges Thor off of him, pushing at his shoulders. "Yes, we are," he replies, slapping at him to get off.

"May I come inside?" Odin asks, his voice unsure. He suspects something, which Loki wouldn't mind if there was anything to suspect, but there isn't.

Thor lingers above him, casting a glance at the door, and Loki anticipates something stupid like a—kiss or something, and he gets one… on the forehead.

Thor opens the door. "Hello, Father."

Loki pushes the covers off of him.

"If you two would care to eat breakfast, you are urged to come downstairs," Odin says, eyebrows raised. "I must confess that I am… surprised to see you two both in here. It pleases me greatly."

Loki doesn't return the smile Odin gives him, staring at him blankly. He cares not for Odin's opinion of their relationship any more than he cares for his phony smiles.

The rest of the day, he finds himself on a strange sort of edge, guarding his expressions and emotions like the treasures they truly are and keeps his opinions to a minimum at dinner. There's an uneasiness in his stomach as he listens to their words, picking at his food with disinterest and counting down the minutes till he's excused to his room.

He blames it on his conversation with Thor, and in turn, takes it out on him. It's wrong to close off to him after Thor opened up like that, but Loki never asked for Thor's deepest and darkest secrets. He only wanted to be liked, and he's unsure if he still wants that if it entails emotional conversations in the early morning.

His intuition is still calling for a day spent alone when he wakes up the next morning, and he discovers that Thor has already left for the gym. He didn't intend to go with him, but it almost offends him that Thor didn't think to even ask. Maybe he's more observant of Loki's moods than Loki gives him credit for.

Around 2:00, Thor returns, knocking on Loki's door to alert him of his arrival, but he doesn't bother him any farther than that. Loki returns to his watching of a movie and tries not to let Thor's behavior get to him, focusing too hard on the words that he hears through his earphones to properly enjoy the film.

Thor pops his head into Loki's room around 7:00, letting him know that dinner is ready, and Loki follows him down the stairs, noting his lack of glances sent in his direction. No, it doesn't bother him because Thor appears uninterested. It bothers him because he doesn't know why he's acting this way.

He takes his normal seat next to Thor, sending the proper greetings to Odin and his mother before attempting to eat. His stomach is slightly upset from the anxiety of being ignorant to so many things and not knowing where to start to gain any information, and he's only eaten toast today.

Odin starts rattling off some recount of a conversation he had with a business partner, and Loki half-listens as he eats pieces of his steak. The way he talks is obnoxious and hard to tune out, but Loki's been getting better at it.

"…and she's my wife, my property, my responsibility."

At those words, Loki looks up sharply at Odin, dropping his knife onto his plate with a clatter. "She's your what?" he asks, cocking his head to the side. "My mother is your what? I'm unsure of whether I heard you correctly."

Odin's eyebrows knit in confusion. "Loki, I am sorry. Did I offend you with something I-?"

He holds his hand up, stopping him. He's completely sure of what he heard was correct since Odin is evading the question entirely. "You just claimed that my mother was your 'wife, property, and responsibility'," he replies, dropping his fork next to his knife. He smiles sickly-sweet. "I apologize that I was unaware of this development."

His mother is giving him a warning look that he completely foregoes in favor of sending Odin a glare.

Odin's face is the same as it was, confident and wise because he truly believes the falsehoods leaving his mouth. "Loki, well," he says, touching her shoulder, "your mother is my-"

Loki stands up from the table, tired of being in his presence. "I'm suddenly not hungry."

"Young man, you are not excused," Odin replies. "Please take your seat-"

"I don't need your excuse!" he shouts at him, taking a step away from the table. "You have no authority over me."

"I must correct you, Loki. You do require my permission as I am your step-father. My domain of authority now extends over you."

He laughs. "I don't need your permission nor his permission to do anything! Only my mother can tell me what to do, and those are only by the words directly out of her mouth! We were fine before you decided to go elope like a bunch of teenagers, and I will be fine afterward whether my mother leaves unscathed or not!"

His mother stands up. "Loki, sit down, please."

He turns his glare on her. "I'm becoming more and more like him, remember? As I recall, he did not listen to you very often, did he?" He smiles. "He preferred to address you as—what was it? _Kvinna_, correct? Yes, simply _kvinna_."

She looks stricken as though Loki has told her that he's running off to join the circus dressed as a ringmaster, and the normal fire in her eyes is out. Her eyebrows knit together multiple times, tears filling her eyes. "I—Loki, why are you saying this?"

"I'm saying this because you're forgotten," he replies. "I had forgotten until Thor so kindly reminded me of the cold, chilly presence my father had over my childhood. We should thank him, shouldn't we, for stirring up all of those terrible memories of his semi-abusive language and random presence?" He looks at Thor for a moment. "Thank you," he says, narrowing his eyes as he grins.

"Loki, stop talking," Thor says. "You're angry. I understand."

"Yes, I remember you do," Loki says, gritting his teeth.

"Loki!" Odin shouts, bringing his fist down on the table. He knows just where Loki was headed. "Sit down now and keep your mouth closed, or continue your hurtful ramblings elsewhere!"

"I intend to." He grins, pushing his chair in. "When my mother's seen the true side of you, she will leave just-" Loki stops himself, his conscience pulling him back from the brink of no return. "She will leave just as she was always meant to, and we will resume our lives as they were, what they belong as."

With that, he turns and leaves them standing there and goes to his bedroom. There, he allows the angry tears he's been holding in fall down his cheek, but he does not allow himself to sob. No. He crawls up into a ball on his bed, pulling his knees to his chest and stares at the wall, ignoring the sick feeling in his stomach and the trembling of his limbs.

He manages to fall asleep like that, and when he wakes in the morning, he finds that Thor is already gone. It doesn't hurt, only echoes in the emptiness he feels in his chest.

He does everything the way he would, from how he does his hair to dressing casually, and when he arrives at school, he does his best not to look around for Thor.

He plays the role so well that not even Natasha notices that he feels as though his heart has been replaced by a piece of machinery by Stark. The only way he knows that's not true is because he still feels like complete shit.

Lunch is when he finally sees Thor and he definitely still has a normal human heart if the way it stops pumping for a few seconds is any indication. He stares at Thor from across the cafeteria as he enters with Bruce and doesn't realize that Tony is behind him, causing him to crash into his back and his lunch to spill all over his front.

Loki breaks eye contact with Thor to look at the mess of red and yellow on Tony's shirt, an apology on the tip of his tongue until he comes to his senses and realizes that this is Tony Stark, the last person he should ever have to apologize to.

"You f—no, I actually don't care," Tony says with a shrug. "Steve, wanna use me as a plate?"

Loki only goes toward the table instead of running because of Steve's tray nudging him in the back as he drags Tony along with him. For a brief moment, he starts toward his seat but thinks better of it, sitting down next to Bruce.

Thor looks up at him, his eyes hard, but he doesn't say anything.

"Do you have your homework for Lensherr?" Bruce asks. "I think I may have somehow gotten the wrong paper."

He nods, opening the sheet on his tablet and handing it to Bruce. He can feel Thor's eyes on him and struggles not to look back and him and start apologizing for losing his composure like that. He didn't mean to rope Thor into it, but it happened.

They don't talk at all. In Earth Science, they ignore each other completely, Thor not sending his usual glances at Loki during class, and Loki grips the sides of his chair to keep sane.

He doesn't expect Thor to wait for him after school, so he doesn't wait for him. It's almost revenge as he hails a cab just as Thor reaches the top of the steps and climbs in, shooting him a look as he tells the cab their address.

Thor gets in later than he does, and Loki immediately goes to lock his door when he hears Thor reach the top of the steps. There's no hesitation in his steps as he goes straight to his room, and Loki's heart drops in both relief and something else.

At the usual time of dinner, Loki hears a soft knock on his door but only stares at it, turning the volume of his music down until he hears a sigh and the steps walking away. He only ventures down to the kitchen later that night to eat when everyone is in their rooms.

There's no surprise when Thor doesn't wait for him again the next morning, and Loki only sighs, continuing about his morning routine as usual.

The closest he gets to Thor before lunch is when Luke and Robert are at his locker, standing there. He sends them questioning glances before putting his gym bag away.

"…I wonder if we just locked them in a room together if they would just realize that they both wanted to fuck each other."

"Who?" Loki asks, turning away from his locker and crossing his arms. "Jane Foster?"

The look that passes between Luke and Robert is filled with surprising amusement, and the two of them erupt into loud, raucous laughter which confuses Loki. What is so funny about him knowing the truth?

"I don't see how this is funny."

"Instead of just whining to us about his woes, he should've really considered taking our advice because this is going nowhere without help," Robert says between chuckles.

"When were you going to tell me about Jane?" he asks. "When was he going to tell me about her before he stopped talking to me completely? You both know, so tell me."

"Never," Luke replies before clapping him on the shoulder and erupting into more irritating laughter with Robert.

"Whatever you did to your step-brother has made him a fucking asshole to be around. Any mention of you and he threatens to kill us or something else batshit insane," Robert says. "I know, I know, we were assholes for telling him about the HYDRA boy thing, but if you were in on our conversations, you would have done the same thing. He's fucking hopeless."

"Which is why we're coming to you, Lok-master," Luke says. "You two need to get your shit together because it's really tiring to have him moping around instead of whining about romance like he usually does. These past two days, he's been just… sitting there with a look on his face. Anytime we start talking about you, he snaps out of it and goes insane."

"It was funny for about a minute, but we talk about you a lot, so it's not funny anymore. Kind of scary."

"Maybe you should stop talking about me then. I doubt he wants to hear about me with his friends," Loki replies, looking down at his feet. "I doubt he wants to hear about me at all."

Robert claps him on the shoulder. "Oh-kay, little Loki, whatever you say, but you should know that it's impossible not to. I mean, if you knew, then you would understand."

He looks up at him. "Knew what?" he asks. "What don't I know?"

Luke sighs. "Fucking hopeless people. Come on, Rob, or we'll be late."

After that pointless conversation, Loki has a hard time concentrating in class. Dr. Lactus calls him on, and it takes for a nudge by Steve to get his attention. He says the answer, but Dr. Lactus still sends him dark looks throughout class.

Thor talks to him twice at lunch, the first time telling him that the third button of his shirt is buttoned wrong in the middle of his conversation with Tony about a show they both like.

Loki confusedly looks down and notices that it is in fact buttoned the wrong way and starts to unbutton it when Tony wolf-whistles, catching the attention of a passing Harry who gives Loki a thumbs up and wags his eyebrows.

"Go do it in the restroom," Thor says, staring at him evenly.

Loki nods, flushing, and goes to fix his shirt, his heart pounding in his chest as he does. It's progress even if it is barely twenty words altogether.

After that, things return to "normal." Thor doesn't look at him in Earth Science, and Loki catches his own cab home. He eats after everyone is in their rooms, almost encountering Thor when he closes his door and Thor comes out of his room.

He hardly contains his surprise the next morning when he meets Thor in the hallway after he takes his shower the next morning. It's awkward, standing there dripping wet and naked except for a towel, and Loki is the first to move, walking backward into his room and pointedly shutting the door.

Thor's gone when he goes downstairs, and Loki has no idea what he was expecting.

His mother descends the stairs at the exact moment that he opens the front door, and they stand and stare at each other for a moment. She opens her mouth to say something, and Loki uses that opportunity to leave, closing the door on her.

He doesn't cry during the ride to school but only barely does he not manage to. The icing on his cake is that he sees Thor and Jane at her locker as he passes to go to his, and he refuses to make eye contact with Thor even if he is staring a hole in the side of his face.

Rick saves him, blocking Thor's view of Loki when he comes and opens his locker, and the hug Loki gives Rick as a greeting is a bit unnecessary, but he does it anyway. Rick gives him a strange look and starts to ask him why, but Loki smiles at him, leaving him standing there gaping.

He walks past them with the grin still on his face, and it becomes slightly genuine when he sees the look on Thor's face.

The gods are definitely against him because he sees Thor and Jane in the hallway together multiple times, and he only manages to keep the conversation he's having going by a few slips of fate. Natasha gives him a strange look when he pauses for a short second and follows his gaze to Thor and Jane, a frown appearing on her face, but she doesn't push it.

That is until lunch. "Can I ask what's going on between you and your step-brother?" Natasha asks, catching him off guard in the lunch line. She's never been in the line with him. Ever. "You two are… off."

"We haven't spoken in days," Loki tells her, putting some salad onto his tray because he needs something to do with his hands. "The silence when I come into a room is painstakingly obvious to anyone with a functioning brain, and the lingering glances that I get are anything but welcome. I am slowly losing any desire to stay under the same roof as them all."

Natasha follows him to the table, Loki stopping a few feet away to take in the way Thor is talking to Clint, Bruce, and Tony in a carefree manner that he immediately lacks when he knows that Loki is within the vicinity. It's the relaxedness of his shoulders and the way his lips curve into a dazzling smile that have the effect of making Loki feel as though his presence is more of a problem than anything.

This is definitely not the first time Loki's felt like a weight on the shoulders of others, having been the brooding type during much of his childhood up through puberty. He preferred curling up with his knees under his chin and a book in front of him to engaging in the conversation in front of him, and it made others feel uncomfortable as if he were someone to be wary of. The last thing Loki wants is for Thor to be wary of him. He wants Thor to… to like him, and that's the dilemma he faces.

"I wish I had never met him," he says without thought, Thor laughing at something Clint says a few feet away. "If we had never met, I would be where I belong."

"Then I would have never met you," Natasha replies, coming up to his side. "Believe it or not, I actually like you."

"Don't doubt my fondness for you, but sometimes the negatives outweigh the positives." Loki sighs. "I think I should just go somewhere else today. I'm not very hungry anyway."

Natasha opens her mouth to object but sees the look in Loki's eyes and nods. "I'll… tell them."

"There's no need," he says in her direction as he walks toward the trashcan. He dumps the entire thing out and leaves the cafeteria. He ends up passing Erik in the hallway who gives him a strange look.

"What are you doing out here?" he asks, and Loki tells him a lie about not being in the mood to eat with Stark around. With a grin, he invites him to his classroom, and Loki accepts, following him through the halls and into his room.

It's strange being in the room alone with him, but he sits down at his usual seat, Erik sitting on his desk. "Can I say that I am more than a little sorry for the catastrophe that occurs anytime you, Charles, and I are together?"

Loki smiles a bit. "Yes, you can, but it's not you that should be apologizing. Professor Xavier can be…"

"He overreaches a bit, yeah." Erik laughs. "Have you eaten yet?"

He starts to reply with the affirmative but realizes that lying to Erik is pointless. "No… I haven't."

"Well, come on. We should go get something. There's a place around the corner that has great gyros."

Erik insists that he pay for their lunch, so Loki lets him, staring at his feet as he pulls out his debit card. The cashier sends them a knowing look that Loki responds with a glare. They are not together even if it looks slightly incriminating for a man to be with a boy in a school blazer.

All of the students are in class when they get back to the school, so Erik says that he will walk him to his class and explain what happened to Dr. Strange. Loki's apprehensive about the entire thing, knowing that it's going to look just as bad as it did back at the restaurant, but he lets himself be led to the classroom without arguing. He thinks that he would be bad at it anyway with how bad his mood is.

"It seems that we have a visitor," Dr. Strange says from his usual spot at the center of the room, eyes closed and legs folded. "Hello, Professor Lensherr. You have one of my students."

"Our," Erik corrects with a laugh. "We share him."

Dr. Strange makes a noise in the back of his throat. "Hm, we do. Have you come to explain why he is tardy?"

"Yes, I have, and the explanation is that we went out to get lunch, forgetting that a quarter of the period had already passed, so we had bad timing. Tomorrow, I promise you that Loki will be on time."

Loki sends him a look. Tomorrow? This is going to become… a thing?

"Good, good. Take your seat next to Mr. Stark if that is where you desire," Dr. Strange says, "and goodbye, Professor Lensherr. Your assistance is appreciated."

He inclines his head before nudging Loki forward and leaving.

Loki takes his seat, feeling many unwanted eyes on him excluding Thor's.

"He's your boyfriend, isn't he?" Tony asks. "Yep, you're together. Called it."

"Shut up, Stark." Natasha leans forward. "I didn't think you were saying that you were going to that place when you said that you were eating elsewhere."

"I wasn't," he replies. "It… happened."

"People say that about sex too."

"Shut up, Tony!" Jane exclaims, turning around. "Please, not everyone wishes to talk about Loki's sex life."

"Who does then? I'm sure Loki and I would love to hear this."

She turns pink, turning away, and Loki smirks.

"That's what I thought." Tony leans on his elbow. "Now, was it love at first sight?"

"Shut up, Tony," he replies, rolling his eyes.

Instead of ignoring him as usual, Thor takes to glaring at him when he comes into Earth Science. His eyes are hard and narrowed as Loki takes his seat beside him, and Loki gives him a confused look, about to ask what's wrong when Mrs. Munroe begins talking.

He hails a cab as usual after school, going to get in and leave when the door opens and Thor slips inside, forcing him to move over. Thor glares at him as he tells the cab driver in a confused voice their address, and he presses himself to the door as far away from Thor as he can, trying to ignore the look he's giving Loki.

Loki runs up to his room, locking the door and plugging in his earphones, clicking a Linkin Park CD and turning the volume up to Marvinimum. He stares at his door, waiting to hear a harsh knock but one never comes.

He sneaks down to the kitchen to get something to eat at 10:00 and finds that the three of them are in the dining room, seemingly beginning to eat dinner. He curses, realizing that they probably realized what he was doing, and turns to go upstairs when he hears his mother say, "Loki, come sit and eat."

He goes to the archway, clenching his fists at his sides. "Um, I'm not hungry," he replies. "I was coming to get a drink. I ate a lot with Professor Lensherr earlier."

His mother takes a bite of her food. "You ate with him, hm?"

"Yes, we eat lunch together… now. May I go upstairs?" He stares down at the ground, trying to convey his discomfort.

"I would prefer if you ate with us but-"

"You may go," Odin says, interrupting her.

Loki nods, not meeting his eyes and goes to grab a water from the fridge. He resolves to wait till later to go and eat and tries to make it look like he's asleep, turning off the light and keeping all movement to a minimum. At 12:00, he tip-toes down the steps and into the kitchen.

"You lied." The voice startles him, but he doesn't allow himself to jump in fright.

He opens the fridge, grabbing a plate and putting it into the microwave. He turns to face Thor. "I lie all of the time," he replies, crossing his arms. "It's nothing new."

Thor sits across the counter, staring at Loki as he leans on his arm. "No, it's not," he says, sighing.

He grabs his plate and leaves Thor sitting there without a second glance.

In the morning, Thor's in the same position, albeit changed into different clothes, and Loki sends him a confused look as he goes to eat breakfast. Thor's eaten already, the empty bowl in the sink tells him, so there's no reason for him to be here.

He eats as fast as he can, finishing in less than five minutes. When he's finished, he grabs his things and leaves, Thor standing up to follow him. He does something that Thor's not expecting and turns and walks instead of hailing a cab.

"Loki, what are you doing?" Thor calls after him.

"Walking," he replies with a smirk. He makes it ten blocks before he decides to hail a cab if he wants to get there before the halls are entirely crowded with people. When he arrives, he finds Thor sitting on the front steps of the school, head in his hands, and Jane sitting next to him. He can't suppress the grin as he gets out of the cab and walks past them, Thor looking at him with disbelief and Jane glaring.

"I thought you walked!" Jane calls.

He turns around as he opens the front door. "I changed my mind!" he responds, walking inside. It's petty, he knows that, but he finds that being ignored by Thor has left him more than a little bitter.

Charles and Raven join them for lunch, Raven looking at Erik like he's lost his mind and Charles shaking his head. "This is becoming more than a little illegal," Charles says as they start toward the restaurant. "Erik, do I have to set up an overseas account for you two to live on while you escape to Europe where the age of consent is under 16?"

"Sorry, Erik, but I have to agree with Charles. This is becoming a lot like some modern version of _Lolita_."

"_Lolita_?" Loki asks. "What is _Lolita_?"

Raven opens the door and gapes at him. "How do you not know what _Lolita_ is?"

"I'm from Sweden," he replies. "I only came to America a month ago."

"What?" Raven nudging Charles. "Charles, you didn't tell me this?"

"I didn't think it was important." He grins when she rolls her eyes.

The cashier gives them another knowing look, and Raven returns the glare with Loki this time, shoving her card into her hand with a murmur about people "minding their business."

Loki makes it to class on time, but it doesn't make Tony's stupid remarks about he and Erik being a couple any less annoying. He sits down at the table, ignoring the twin glares he gets from Jane and Thor, and shrugs when Natasha raises her eyebrows at him.

The next day, Tony corners him as he tries to go to meet Erik and says that they are all well aware of the feud going on between them and want to help. Loki tries to ignore him, but Tony continues following him.

"Let us end the Cold War!" Tony finally shouts, and Loki turns to give him an incredulous look. "What? That's what it is."

He narrowly stops himself from running straight into Thor at the last moment, sliding past him with a spin, and Thor turns and gives him a dark look, Loki returning it with ease. He's tired of being the wrong one in this situation.

"Are you going to tell us what happened between you and Thor?" Charles asks just as Loki is taking his first bite of food, and Loki almost chokes.

Dr. McCoy, who joined them today, delivers a firm blow underneath the ribs that moves it on its proper course. "You're welcome," he replies with a sigh.

Loki nods his gratefulness and glares at Charles. He's bringing this up again when Loki told him that everything was fine. It isn't fine now like it was then, but it's still none of his concern. "What?"

"Charles, please, don't…"

Charles shrugs. "It's obvious that the two of you are going through a rough patch in your relationship. Would you like to talk about it?"

Loki tenses. "No, I would not."

"Perhaps a romantic gesture-"

"Oh god, Charles, you're implying that-" Raven groans. "Please, close your mouth now."

"I thought that it was obvious that the two of them were attracted to each other."

Loki stands, gathering his food. "I think that I will join my friends for lunch after all."

Erik stands as well. "I will walk you back."

"No, please, I would prefer to be alone." Loki leaves as fast as he can, walking at a pace faster than normal until he's back inside the school. Just as he enters, the end of period bell rings, and he lets himself be engulfed in the crowd of students as they scramble to their classes.

"This Cold War is tearing us apart," Tony says in a sing-song voice as Loki sits down. "Can we just get together and love each other?"

"Shut up," Loki says. "I beg of you to stop singing now."

"Whoa, whoa, just saying that you two," he says, shouting at the end, "need to resolve your issues. Who agrees with me?"

Loki sinks farther into his seat when Tony stands up.

"Who thinks that Thor and Loki should love each other?"

"You're assuming that they don't," Steve says.

"Well, let me rephrase that then. Who thinks that they should be-?"

He pulls Tony back down. "Shut your mouth,"

Charles sends him apologetic looks throughout English, and Loki pointedly ignores them, wanting him to squirm with guilt.

In Earth Science, Mrs. Munroe stands at the front of the classroom and announces their projects are due, and Loki and Thor both look at each other in the realization that they are not finished.

His heart sinks in his chest when she points to Johnny and Billy that they are up first, but at the way that Billy stands up, he knows that another chance has been given.

"We didn't do it," Johnny says with a shrug. "Forgot."

"Billy, is he telling the truth?" Mrs. Munroe asks, her eyes narrowed. "Are you not prepared?"

Billy nods. "Yes, Johnny is telling the truth."

He expects her to explode on them, and he's definitely not expecting the grin that appears on her face. It's a passive aggressive grin similar to the ones he loves to give, but it's still opposite of what he was expecting. "Well, it looks like I will have to delay all project until Monday," she replies. "I will go in this presentation order. It has somehow turned out to go from Lower Manhattan to Central Park in order of area. It's a great coincidence, and I will not have it ruined by your lack of responsibility. Now…"

Loki lets out a sigh of relief, thankful that the gods have granted him this small thing.

After class, Thor is vibrating with something a lot like fury, and Loki takes it as a hint to get as far away as possible.

He hails a cab after school, expecting to go home alone, but Thor is suddenly behind him, nudging him in. Confused, he turns to ask him what he thinks he's doing, but Thor ignores him, telling the cab driver their address. He wonders if his reaction the other day looked like that from Thor's perspective.

"I cannot believe we forgot," Thor says, leaning on his hand.

Loki turns to look at him. "It was a given that Johnny and Billy did too. We were bound to. There wasn't much of a teamwork spirit this week anyway. Everyone could see that. Charles did."

Thor turns to look out the window, effectively ending their conversation. Loki's almost offended, almost, but he doesn't voice his offense. He shrugs and waits for the cab to pull up to their house.

The remaining day is spent in his room pacing as he tries to figure out what he's going to do about the mess of his and Thor's relationship. Somewhere halfway through the pacing, he puts together an outline for their project to try to occupy himself. He even makes it with Thor in mind.

Saturday, he almost attempts to try and go talk to Thor but thinks better of it. Instead, he meditates to try to clear his mind, and that works a bit. It's enough to make him have the confidence needed to leave his room and go to Thor's.

He knocks on the door, rocking to and fro on his heels to try to ignore the fight or flight instinct that's leaning toward flight right about now. A few moments pass, and Loki feels himself getting more irritated than nervous. Thor's supposed to be the mature one out of the two of them, and ignoring Loki when he is trying to ensure that they do not fail is not entirely mature. They have been given this second chance, and Loki intends to use it. It's a bad idea, he knows that, but he places his hand on the doorknob, inhaling deeply before he turns the knob and pushes it open.

Thor can't use the excuse of not being there because he is visibly sitting in his bed, his laptop in his lap and a pair of bright red earphones on his head. That he can use as an excuse, not being able to hear Loki, and Loki sighs because Thor still hasn't noticed that he's there. He's still typing away on his keyboard—one-handed which Loki is impressed that he has the dexterity—as if Loki is not standing there in the doorway.

"Thor, excuse me," he says, and it's enough to get Thor's attention because he looks up at Loki, eyes wide and surprised. He raises his hand and pointedly knocks on the door. "I did knock."

Thor stares at him, and Loki glances down at himself, wondering if there is something on him. There is nothing visible to Loki, which means that there is something that Loki is missing.

"Uh… did I do something wrong coming in here?" he asks, furrowing his brow. "I am not here to bother you if that's what you think."

Thor's eyes glance down at the screen, and Loki gets an idea of what he may be viewing on that laptop. He happens to be a teenage boy in the 21st Century with internet access, and Loki knows from experience that the internet is a place of wondrous, awe-inspiring things that can soil even the most celibate mind.

"Thor, what are you watching?" he asks, crossing his arms. "If I interrupted something—I was coming to ask you if you wanted me to work on our project, or if you wanted to assist me, but-"

"N-no," Thor says, finally replying in a rather hoarse voice that is going to make Loki the embarrassed one soon. "We—I would, uh, like to help you… in a few moments, but I-"

Finally Loki sees it or rather _him_, and oh gods is it something that he's dreamed of, and the saying that reality is often more disappointing than dreams does not apply at all. It's much, uh, more than what he expected, and it's just_ there_ in all its glory. It's been there the entirety of this conversation, and Loki only now notices. He's wasted precious moments that could have been spent taking it into his memory in this once in a lifetime occurrence.

"Oh," he says in a voice that sounds too small, small like how his jeans are starting to feel.

Thor glances away, nodding. "…yes."

Loki tries to tear his eyes away from it, but it's as if it is surrounded by the same golden halo that Thor has, and when Thor looks back at him, he briefly looks up before pointedly looking back down like the fool that he is. He cannot be blamed that he was not prepared for this. He doesn't think anyone could be.

"I'll, um, wait outside," he replies, turning his entire body around to stop staring. When the door clicks shut behind him, he allows himself the joy of a grin and a childish giggle. He almost pulls out his phone and sends Natasha a text declaring what he's seen but stops himself because he wants this to be his and only his.

He retrieves his tablet from his room, adjusting himself in his pants after he does.

Thor opens the door, looking very disheveled in a way that makes the grin Loki is containing for the other boy's benefit break out.

Loki lingers by the door, taking in the way that Thor's pants hang dangerously low on his hips as a reminder of what he's just seen. He closes the door, turning around to let himself grin, and turns back to Thor with a bad version of his neutral face.

"I have our notes on my tablet. We can transfer them onto a PowerPoint. You should make every other slide so the voice seems cohesive."

Thor nods, reaching up and scratching his neck with _that_ hand. Loki has to glance away to regain his composure. "I'm inferring that you made an outline."

Loki pulls up the file, sneering. "You know me so well. Yes, I made an outline. You know that your pages are about because they're written in red text. Mine are in green."

He takes the tablet with his other hand. "Organized though I am not surprised."

"Then we feel the same way. There have been no surprises today for either of us."

Their eyes meet, Thor staring at Loki like he's said something wrong, and Loki has done no such thing. He may have implied things, but there is quite a difference.

Thor clears his throat, looking back down at the tablet.

Loki realizes belatedly that he forgot his laptop in his room, and the devious person inside of him has a desire that it intends to fulfill. "Oh, I forgot my laptop," he says, trying to look as sorrowful as he can.

Thor takes the bait, standing up. "I'll, uh, go get it for you."

He lies down on his back, watching Thor go with a smile on his face. There are many things that can go wrong with this entire situation, but he's finding that he doesn't care. He holds something over Thor that even he with all of his height cannot reach.

There's a spark of thrill that runs through his hands as he pulls Thor's laptop to him, leaning on his side as his fingers ghost over the keys. Thor's wallpaper is of a thunder storm, and Loki's satisfied that it is not the generic glamour model that many boys their age have donning their computer screen. He should be disgusted that Thor—whose hands were somewhere not seen as the cleanest—had his hands on this same keyboard, but it only sends shivers down his spine.

He hears the sink in the bathroom and realizes that Thor is washing his hands. He almost hopes that he did get his laptop beforehand, coating his fingers all over it, and it's got to be some newfound fetish of Loki's. If it were anyone else, he'd be disgusted, but it's Thor.

"Loki, what are you… doing?" Thor asks, coming back into the bedroom. He has a look of concern on his face that makes Loki roll his eyes.

"I couldn't wait," he replies, opening up another tab. The 'Recently Closed' button is only pixels away, and it would take only a click to see what gets Thor's perversions turning. All privacy rules say that Loki should simply continue on to Google, but he so direly wants to see.

Thor sits down, setting Loki's laptop down gently. "Here is your laptop."

"Go ahead and use mine," he says, smirking as he opens yet another tab to Google. The other tab remains on the same page, 'Recently Closed' button about to be clicked. It's as if he's hitting the Holy Grail only to discover that someone has already been there and done that when he finds that the list is empty.

Holding in a groan of disappointment, he pulls up Microsoft PowerPoint, and he feels cheated.

They do the project in relative silence, making a comment or asking a question every once in a while, and Loki's at ease here with Thor not glaring daggers at him. They work efficiently, finishing before 10:00, and Loki thinks that it is definitely going to be the best project in the class.

There's a knock on the door, and Thor gets up, going to open it.

"I came to see if you two were hungry." It's his mother, and Loki keeps his eyes on the PowerPoint running on the screen. "Dinner is ready if…"

The last slide comes up and Loki snaps the laptop shut, tucking it under his arm and standing up. "No, I'm not hungry," he says, slipping between his mother and the door and into his room. Before he closes the door, he adds, "Thank you for keeping me in mind."

He throws his laptop on the bed and flops down to stare at the ceiling. If he and Thor are somewhat alright, it doesn't change that his mother and he are the farthest thing from not. He should try to apologize, but he doesn't want to. He's been dying to voice his opinions for a while, and he finally did it. There's nothing to be sorry for except the timing and manner.

When he sees the wallpaper that is not Jon Kortajarena, he realizes that he has the wrong laptop. It's Thor's, and it's also 12:00 at night. He does not feel like getting up to give it back to him, and there's nothing that he needs on his computer that Thor doesn't have. Everything that he is going to look up is easily erasable anyway.

Loki finishes with his daily reading, going to erase the history in case there's something that he's clicked that seems abnormal to Thor. He clicks the 'History' button, expecting it to be as empty as the 'Recently Closed' button except for a few pages, but it turns out that Loki has indeed hit the Holy Grail, but he was just in the wrong place.

The pages are all definitely porn, website names like 'XXX Love' and 'Hardcore' filling up the screen after a little scrolling. Thor either has excellent stamina or is very particular because he visits a lot of different webpages, and Loki finds that he doesn't mind either. Before Thor, he had very good stamina, and he is very particular to who he projects his affections on. It just happens that Thor fits the bill.

Biting the tip of his thumb in anticipation, he clicks on the second to last link, expecting some moaning trollop to appear on his screen, but oh how Loki is wrong. Instead, he gets a guy as in a very attractive guy, long limbs, unmarred pale skin, jet black hair, and he's also very naked. He's stroking himself in lazy movements, looking disinterested though his hardness suggests otherwise.

He feels for his earphones, plugging them in and jamming them deep into his ear before turning the volume up. There are no sounds except for the boy's breathing, and Loki figures that he should kill two birds with one stone. Reaching down, he takes himself in hand, pumping in time with the boy's slow strokes.

Loki squeezes himself painfully hard in surprise when a well-muscled blond _male_ appears, kneeling on top of the black-haired boy and kissing him. It's strange for a few moments, Loki continuing his strokes as he waits for the other female person to show up. Perhaps Thor is into threesomes.

They make quick work of getting to the main event, the blond switching places and the black-haired boy lowering down onto him in one shot. Loki is shocked that Thor is into male-male sex, and he continues expecting a woman to show up.

It's only until the two of them reach climax simultaneously that Loki realizes that there is no other person.

His curiosity carries him back to the main history page, and he clicks on the last link before his own sites show up. When the same black-haired boy and blond boy appear on the screen kissing passionately, a strange feeling gathers in Loki's gut. He guesses that it's his need to cum, pushing the feeling away.

They finish before Loki, Loki pushing the laptop to the side so he can finish. It takes a few seconds, closed eyes, and his imagination and memory to cum hard and messy. He's more in shock than in his normal haze as he lies there, staring at the ceiling.

He erases all of the history to make sure that Thor doesn't know that he may have seen his viewing habits and clears all of the other web data. He wishes to save them both any future embarrassment where his computer is involved.

There's some explanation behind why the hell Thor was watching gay porn, and he's going to figure it out.

Maybe it's not the most appropriate that he starts his and Natasha's conversation the next morning with the question, "Does watching gay porn make you gay?"

Natasha stares at him, cocking an eyebrow and replies without missing a beat. "Loki, uh, I thought you were sure that you were gay already."

"I am," he replies, "but what if someone else is straight and they watch gay porn, are they gay?"

"No, that'd be terrible logic to assume that they were." She opens the door to French for him. "Why? Is there something I should-"

"No," he answers. "No, I was simply curious."

His curiosity made facing Thor in the morning almost unbearable. He handed him his laptop with a half-mumbled explanation of accidentally taking it and hasn't talked to him since. The cab ride was full of Thor sending him strange looks, but he's relieved that it was for that instead of anything else. Then there's the whole situation where Loki walked in on his, er, activities, so that provides a fairly good cover for any awkwardness on Loki's part now.

There's also the fact that they haven't held an actual conversation in days.

After Ancient History, Loki has a moment of indecision when he's unsure of whether he's going to eat lunch with them or with Erik. Now that he and Thor are on civil terms, he doesn't have to worry about the awkwardness, but he also enjoys lunch with Erik when Charles isn't prying.

He turns to follow Steve and Tony, but pauses when he sees the two people standing at the end of the hallway.

Jane and Thor are standing there across from each other. When Jane gets on her tiptoes, time seems to slow down around Loki. Slowly she gets higher and higher, her lips coming toward Thor's face, and Loki knows what's about to happen. He turns away before he can witness _that_ and have his sanity sniped out of existence with one stupid kiss.

His decision has been made. He keeps going.

"Where are you going?" Tony calls. "I thought the Cold War was over?"

He turns, gritting his teeth. "America is still in possession of several nuclear warheads, one of which he just kissed!" he shouts back, Tony's face scrunching up in confusion.

"What are you—what kiss-?"

"Oh, you are coming?" Erik is standing a few feet away from him. "I wasn't sure since the word is-"

"No, I'm coming," he replies. The vindictive person inside Loki wants Thor to hurt as much as he does. He covers the distance between them and pulls Erik into a passionate embrace, pressing as much of himself into him as he can. "I just wanted to thank you for being… here."

It takes a few seconds, but he tightens his arms around Loki. "That's nothing to thank me for."

After looking over his shoulder at the frozen figures of Thor, Tony, Jane, and Steve, he presses his face into his neck, wishing that this were another time when he could relish this. "Trust me." He pulls back, looking into his eyes. "It is."

It's a bit unnecessary when he holds Erik's arm by the crook of the elbow, but it's worth the indignant sounds that he hears over his shoulder.

Two can play at this game, and Loki never, ever loses.


	8. Chapter 8

Bruce Banner: Psychopathic Scientist?!

"Congratulations on your relationship," is the first thing Loki says to Jane the next morning. Thor is a few steps behind him, but he doesn't care if Thor hears. "What an excellent display that was yesterday."

Loki did not let almost seeing them kiss get him into a bad mood yesterday. He was a bit more affectionate and physical with Erik than usual, but Erik didn't say anything about it, though Dr. McCoy sent them a strange look when he joined them for lunch. Tony was too shocked to make any comments in Psychology, and Steve sent him looks every few seconds but kept silent.

Thor, on the other hand, pretended as though nothing happened, and Loki is not going to let him forget this as easy as he wants to.

"What are you on about?" she asks, Loki opening the door and grinning at her.

"You and Thor, what else?" He cocks an eyebrow. "I was witness to your display of solidarity."

Jane stops and turns to him. "Loki, you mean our friendship, right?"

Thor looks at the two of them, Loki making a gesture for him to go on without them. He does, walking slightly slower than he needs to.

"Jane, I know," he replies, touching her shoulder. "There's no need to play these games anymore."

"I'm sorry, but I think you're confused. Thor and I are just friends, you idiot!"

That sets Loki off. "Friends don't kiss other friends, Jane!" he shouts, getting a look from a passing student. He glares back.

"Who—I was unaware of this kissing."

He doesn't have time for this. He turns and walks off, leaving Jane there to try to come up with some terrible explanation of what he saw. He almost saw them kiss even if he did not see the direct lip to lip contact. He turned away before that because there are just some things that Loki would rather not witness.

He sends Jane glances each time he encounters her the next few days, communicating through his gaze that he knows about her little "thing" with Thor even if they are under the impression that he is completely none the wiser of their more-than-friends relationship. It doesn't matter if Thor has no "girlfriend" to Loki because he knows that labels and actions are certainly separate. Perhaps they are taking a few notes from Reed and Susan with their relationship, taking it slowly even if that includes kissing in public in front of other people like Loki!

Thor and he are on much better terms than before, slipping back into the previous ease that they were in before the restaurant debacle, and maybe he can admit that his infatuation never truly left, but Thursday is the only day that he allows himself to slip a hand underneath his waistband and tilt his head back to think of blue eyes and massive muscles, dispelling the thoughts as soon as he is coherent enough.

Friday evening his mother comes home with her hands full of grocery bags, Loki immediately going down to the car to retrieve the remaining ones. He doesn't realize that he's fallen back into his old habit until he's already heaving bags onto the counter.

He begins taking out food, putting the items in their proper places, and he has a feeling that his mother realizes that this is the closest thing she is going to get to an acquiescence because she doesn't give him that same guilty look she's been gracing him with the past few days. He's thankful that she stopped trying to force him to join them for dinner because he and Odin are still where they were a week ago.

"I saw Victor while I was out today," she says, handing him meat to put in the freezer.

He does so and turns to her for something else. "What did you do?" he asks, taking another package.

"Nothing terrible," she replies with a grin. "We… talked."

He knows what that means. "How bad is it?"

She shrugs. "It will heal of course," she says, "but you may see him with a bandage on it in school. I hope that he put some ice on it. Wouldn't want to have to talk with a swollen lip."

Loki stares at her back in disbelief. He knows his mother enough that she would not assault Victor without cause. The boy had to have said something bad. "What did _he_ do?"

His mother closes the cabinet, spinning around to face him. "I asked him what the circumstances of your… dalliance on Saturday were, and he didn't seem pleased to talk to me. Naturally, I asked what he'd done to you, and… let's say he didn't respond very positively and some harsh words were exchanged from his side." She smirks. "I had to teach him to watch his tongue."

He shakes his head, imagining his mother's expression changing into something furious before she reaches up and draws her hand clear across Victor's face, Victor only staring at her in surprise. Without a doubt, Victor left in a fury, and Loki is thankful that he used that intelligence of his to realize that retaliating would bring nothing but more trouble for him. Gods does he wish he were there to watch him get hit again now that he knows what he does.

"Hm… thank you," he says as he puts away a box of cereal.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her staring at him, that look of intention on her face, and he sighs. "We need to talk, Loki," she says.

He takes all of the bags and stuffs them into the holder. "Mother, the last time I… talked to anyone, I'm sure that you're aware what that led to. Talking about sensitive subjects and me are not compatible."

"Loki, you're incompatible with everything except for being alone."

He would be offended if it were coming from anyone else, but from his mother it is only the truth. "I know, but it doesn't change anything. Perhaps we should just… move forward."

She looks like she wants to protest but nods. "I think that would be a great decision, but-"

"I was unaware that you had returned." Thor enters the kitchen, looking strained, his hair slightly disheveled, shoulders heaving, and pupils blown. Loki takes a moment to stare at him, taking in the strange yet familiar sight of a tired Thor, and it hits him suddenly that he's only once seen Thor like this.

A smirk appears on his face before he can stop it, and he barely contains his chuckles.

"It's fine, Thor," his mother says. "Loki helped me."

Thor's gaze shifts to Loki, brow furrowing when he notices the smirk. It takes a second for him to make the connection, and a flush travels up his neck, his eyes widening slightly.

"Are you boys okay?"

Loki continues staring at an embarrassed Thor, biting his lower lip. "Yes, Mother, we're fine." Thor looks up at him, and he grins back. "Absolutely fine."

When he passes Thor out of the kitchen, he does not hesitate to brush his arm and murmur, "Exerting yourself in other ways, Thor?" before going up to his room. After all of the times that Thor has never hesitated to comment on his, er, extra-curricular activities, he thinks that it is only proper that he do the same.

Saturday is spent in his room with his wireless headphones turned up to their Marvinimum volume as he lets off some steam in the form of questionable dance moves. Loki has never been the best dancer, but in the privacy of his room, he thinks that he could make some of the top ballerinas in the world envious. He thanks his natural grace and poise for not looking completely awkward as he flails his limbs and shimmies his hips side to side to the rhythm of the music.

The song changes to one of his guilty pleasures "White Nights" by Oh Land, and Loki starts to move in a more aggressive manner, relishing the privacy around him as he twirls around in a pair of boxer briefs that he only allows himself to wear when the chance of some freak accident causing his pants to fall down and _all_ to be revealed is nil. And he does allow himself to feel a naughty tinge at the thought of someone watching him and enjoying what they see.

That does not mean that he actually desires that.

He's mid-hip swing when the music stops playing from his headphones, instead blaring from his laptop, and he freezes, shutting his eyes for a moment before he asks, "Why did you unplug my music?"

There's a certain relief he feels when it's Thor's voice that he hears. "I was curious as to what masterpieces you listened to, but I'm surprised to hear that it's basic pop trite."

He spins around to face him. "It's not 'pop trite'!" he shouts, gesturing to his laptop. "It's experimental, thank you, and Oh Land is extremely talented, underrated if you ask me."

Thor looks amused. "You dance in your underwear like everyone else. Perhaps you are like the rest of us."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Shut your mouth."

"And red," Thor replies, eyes dropping to Loki's underwear, "my favorite shade I might add."

He can't help but to blush, trying his best not to cover himself with his hands since Thor has had the joy of seeing everything and then some, and he shuts his eyes for a few moments to calm himself down. "What do you really want?"

Thor crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe like he intends on staying there. Loki would prefer that he leave, so he can retain some of his dignity while it lasts. "To watch you dance, of course." He grins. "I'm not seeing any dancing."

"Because you will not be anytime soon… or ever. Now, can you please leave me be?"

"But I didn't get what I came for," he replies. "Dancing is not that hard, and you were doing just fine when I came in."

The song changes to "Government Hooker", and Loki sighs inwardly.

"And see there's more pop trite playing, perfect for the kind of dancing that you do."

He doesn't bother correcting Thor since in a general sense, Lady Gaga _is_ the kind of pop trite that he despises though her music is quite enjoyable to listen to when he's looking for fun. "I am not going to dance for you."

"Then I'm not leaving," Thor replies with a shrug. Why is he doing this? "When I get what I want, I will be on my way." And how does he manage to make that sound so… appealing?

_As long as I'm your hooker (back up and turn around)_

_As long as I'm your hooker (get down)_

Closing his eyes, he raises his hands over his head in preparation for a dance that has the potential to turn into something incredibly, incredibly suggestive, and he's not going to make eye contact with Thor while he does this. He fans his arms out, swinging his hips to the side and to the opposite, slowly spreading out his legs to dip down.

"Thor, what are you-?"

Loki's eyes snap open at the sound of Odin's voice, freezing in his wide leg position.

"Oh," Odin says, immediately averting his eyes from Loki's half-naked body. "I—Do you two wish to be left alone?"

That brings a flush to Thor's face, and Loki narrows his eyes, slowly standing back up to his full height.

"I will take that as an affirmative," he says. "When you are… finished, Thor, I would like to talk to you."

When Odin is gone, Loki calmly walks back to his laptop, holding his hand out to Thor for the headphone jack and plugging it back in once Thor gives it to him. He is not going to let Odin ruin his Saturday, and Thor got what he wanted, so it's time for him to go do whatever Odin requires of him.

He hooks his headphones back around his neck and turns to Thor. "You got what you came for, correct?" he asks, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice. "I would like to return to dancing to my 'pop trite'."

Thor reaches out and touching his arm, his hand firm and light at the same time. "Loki, there's-"

"Thor!" Odin calls. "Are you done yet?"

He pulls his hand away, eyes still on Loki as he closes the door and leaves him alone. It's not Thor's fault that his father is an overbearing greybeard with a knack for trying to reshape Loki and his mother into something that satisfies him, so he should not take it out on him even if the temptation to is great. He's been able to resist other things, bigger, blonder things.

Sunday morning he is awaken by Thor, Luke, and Robert jumping into his bed like a bunch of petulant children, Thor lying next to him while Robert and Luke jump up and down, making the bed shake with more force than Loki wasn't sure it could take.

In retaliation, he groggily comments, "Thanks for testing out the limits of the bed. I may need it one night," which results in the two of them jumping down and leaving his bedroom mumbling about Loki being disgusting.

He's relieved that he has an open space to practice yoga, having foregone the gym the past few weeks due to his relationship problems and other similar woes, and the entrance of the gym brings a smile to his face. It's that, and the fact that a particularly attractive man passes him and says, "Yoga boy is back."

He watches the blond man walk away, enjoying the view of his sculpted ass and his smile as he looks back at Loki every few steps. It's good that he's already earned a reputation around something that he's good at but better that an attractive face like him seems to like his presence.

Luke claps him on the shoulder. "Please tell me you don't want to fuck him. Please."

"Luke, don't be stupid," Robert says, coming up to clap him on the other shoulder. "He wants _him_ to fuck him, not the other way around. We've discussed this, Luke. Come on."

"Hey, yoga boy!" an attractive brunette says from the treadmill. "You are back."

The first blond responds from a few tread mills down, "Told you so!"

He grins to himself as he holds his bag around his shoulder. He must admit that it feels good, better than good.

Loki drops his bag, unrolling his mat, and takes no time to strip his shirt off in preparation for his first sun salutation when the door opens and a man with hair dyed half black and half white walks in, his own yoga mat under one arm. He stands up from his downward dog, turning to stare at this gorgeous man as he stares back.

"Yoga boy, Jean-Paul told me that you were back," the man says in an accent that sounds Scottish. "I've been waiting for you to come back for weeks, you know, and you're here finally." He smiles. "So you can like… teach me poses, right?"

Loki nods, watching the figure a few machines that is clearly Thor out of the corner of his eye. "Yes," he says, and he holds out his hand, taking the man's. "I'm Loki though yoga boy is a good alternative."

The man laughs. "Yeah, good to finally know your name. Mine's Malcolm, by the way." He unrolls his mat next to Loki's. "We all watch you, you know? I mean… it's kind of hard to since you're so distracting with all of your, uh, poses and moves. You inspired me to learn some yoga. Looks fun."

He steps back onto his own mat. "Trust me, it is."

Malcolm goes into his bag, pulling out a small white speaker. "You mind if I plug my phone in? I like to work out with music, and I think we probably have the same tastes."

"Yes, it's fine," he replies, not-so discretely watching the muscles in his lower back move where his shirt is hiked up.

"Can I ask you where you're from? You sound like you're from London or something, and me, I've lived in London a few years before I came here, but I was born in Elgin myself." He glances at Loki before turning back to his screen. "There's something though that's telling me you're not a Londoner."

"No, I'm Swedish, but my English teacher was born in London, which explains the accent." Inhaling deeply, he takes his proper stance in Mountain pose. "Are you ready? If you could follow my lead, that'd be great, and I will be sure to slow it down for you."

Bent over, Malcolm replies, "But I like it fast," and Loki can't help but laugh. He presses play. "Hope you like these guys."

"Your Name" by Swedish House Mafia begins to play, Loki sending Malcolm an amused look at the "coincidence" of his reveal of where he's from and the band being from the same place.

"Inhale," he says, sweeping his arms up over his head. After glancing to make sure Malcolm is following, he continues. "Exhale."

Malcolm turns out to be a fairly fast learner, not needing much direction by the third repetition of the sun salutation, and his chosen album by Swedish House Mafia does earn him some favor with Loki. Loki enjoys making eye contact with the man, the startling blue of his eyes reminding him of a someone who is only a few feet away and sending glances in their direction every few minutes.

His plan of making Thor jealous with showering others in his attention is going to be a lot easier to execute with his position as "yoga boy." It's also a plus that Loki gets attention from this amazingly attractive man in return although he's sure that he's about ten years older than him and hence not interested in any romance with a teenage boy.

It's not like Loki would even want to pursue anything. There's a concept called "look, but don't touch", and Loki fully intends to heed it, his affections projected toward a more unobtainable person.

"I didn't think just stretching could do this to a person," Malcolm says from his position on his back. "God, that was intense."

Loki grins, grabbing his towel out of his bag to run it over his body. He happens to turn his head and make brief eye contact with Thor as he drags it down his chest a little slower than necessary. "Yes, but it can make a person quite flexible," he replies without thought, he and Malcolm laughing when they realize the implication.

"Lok-master, hey," Luke says, opening the door. "Uh, you still doing your show?"

He shakes his head. "No, why?"

A grin appears on Luke's face, and he grabs Loki's arm. "Hey, dude, I gotta borrow him for a few but feel free to do whatever the hell you were doing," he says to Malcolm. "Come on, there's somewhere you need to be."

He's pulled to an empty treadmill, Luke letting go of his arm to lean close to him, close enough that Loki's eyes widen at how his blood instinctually changes directions at being so close to someone as attractive as him. "Luke…"

"Okay, so you're going to get on this," he says, pointing to the treadmill. "I know, I know, you do all that yoga shit, but you could use some variety anyway. Really could use some strength training, but lord knows that he'd kill me if I tried to make you lift something with your dainty little fingers." Loki starts to argue, but Luke shushes him. "Listen, bro, okay? Now, you got your iPod or something you can listen to or whatever?"

"No, mine is back in the other-"

Luke sighs. "Whatever, it doesn't matter." He pulls out his iPod and earphones, shoving them into Loki's hands. "Take mine. You only need to look like you're listening to something and not doing this because it's preplanned." He touches Loki's lower back, pushing him toward the treadmill. "Get on that. Wait, pull your pants down a little. Yeah, so the v or whatever the fuck they call that thing is showing."

He awkwardly, moves his thumbs to the waistband of his pants, pulling them down enough to expose the v of his abdomen. "Good?" he asks, not making eye contact.

"Yeah, fine. Run at a basic pace but enough to… you know, put on a show, catch my drift?" Luke's trying to do something here, and Loki is unsure of what, but he knows not to argue. "You want to get people watching. Don't be afraid to break a sweat though. In those chick flicks, they always look at the bros who are dripping and shit. Sure it's the same for dudes. Are we clear?"

Loki takes a step onto the treadmill, putting Luke's iPod into the holder and putting the earphones in. "Um… yes," he replies.

Without warning, Luke goes up to the console and starts the treadmill, but the pace is slow enough for Loki to catch himself before he falls off. "Good luck, Chef! Make these bros look, okay? Wait, here." He pushes the play button, holding a thumbs up before he walks over to Robert on the pull-up bar.

The song that Luke turned on sounds like a mash-up of Linkin Park and Jay-Z, a rock and hip-hop fusion that provides a good backdrop as he tries to adjust to running. He does the necessary laps in gym, but he does not run for recreation, preferring stationary workouts to travelling ones. The treadmill does compromise between the two, but he would not call it something he would want to do every day.

_I've become so numb_

_So for one last time I need y'all to roar_

As he runs, he tries to think of why Luke wants him to run or "put on a show." It's as if he wants him to get others' attention, and as Thor's friend, that doesn't make much sense. Thor has not been thrilled with how people turn to look at Loki's yoga routine and running on the treadmill to get their attention is definitely going to unsettle him.

That thought brings a smile to Loki's face.

The songs changes, "Change Clothes" coming on. It's a song that makes Loki feel sensual, and it makes the command to "put on a show" a lot more reasonable.

He reaches up and draws his hand across his forehead, pushing the fallen hair out of his face. He notices that someone is staring at him and turns to look, seeing the brunette guy from earlier next to him.

"I never caught your name!" the guy screams, loud enough that Loki can hear him over the music.

Loki pulls out an earphone. "Loki," he replies.

"Oh, I'm Jean-Paul," he says. "I've been meaning to tell you that you're good at that yoga thing."

"And so I've been told. I should be good at it, considering that my body was practically made for it." He inhales, catching his breath. Talking and running are not a good mix, so he's learned in gym class with Bruce.

"You are," Jean-Paul replies, raising his eyebrows.

The song switches, and Loki's breath hitches at how ridiculous this is going to be running to "Birthday Sex." It's not a song for _that_ kind of physical activity.

Somehow, he makes eye contact with Thor, his bottom lip caught between his teeth, and he really does not mean to try to look seductive. It just… happens. Thor's standing next to Robert and Luke, hands on his hips, and as if he knows what's playing, he pulls his shirt off of his body.

It's a gift from the gods themselves that Loki does not fall right onto his face at the sight of those beautiful, firm pectorals and impossibly sculpted abs, and it's another gift that he has enough thought left to realize that he should get off of the treadmill before the gods decide that he's had enough good fortune for a minute.

He grabs Luke's iPod as he steps off, the same song still playing, and in one minute it's managed to become a fitting song for whatever is happening. His feet carry him in their direction, his steps filled with unknown intention and incredible amounts of lust. From the outside, he thinks he may look like he's stalking Thor the way his eyes are fixed on him.

Robotically, he hands Luke his iPod, still staring at Thor as Thor brings his water bottle to his lips.

Has Loki ever mentioned that he has a certain flair for the dramatic?

Before it can reach Thor's lips, he takes the water bottle and pours it over his head, tilting his head backward as it cascades down his body and spreads its coolness over his impossibly hot skin. When it's empty, he opens his eyes, keeping them on Thor who is holding a towel inches from his face.

Thor doesn't protest as he takes it from him, eyes wide.

Loki drags it over his body, handing it back to him. "Thank you," he replies, blinking innocently as he leans in toward him. "You don't know how much I needed that."

The rational part of his mind turns him around to go, but a familiar hand grasps his arm and spins him around before he can, pulling him close.

Thor, holding his gaze, leans forward, and Loki's heartbeat is pounding in his ears at anticipation of whatever is about to happen. His hand cups the side of Loki's jaw, his thumb coming to trace his bottom lip before his hand raises and brushes a wet piece of hair off of his forehead. "You are very, very welcome," he replies, his breath warm against his now-cool skin.

A shiver travels down his spine, and he bites his bottom lip to keep in the moan that he wants to let out. He turns away from Thor once he releases his arm, walking away with his fists clench in an attempt to stay calm and not turn around to grab him and assault his mouth.

"What?" Luke shouts as Robert exclaims, "Are you serious?"

There are a few things wrong with that.

One, Thor's straight.

Two, there's this thing called Jane.

Three, they're kind of step-brothers.

"Dude, are you an idiot or just blind, you fuck!?"

Malcolm is staring at him, grinning when he enters the room. "Wow, do you know how to put on a fucking display. If I was that kid, I would have—pretty sure it would have gotten me kicked out."

Loki laughs, taking a seat on his mat. "He's my step-brother."

"Step-brother or not, that—he's got more control than I ever would have." He shakes his head. "Teenage me, he was worse than I am now, and that's saying a lot. Thank god I'm not in his shoes."

They end up doing another repetition of sun salutations, halfway through their last one when a grim-looking Robert comes and knocks on the glass, signaling for him to get his stuff and come out.

"…fucked his brains out right there. I'm not into that gay thing, but dammit would I have been happy for that!" Luke is shouting at Thor when Loki meets them. "I'm going to go insane, Thor. You want me to go fucking insane?"

Thor rolls his eyes, pulling out his jacket and going to Loki without hesitation. Loki lets him slide it on his arms, trying to resist the urge to tease him about mothering him because he likes the way Thor's hands slide up the back of his arms to smooth out the polyester.

"They're definitely blind," Robert says, nudging Luke with his elbow. "Blind to sexual tension."

Loki cocks an eyebrow at them. "Who? Me?"

"Ignore their foolishness, Loki," Thor replies, putting a hand on his shoulder and leading him out of the building. "Let's get something to eat. You exerted yourself today and need the replenishment."

"Loki, do you find the whole mother hen thing sexy or something?" Robert asks as they walk. "If I recall, Stark tries to do the same, and you threaten to chop his balls off. There's some implied stuff there."

He turns to glare at Robert. If Loki is not being paranoid, it sounds like _he_ is implying that he knows about Loki's slight, small infatuation with Thor, and if that is the case, it puts things in perspective… a lot.

Oh gods, they know.

He stops dead in his tracks, looking at Luke and Robert when they turn around to see why. He sees it now, the knowledge that Loki is hopelessly pining after Thor, and their words about them being blind and such have been about Loki's obviousness throughout this whole relationship.

"You know," he says, knowing that they'll understand.

The two of them exchange a look.

"What, about your crush?" Robert can't even keep it between the three of them!

"Yeah, paying too much attention in chemistry according to some girls I've talked to." Luke chuckles. "Carbon is so fucking interesting, right?"

They're playing this game? He knows that they're aware of his stupid crush, but not on Professor Lensherr. He doesn't even have a crush on Professor Lensherr, knowing that he and Charles are hopelessly in love with each other and stuck at some roadblock. They've been talking about Thor this entire time.

Thor narrows his eyes at them. "I don't think this is appropriate subject matter in public nor to be discussed with Loki."

Luke shrugs. "Sure, Thor, but don't get mad when Loki gets a hundred in a class that you have a B in."

"Yeah, Lensherr hates you," Robert adds. "Might not help that you're always insulting his teaching and personality. Poor bastard mentions something related to Lo-" Luke slaps him in the arm. "Love and you fucking bang on him. Doesn't know what to do half the time. That time a few days ago when you practically called him a rapist was bad, dude."

"Is this true, Thor?" he asks, slipping through the door inside the restaurant. "You have a B because you don't know how to control your feelings?"

Thor grits his teeth, glaring at Robert and Luke. "Table for four," he tells the hostess, her face frightened as she gathers up their menus. "I have a B because of a personal vendetta Professor Lensherr holds against me for expressing my disapproval of his… methods. I will not let him mar my straight A record before college. He will give me an A in that class whether it destroys him emotionally or not."

Luke glances at his menu, tossing it aside with disinterest. "I'll tell you something that should be destroyed, but you didn't because you're a fucking idiot."

Robert begins to laugh, holding onto Luke's shoulder as he does. "Th-that was a good one, dude. Oh fucking man, that's hilarious." He wipes his eyes of tears. "It's the truth though. Thor the Valorous is afraid. "

The waitress comes, a grin spreading across her face as she takes in their faces. Loki understands that this probably the most attractive table of people she's ever head. "Hello, can I take your order?"

Robert turns to her. "Grilled chicken for three of us, egg salad for four, peanut butter smoothies for three, banana—no," he says, pausing and pointing to Loki, "blueberry smoothie for one, shrimp angel hair pasta for three, water for four—you getting this? oh, okay—greek yogurt for four and bring some almonds if you have those."

The girl stares at him, wide-eyed. "Is—is that all?"

"Yeah," Robert says, looking impatient. "Thank you. Your service is appreciated."

She leaves a lot faster than she came, Luke chuckling.

"You were pretty shady to her."

Robert shrugs. "She was checking Thor out," he says, staring at him and lifting his eyebrows. "We can't have that."

"Jane Foster!" Loki says, pointing at the three of them. "You are afraid to tell me about her, aren't you?"

Thor frowns. "Loki, what-?"

The same raucous laughter as last week comes from Luke and Robert, tables nearby sending them glares that they all ignore.

"This still isn't funny!"

"J-Jane Foster!" Luke shouts, slapping at his knees as he laughs.

"He thinks you're dating," Robert tells Thor. "Has thought so for weeks."

"Thought?" Loki scoffs. "Don't you mean 'know?' Stop pretending!"

Thor turns to Loki, looking amused. "Loki, Jane and I are not together. She is merely a close friend."

"That you kissed!" Loki replies, jabbing a finger at him. "You don't have to use labels, Thor. I know that you two are romantically involved."

"When the fuck did Thor kiss Jane?" Luke asks. "Now, I would have paid to see that shit."

Robert giggles. "Imagine Thor k-kissing a girl." He grins exaggeratedly at Luke.

There's a joke that Loki is missing here, and it is making him more and more… pissed that they think that this entire situation is some joke to laugh at. They know how Loki feels—have known for a while now, so it would be logical for them to at least attempt to sympathize.

Thor stops glaring at them to turn back to Loki, looking less amused and as confused as Loki feels. "Loki, you are mistaken. Jane and I have never kissed. I do not kiss my friends."

"But I saw you! Last… Monday, she was getting on her toes to kiss you, but I turned away because I could not bear to see—I didn't want to see your public display of affection or anyone's for that matter," he replies, flushing at his slip-up. "I'm sure that Stark and Rogers would attest to that."

He grins much to Loki's dread, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Loki, you—Jane and I have not ever kissed nor will we ever. She was trying to whisper to me that y—there was something she had to tell me, and if you had watched longer, you would have seen me bend down to aid her in telling me. There was no kiss, and Tony and Steve will tell you that there wasn't. It was a simple mistake."

The waitress arrives with another waitress in tow, holding a gigantic platter of food.

Loki sighs. "I don't know why you even ordered this for me."

"What? You like blueberry though," Robert says, setting another plate in front of Loki. "If you're mad about the salad, you need some eggs."

Suddenly it hits him that Robert didn't even ask any of them what they wanted. He just order it, no complaints coming from any of their mouths. Loki was fine with a blueberry smoothie, so there was no need to interrupt him, but in retrospect, he should have stopped him from ordering that salad. He's not even that hungry.

"How did you—you didn't even ask anyone," Loki says.

"It's a talent of his," Luke replies. "Knows what everyone likes."

"And someone did mention that you liked blueberry," Robert mumbles, sipping his smoothie as he grins. "Almost forgot for a second."

He sees Thor shift beside him, glaring at his two friends in warning.

Luke, Robert, and Thor devour their food as Loki takes a few bites of his salad, only finishing it after the tenth command from Thor that he should eat. He rolls his eyes and appeases him, calling him "father" and taking pleasure in the way that Luke and Robert snicker like a bunch of teenage girls when Thor blushes.

He and Thor spend the rest of the day together chatting about various topics, even venturing to astronomy when Loki lets it slip that he has a small interest in the topic, and it's worth it when Thor beams at him that contagious smile of his and slings an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close to his side on Thor's bed. When Thor isn't trying to delve into restricted topics, he can be a person that Loki tolerates, even likes talking to. He will never admit that to Thor though, and he does not hold back his witty commentary on Thor's dramatic retelling of stories.

Loki doesn't remember, but he somehow ends up falling asleep in Thor's bed, curled up under the extraordinarily soft blanket and skin-to-skin with Thor.

He's woken up by a nudge in the shoulder, Thor shirtless and beautiful in the lamplight as he tells Loki that it's time to get up for school. It's not good for Loki's sanity that Thor's shirtlessness has to do with the fact that he's wet, beads of water running over the contours of his chest and disappearing underneath of towel around his hips.

"Carry me, Thor," he says, opening his arms wide and stretching out on the empty bed. "I'm too tired to go take a shower."

Thor sighs but heaves Loki over his shoulder anyway, Loki grinning as he watches the beads of water fall down into the crack of Thor's ass and disappear into a place that Loki's dreamed of going, and he can't help but be disappointed when Thor sets him down in the bathroom, setting his towel on the sink and turning to leave.

Perhaps it's the haze of sleepiness, but he wants to tell Thor, believes that Thor feels the same, and calls out before he can leave, "Thor!"

Thor turns, one arm hooked on the doorframe. "Yes, Loki?"

He stares at him, imagining the words flowing from his mouth. "I love"—and he panics and his heart rate shoots up to an outrageous frequency when Thor's eyes widen as if he knows what's coming—"your bed."

Thor chuckles. "I do too, Loki. Go get ready."

As punishment for being so stupid, he denies himself the joy of jerking off while having the water caressing his back, willing his hard-on to subside to barely a noticeable hardness as he dresses. As he stares at himself in the mirror, he finds a smile coming to his lips, and it hits him that he's wearing blue, a blue that he's seen Thor wearing many times. He almost changes, but glances at the clock and shrugs. Hopefully Thor doesn't notice.

When they see Jane in the morning, Thor is less affectionate with her than usual, hugging her a bit stiffly, and Loki chuckles as he passes them, listening to their conversation from a few steps behind him.

"Loki, see you later," Thor says, turning to go to his locker, "and I quite like your shirt!"

He's thankful that no one of there to see him blush and bite his bottom lip, hiding behind the door of his locker as soon as he gets it open. Thor should not have this kind of effect on him, and it's so frustrating and thrilling at the same time.

At lunch he eats with them for the first time in a week, and Natasha pulls him aside and asks if he's interested in spending free period with her. He says yes, needing as much space from Gwen as he can get without quitting. That whole "question ordeal" is still fresh in his mind, and he is on an edge with her.

"If you would have ever had that book date, I would have really came," Natasha says as they enter the library in free period. "Not because of my hatred for that _mudak,_ but because I'm happy to have someone genuinely interested in talking to me about books. Banner doesn't care if it's not about science, Clint likes picture books or fantasies, Stark is Stark, and Steve gets too caught up in the morality. I would ask Professor Xavier, but I have a feeling that he would just deviate from the original topic of books."

Loki laughs, running his hands over the spines of books in the middle of the ceiling-high shelves. "You know him well then," he replies, "and if only I had gone on that one instead. An invitation would have changed things a lot."

She makes a sound of agreement from behind him. "How are things between you and Thor?"

He plucks _Atlas Shrugged_from a shelf. "Fine," he replies. "We went to the gym yesterday."

"And let me guess, you tried to seduce him with your yoga skills again?" She grins as he cocks an eyebrow at her. "Loki, Thor is not a mind reader. He's not going to know that you like him until you tell him."

"It doesn't matter," he replies. "He does not like me. Have you read this?" He holds up _Notre-Dame de Paris_.

"Yes, I have in French," she says. "Is this your way of telling me that you will die if Thor is killed? If so, I must tell you that it is not as romantic as it sounds."

He rolls his eyes, putting it back on the shelf. "No, I'm not a fan of Hugo. Perhaps Goethe is the way to go."

They end up in the farthest corner of the library, Loki sitting in an alcove with his legs outstretched as he watches Natasha read a book written in Latin, Natasha translating the words as she says it aloud. It's fascinating to watch her do it with such ease, and he leans on his elbow, scanning over her face with teach movement.

"If you weren't gay, I would be slightly afraid that you were in love with me," she says, looking up as she closes the book. "Don't worry. The guy dies in the next paragraph, and we only have a few minutes left."

"Then thank the gods for that," he replies. "Ugh, Clint would kill me."

Natasha's eyes swing back up to his face, her expression hard. "What?"

Loki sighs. "Natasha, you aren't the only one with excellent deduction skills, and I'm only selectively blind to certain things. Don't fret because your secret is safe with me."

"If I didn't love you, I would have to kill you," she says, dropping the book back onto the display as they pass. "You're the only one alive who knows, and it's that way for a reason."

Sighing, he replies, "Don't count on that too long."

Natasha shakes her head. "You can be so drama-"

There's a primal scream from somewhere down the hall, and suddenly Natasha is holding an arm out to halt Loki's progress down the corridor. Confused, Loki looks over at her for an explanation but sees the look of absolute and undeniable terror in her eyes and the slight nervous pursing of her lips that he knows is her trying to think of what to do.

He would offer some sort of advice, but he has no idea what's going on or what that scream is from. "What is that?"

She doesn't answer immediately, and Loki waits until the compulsive lip pursing stops. She turns to look at him. "It's Bruce."

He would laugh if he weren't kind of afraid that Natasha would lash out for him thinking whatever's happening is a joke. Bruce Banner is letting out a roar like that? He knows that there's something about Bruce that he doesn't know, but roaring?

Come to think of it, it isn't that ridiculous. Loki always saw something insane lurking behind the surface. It seems like he's finally come out to "play."

Before Natasha can react, Loki begins to advance down the hallway, taking huge strides that he knows will make Natasha have to run to catch up with. There's another scream, but it's even louder and beastly than the last one. Loki has to see what's going on. The curiosity is going to kill him.

The scene around the corner is something out of a super hero movie or a sci-fi horror movie, depending on one's tastes. There are broken metal chairs scattered around the center of the hallway, the double doors leading to the science lab seemingly wedged open by force, the handle broken off and lying feet away from Loki's feet. The overhead lights are flickering, and the moment of darkness makes things even more mysterious.

Then there's Bruce standing in the center of the hall, lab coat torn apart in the back. His eyes are wild and green, and Loki's not sure if that's a trick in the light or what, but they're a vivid green that screams synthetic and chemicals.

Chemicals, Loki can smell them heavy in the air, and they burn his nose with each breath he takes.

Reed is standing pressed against the wall next to the lab doors, half of his body obscured by them. He looks like he's flattened himself to the point where only his organs are keeping him from going completely 2-dimensional, and it's quite the surprise to see Reed Richards so obviously scared.

"Bruce, calm down. Just—come back into the lab, and we can fix it-"

There's another roar from Bruce, and he picks up an already battered chair and launches it into the lab doors where the voice is coming from.

Victor slowly walks out of the lab, hands raised next to his head, and there's blood streaming down from his forehead. It almost serves him right for all of the wrongs he's done, but Loki knows that this isn't some childish fight where he can root for Bruce because he hates Victor. This is dangerous, and obviously so since there's bloodshed.

"Victor, you need to apply pressure to the wound on your head before you pass out," Reed hisses, helping a person that he should hate, and Loki can't help but admire him for it. "Use your lab coat to stifle the blood flow."

"I can't, Reed!" he replies, and his eyes aren't steely as usual, soft and scared this time. "I'm sorry, Bruce, okay? There was a mistake in the calculation. I had to!"

Bruce screams again, and this time he launches himself forward at Victor, pushing the both of them back into the lab.

Loki's moving before he even realizes it, dancing over and around the fallen chairs and makes it to Reed, taking his shoulders in his hands and looking him in the eye to see if he's okay. "Do you have any head injuries?" he asks because there are no visible wounds on Reed.

Reed shakes his head and blinks a few times before pulling Loki next to him against the wall. "You have to be careful that he doesn't see you. He will hurt you, Loki."

"What even happened? What's wrong with him?"

"Victor," he says, and Loki sighs, "messed with some calculations on an experiment that we're running and have been working on since January. Victor's wanted to tweak a variable, but Bruce said it was fine because we'd have to restart the entire experiment because of tamper. Victor did it anyway, and Bruce found out. It's another year of experimenting down the drain. And Bruce's been dedicated to this one especially since Betty dropped out."

Loki cranes his head to see if either Victor or Bruce is visible from his vantage point, but only sees the brick floor of the lab and some overturned tables. The sounds from the lab have subsided though, and that is not a good thing at all. Anything could have happened to Victor.

"When he gets enraged like this, he's unstoppable except for a few other people… Betty, Rick, Robert. We have to get one of them—Oh, hello, Natasha."

Natasha slips next to Loki. "Richards," she greets. "What were you thinking, Loki? You could've been seriously injured. Bruce is formidable like this, which reminds me. What did you two do to him?"

"Victor tampered with our experiment, so we have to start over," Reed replies. "I have to admit that I didn't have any part in him losing his mind this time."

This time. It's happened before then.

"What happened last time?" Loki asks.

"Bruce jumped down a flight of stairs and attacked Emil," Natasha says. "He used to go here, very aggressive and headstrong, which meant that he and Bruce did not get along at all. Bruce was already in a bad mood due to a fight with Reed, and Emil goaded him into a fight."

"Blood everywhere," Reed said.

"Yes, there was blood everywhere, and most of it was Emil's."

Loki can imagine a Bruce similarly enraged and covered head to toe in red splatters. It's a damning site that makes his gut tighten. "Was he okay?"

"Emil? Oh, no, not really. He had to leave though. They didn't trust him not to try to get some kind of revenge on Bruce. Bruce, on the other hand, was on probation for a while, and he had to stay on the sidelines for a lot of high stress activities. He was torn up about it, and Betty distanced herself from him."

"Betty," he repeats. "Betty, she helped him, didn't she? Would she be of any use here?"

There's a piercing scream from inside the lab, and Loki's heart rate starts to rise.

"Yes, but first we've got to get him to calm down enough. We can't risk getting her hurt. Captain Ross will have our skins." Natasha slides past them and looks inside of the lab for a few seconds before ducking back out. "There's a puddle of blood near the autoclave," she says, grimacing.

At the sound of running, they all turn to see Rick running toward them from the stairs, the opposite direction of the wreckage in the center of the hall.

"Oh shit, what set him off?" he asks, pressing himself onto the wall next to Natasha. "This is a bad one, isn't it?"

"Von Doom messed with an experiment," Natasha answers. "They're in there now. One of them is bleeding. I think it's Von Doom."

"What an idiot." Rick runs a hand through his hair and down over his face. "We've got to get to them fast if we don't want a repeat of the 'Abomination'," he says, making air quotes.

"That's what you call it?" Loki shakes his head.

"It's fitting," Reed replies. "'Blood everywhere' as I said before."

Rick takes a tentative step away from the wall, holding a finger to his lips as he looks at them and starts to walk toward the door, taking soft steps. "Bruce!" he calls out. "Bruce, it's me Rick! I came to talk to you!"

There's an angry roar from inside the lab.

"Bruce, can we talk? Come out, please!"

Another loud scream causes Loki to wince on Victor's behalf. There are a few heavy footsteps, and Bruce comes out of the lab, holding a broken chair in one hand.

His eyes find Rick, and he bares his teeth.

"Bruce, put the chair down," Rick says, stepping away before Natasha can pull him back. "Just—Let's talk about this, okay, or I'll talk and you can just nod if you agree."

Bruce only stares him, his breathing labored.

"I heard that the idiot messed with some your experiment, and I understand, Bruce, I really do. You hated him like the rest of us before this, and this is just the icing on the cake, right? But, Bruce, if you—beating some sense into him won't work. Victor is… Victor. So just… please, stop this."

He stares at Rick for a moment, shoulders heaving, and he turns, launching the chair into the lab and into something metallic, a clang ringing into Loki's ears. Bruce goes up to Rick, shoving him back into the wall, and Natasha steps forward, putting herself between them.

"Bruce, no," she says. "Rick is your friend. We are all your friends."

Inside there's a scream, grabbing Bruce's attention, and he goes back inside, Victor screaming again as there is a loud bang.

"Rick, you okay?" Natasha asks, running her hands over his shoulders. "Don't ever, ever do that again. Bruce is different than he was a few years ago."

"I know, but… he's still my friend." He hangs his head. "If he doesn't listen to me, he won't listen to anyone but Betty. She's our last hope. I just hope… that they get her in time."

Victor screams again, and Bruce comes out of the doors, dark red staining his arm. He's unsure of whether that's his blood or Victor's, and he doesn't want to know. This is surreal, seeing him so animalistic and incapable of anything but violence.

Something inside of Loki snaps at the way Bruce twitches, his eyes darting from wall to wall in search of something that could harm him or something he can harm. He's not going to let Bruce… murder Victor even if he wishes to see him punished for all of the wrong that he's done. Bruce will never be able to shoulder that burden if he cannot handle a bit of stress without going on a rampage. He would break.

He steps away from the wall, breaking free of Natasha's firm grip when she tries to stop him, and takes slow steps toward a turned Bruce, not wanting to frighten him into thinking that Loki is looking for harm him.

Loki goes to touch Bruce's shoulder to turn him around and talk to him.

Bruce spins around, eyes still angry and wild.

"Bruce, this violence is pointless," he says. "You hitting people and refusing to calm down is not going to bring Betty back to you any sooner nor change Victor's tampering. I completely understand your rage toward Victor, but this rampage changes nothing-"

Loki doesn't dodge out of the way in time, pain exploding in his gut as Bruce's fist impacts hard. Another explosion of pain blossoms in his chest, and he is sure that he hears the snap of one of his ribs as Bruce's fist comes back for another punch. His other fist comes back once again and hits him above the right ear, pushing him backward.

He's falling slowly, but there's still not enough time for him to catch himself, and the world slows down around him, and he sees everything: Bruce's eyes wide as some realization of his actions appear in his eyes, Natasha's eyes as wide as Bruce's, tears filling them, Reed shouting in fury at Bruce, Rick running to push Bruce away.

He can hear his heart in his ears and feel the shockwaves of pain rippling through his body at the impact sites. It's a lot like he's been hit by a boulder even if it was only Bruce's fists, and Loki realizes how right his foresight was, how right he was about there being more to Bruce than he let on. Oh how he wishes he'd heeded his own warnings to keep an eye out for him.

He hits the ground hard, but he doesn't feel the pain, his mind already too fogged over with the residual pain from the punches. He's hurt bad, but he doesn't know the extent to the pain. He has no idea if there's anything broken even if it feels like there is. There could be internal bleeding with how much force was behind that punch. It was like Bruce conjured the power of the universe behind it.

He blinks blearily as he stares up at the ceiling, and there's a whine coming from somewhere, and it might be from him. He has no idea if he's ever going to be able to stand. His back is in pain because somehow Bruce's punch traversed the entire width of Loki's body to his spine. There's a prickling numbness below his neck, and his fingers feel like they haven't been moved in ages.

"Bruce!" a foggy voice shouts, and it sounds a lot like Rick, but Loki's not sure. His mind is mishmash of endorphins that are scrambling to block every signal of pain that overloads his senses. He's surprised he's still conscious.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god," someone is repeating, and there's touch on Loki's shoulder that sends a million billion shocks his brain, and he flinches away from it. "Oh god, oh, god. This is bad. Bruce, this is so bad."

With every ounce of motivation that he has left, he turns and sees that Rick is kneeling beside him, and it seems a lot like Loki's eyes are surrounded by a thick cloud of fog like the mirror after a shower.

The shower at home. Loki could really use one of those to get his mind off of all of this pain, and that shower is what he desires so badly, to just lie there under the streams of water as they massage out every cramp in his muscles that's without a doubt going to be there when he manages to move.

He's going to need a massage, a full body one.

Large hands, large hands attached to well-muscled arms, and sweet murmurs in his home language as those hands rub soft circles over his body. If this is what it feels like to be near death, Loki's going to allow himself the gift of this.

"Loki." It's Natasha's voice, but it's only a whisper. "Rick, go for Robert."

"No, they're already-"

"What has happened—Loki?"

Thor, even in his last moments on earth Loki will remember that voice, the sweet soothing baritone filled with masculinity and passion. That voice, Thor's wonderful voice.

He would sigh if he wasn't afraid that he would break something farther.

"Thor, Bruce—he lashed out, and…"

"_Älskling_," he says, and Loki knows that word. His heart clenches, "what has he done to you?"

He's being pulled to a sitting position, and there are warm, strong arms around his shoulders holding him close to a warm body. His head is tucked into the curve of a neck, one that smells on ocean, musk, and _Thor_. His body screams at the motion, but he ignores it. He's in Thor's arms, where he's dreamed of being.

"Loki," he says as Loki's pulled back and large hands come to cup his face. Loki tries to blink away the fog to look at Thor properly, but it's so hard, so frustratingly hard. "Loki, stay with me. Do not fall into the darkness, okay?"

"He probably has some head injury," someone says. It's sounds a lot like Reed, but Loki can't be sure. "Try to keep him awake as long as you can."

The sound in his right ear is staring to ebb and oscillate, pitches distorting. Everything is spinning now, accelerating faster by the moment.

Something is rising in his throat, and he knows he will throw up on Thor if he isn't fast. "Thor-" he moans, and he turns his head and coughs up something coppery and bitter.

"Oh god," Rick says, and he sounds as broken as Loki feels. "Bruce didn't mean to. He didn't mean to."

A hand is rubbing his back.

"Loki, stay with us if you can."

Loki turns and looks at Thor, his vision steadying for a moment, and he can see the storm brewing in his eyes, the blue almost liquid, and it scares him for a brief moment. His vision goes blurry once again, and it's darkening fast.

"Natasha, take care of him with your life. Richards, you as well."

The hands leave Loki's face, and he's gently lowered into a soft lap.

"Thor, what are you-?"

"I will avenge Loki," he says. "I will"— Loki moans as a shock of pain runs through his ear—"…my life."

He cracks his eyes open and sees legs walking to where Bruce is throwing and kicking chairs around. He tries to smirk at the great view of his ass, but it dawns on him what Thor is going to do. He's going to go after Bruce.

"Banner, you will answer for you actions!" He seizes Bruce by the collar and throws him down the hall.

The chairs block Bruce from view for a moment while he lies on the ground, and he's standing up again, eye blazing green as he does so. He runs at Thor, their bodies colliding into the wall noisily, and Loki winces on Thor's behalf.

Thor spins and pushes Bruce into the wall, his skull hitting it with a sickening sound.

Loki's vision goes black, and he feels everything around him disappear for a moment. It's as if he is in free fall, but he know that it is his brain trying to pull him under for repair. He can't go yet. He has to stay awake for Thor, to know that he's okay.

Everything crashes back into place, and Loki's vision comes back, revealing Thor standing over Bruce, knee presumably placed on his throat.

"Banner, give up! Your fight is futile!"

Bruce's head appears from behind the chairs, and he's pushing Thor away, standing up. He tries to push Thor down, but Thor moves out of the way, grabbing Bruce's arm as he does so.

Thor lifts Bruce over his head. "I don't want to permanently incapacitate you, Banner! Calm down!"

Robert dives for Thor's feet, causing him to drop Bruce onto the ground. "Don't do something you'll regret, Thor. Bruce is not worth it!"

Thor stares at Robert, his eyes boring deep into his. "He hurt a love of mine!" he shouts, pointing in Loki's direction.

Robert turns, and he makes eye contact with Loki. "Oh… god. I-"

The world fades to black yet again, and Loki dies to give a groan of frustration but finds that he can do nothing more than just stare deep into the void.

Time passes and Loki's vision returns.

Robert and Thor are standing above Bruce, Thor's foot placed on his chest.

"Loki," Rick says, crawling to sit in front of him. "You're… back."

He can't find his voice to reply and closes his eyes, inhaling painfully. Even breathing somehow manages to hurt.

Rick moves next to them, revealing that Betty is now standing next to Robert, clutching his forearm.

"…he was doing fine before this—Bruce. Thor, could you please remove your foot. He can't reply-"

"I cannot risk him hurting anyone else."

"Okay… Bruce, I need you to come with us calmly. Everything is going to be fine."

"Nothing is fine!" Bruce shouts, and it's the first coherent reply he's given.

"Please, Bruce, calm down. We'll get through this… together."

"Get away from me!" It's directed at Thor and Robert.

"Sorry, Bruce, you're on a rampage. We can't risk it."

There's the start of a roar, but Betty kneels down, and the sound dies in Bruce's throat. It's as if she's some kind of angel, calming down Bruce like that. He understands why she was the only one who could do it before.

"Calm, Bruce, calm."

"Oh—my god. Oh my god!" Loki feels Natasha moving behind him and suddenly he's turned to face her. "Loki, we have to get you some medical attention. You're bleeding everywhere."

Somehow he manages to smile. "I've been told I bleed a lot," he replies, and his voice sounds bad. The world goes black yet again, and Loki just waits until everything comes back, letting the absolute nothingness do its bidding as he sits and watches patiently.

"It's just a nosebleed."

The world comes back, but this time Loki can see everything, hear everything without much trouble, and the pull to the void isn't there. He's completely fine, feels fine save for the slightly pain in his head. There's some tissue in his nose, and he has to mouth breathe, but that's manageable.

He looks around, keeping his head still and realizes that he's lying on his side with his head in someone's lap. The ground is marble though there is a carpet with the SHIELD logo on the ground. He has to still be in the school then.

"It doesn't matter," the person he's sitting on replies, and their voice reverberates through their chest to Loki's head. "He's still unconscious. I will not leave him."

"Actually, I'm not unconscious." His voice sounds congested from the tissue, and he cringes. He doesn't sound as bad as he did before though.

"Loki."

He lets himself lie in Thor's lap for a few moments, slyly allowing his mind to map out the curves of his lap. He starts to sit up when he begins to think about the slight bulge underneath the back of his hand. If he starts to move it like he's trying to adjust when he's really trying to feel around, he doesn't trust himself to stop, and that's something he will not let happen. He's not dying anymore, so there's no excuse for feeling up his step brother.

Thor guides him into a sitting position but makes sure that Loki is leaning most of his weight against his shoulder.

He looks up at Thor and exhales at the familiar face. Suddenly, Loki remembers that Thor was fighting and searches for any wounds but finds none except for a bandaged cut on the back of his hand. He would be jealous that Thor escaped unscathed, but he finds his admiration growing instead.

"I'm fine," Thor says as if reading his mind.

Loki realizes that he's wearing his emotions on his face, letting his guard down since he was unconscious and schools his eyes back into neutrality. He's not dead. Everything is going to return to normal. "Good," he says, restraining everything that dies to fall out of his mouth.

"You were out for an hour. The medics examined you and found that you'd somehow not gotten seriously injured. The only result was the nosebleed."

"That explains the tissues up my nose," he replies, and Thor smiles at the face Loki makes. "I sound atrocious."

"You really don't. You sound fine, miraculously if I say so."

"Good, you're awake." Natasha sits down on the metal bench next to him, handing him a steaming cup of tea. "Earl grey, the best."

He goes to grab for the cup at the same time Thor does and glares at him, Thor retracting his hands reluctantly. He takes the cup and sips it. He can hold his own tea, thank you very much.

"I really don't understand how you managed to get out of there with only a nosebleed and a nap," Natasha says, sipping her own tea. "It sounded like something snapped when he hit you."

Thor's arm tenses next to Loki, and Loki turns and sees the muscles in his jaw working as he grinds his teeth.

"Stop that," he says. "That's a terrible habit."

Thor looks at him, his expression blank, and Loki's heart drops down into his groin for a second at the sight of those eyes. He doesn't understand how something as normal as Thor simply looking at him can make him into a puddle of hormones and emotions.

He turns his gaze from Thor before he ends up kissing him or something _worse._ "Where is everyone else?"

"Rick is sitting on the front steps of the school blaming himself, Reed is out there with him ranting, Robert went with Bruce and Betty to the medic ward, and Victor's at Saint Margaret's. He has a concussion; he's been unconscious for hours, a broken arm, and a broken collar bone. Bruce has a herniated disc, so he's bed ridden for a while."

"And Thor has a cut on his knuckle," Loki remarks.

"Yeah, you Swedish people have freakishly fast healing or something. You two are practically untouched."

"Yes, Miss Romanoff, they are practically untouched, which is a damn shame because that means they both have to talk to me." Principal Fury is standing in front of them, his hands clasped behind his back. "Mr. Laufeyson and Mr. Odinson, if you would care to take a step into my office."

Thor stands up first and helps Loki up gently. He keeps a grip on Loki's arm as they walk into Principal Fury's office and take a seat, lowering him down as if he's made of glass. Loki almost complains, but Principal Fury is sitting at his desk and staring at the two of them with his eye like they're the ones who went completely ballistic.

"You both know why you're here, so we might as well skip straight to the point," he says. "There was an incident in the student laboratory down on ground level this morning concerning Bruce Banner and Victor von Doom. Mr. von Doom tampered with their project and provoked Mr. Banner into an incident. You and Miss Romanoff were down there coming from the library when you heard the wail, correct?"

Loki nods.

"Mr. Banner was throwing around chairs and attacked von Doom again. Mr. Jones arrived after the call from Mr. Richards that Mr. Banner needed to be calmed down. The attempts were futile, and Mr. Banner became increasingly belligerent. Your patience ran thin and you attempted to talk Mr. Banner down. In his anger, he attacked you and temporarily incapacitated you. You arrived on the scene, Mr. Odinson, and ran to Mr. Laufeyson's aid. You engaged in combat with Mr. Banner and were about to land the ending blow when Mr. Reynolds stopped you from doing so. The two of you attempted to put him down in the least injuring way possible, and Mr. Richards pointed out a weak point in his spine. You two put him down, and Miss Ross comes in to help calm Mr. Banner. He attempts to become combatant again, and you were forced to put him down with a spinal shot."

There is silence as Principal Fury looks down between his clasped hands.

"I'm sorry, Principal Fury, but what is the point of recounting what is already known?"

"No, no, I'm giving you a play-by-play according to the surveillance feed being played to me from around the school," he says, looking back up at them. "What we have here is a Class 5 incident due to the nature of the event. It means that there is going to be a short investigation behind this, and we're starting with the witnesses. Mr. Banner will face extreme consequences for his… injury of Mr. Laufeyson and Mr. von Doom, and he will undergo rounds of treatment for his psychological issues.

"Here at SHIELD, we go about student punishment and treatment quite differently than the state recommends. Suspension is spent at a special facility. All damaged equipment is replaced by the board. Students involved are interviewed. We don't go about these incidents in the same way as other schools. There's no need to. Our operation is different."

Loki stares at him, reading into the things he's saying. He's trying to tell them something without explicitly saying it, probably due to the nature of the situation. "You're saying that nothing is going to happen, correct?"

"No, Mr. Laufeyson, I'm saying that a lot is going to happen to those guilty. Mr. von Doom may not have been combatant initially, but he did provoke Mr. Banner. His punishment will be equal, if not more severe than Mr. Banner's for his role in all of this. Mr. Odinson, you're free to go."

Thor doesn't move, staring at Principal Fury like he's said something foreign. "Loki…"

"He will be fine. Go."

Thor shoots a look at Principal Fury before standing up and leaving the office.

"Now that we're alone, I want to talk to you about the meat of the matter."

"You mean the personal repercussions behind this incident?"

Principal Fury nods. "Yes. You've been here long enough to establish relationships with most of those involved, including a brief friendship with Mr. von Doom. I want to ask you what you think should be done. Student input in situations like this is important."

Loki hasn't actually thought about what happened. He's barely adjusting to the fact that there is tissue jammed inside of his nose because of his injuries. He remembers everything with a few blank spots between when he passed out, but it's just… memories. He has no opinion of them and never thought to form one.

"I… I don't know," he says. "I haven't actually thought about it."

"From my understanding, you passed out at various times during the incident due to your head… injury." He pauses before the word injury again, and Loki knows what he's thinking. "Would you like to view the events?"

He nods slowly. "Yes, of course I would."

Principal Fury taps his desk a few times and a video feed pops up on the wall.

It's a color feed of surprisingly good quality inside the lab. He watches as Bruce comes into the lab, much calmer that he was when he last saw him, and approaches Victor at his desk. A few words are exchanged, and Bruce goes over to one of the tables, putting on gloves and lifting up the cover of a metal container. It's like something snaps inside of Bruce because he's tearing off his gloves and running to push Victor in the next moment.

Loki gawks at how effortlessly Bruce lifts Victor from the ground, his feet dangling feet above the ground as Bruce shouts at him, his mouth moving around angry words. Victor struggles with Bruce's hand around his throat before kicking him in the sternum, Bruce dropping him onto the ground as he falls onto his butt. This only manages to make Bruce angrier, and he picks up a sharp metal object from the nearest table and pulls Victor up from the ground and stabs in the arm with it. The silent scream that Victor lets out is almost as terrifying as the look on Bruce's face.

Bruce starts throwing chairs around the lab, and he disappears from view before the camera switches into one in the hallway. There are broken chairs scattered everywhere. He gets bored fast, going back into the lab and the camera switching back to Victor lying on the ground and clutching his arm. He sits up and says something to Bruce, Bruce snapping off a chair leg and holding it to Victor's chest as he shouts. When he pulls back his arm, Reed appears and grabs it, stopping him from stabbing Victor.

Words are exchanged, and Bruce pushes Reed away, pointing toward the door. Reed nods, backing up with his hands raise defensively. He disappears off camera, and Bruce turns back to a now upright Victor. He drops the chair leg and stalks up to Victor, Victor running toward him and tacking him in the gut.

They both slide out of view, the camera switching to the one in the hallway. Victor is on his feet again, Bruce following. Now Loki remembers this part from a different vantage point. Victor says something, but Bruce ends up tackling them both into the lab.

Past-Loki comes into view, sliding beside a half-hidden Reed.

"I remember this part," Loki says. "You can skip it."

Fury nods, flicking his hand over his desk and the feed showing the events in fastforward. He looks at Loki who nods before tapping his desk and causing the feed to resume at normal speed.

Past-Loki steps up to Bruce, Bruce attacking him just as he remembers, and he feels his insides cringe at the memory of his hits as Past-Loki falls to the ground. Thor comes from nowhere, running and sliding to his knees in front of Past-Loki. He takes Past-Loki into his arms for a few moments before setting him down in Natasha's lap.

When he turns, the look on his face is pure terror, and he approaches Bruce without any fear. He fights him with little restraint, Loki cringing each time Bruce hits the ground of wall. When Thor is about to deliver the final blow, Robert arrives as Loki remembers, knocking Thor to the ground before he can do something stupid. They exchange a look as Robert helps Thor up and launch into action against Bruce, subduing him after a few moments.

Betty arrives, standing next to Robert and talking to Bruce. Bruce starts trying to get up, and Thor twists his neck in a way that should kill him, but it only makes him pass out. Betty falls to her knees, taking Bruce into her arms, and like that, tons upon tons of NYPD officers spill into the hallway, other blue-uniformed people with SHIELD symbols on their backs mixed in.

Fury stops the feed, turning to Loki. "So you finally saw the entire thing."

"Bruce…"

"Is fine as you already know," he replies. "Mr. Banner has a few… emotional deficiencies that have proven harmful before. It was miraculous that your brother subdued him so easily. Last time, it took Robert quite a bit longer."

"He could have killed him," Loki says, staring at his hands. "He would have if Robert hadn't arrived."

"It seems that your step-brother cares for you quite a bit, Loki. He is an asset to have here at SHIELD, and when Mr. Banner comes back in January, his presence might do some good for him. He could use the impending threat of death to control himself better."

Loki gawks at him, disbelieving that he is taking this so lightly.

"You're excused, Mr. Laufeyson." He spins away in his chair. "Perhaps it would do _you_ and your brother some good to stay home until school resumes on the 27th. Have a good day, Mr. Laufeyson. Go get something to eat after school. You're a string bean as is, and you were out for a bit."

He closes the door, ignoring Principal Fury's remark about his lack of weight and finds Natasha in her same position. "He's as bad as you all said he was."

Natasha stands up, grinning. "He made a joke about it, didn't he?"

"Multiple." He sees Thor, Reed, and Rick all sitting on the steps in front of the school. "Thor."

Thor turns, standing up. "What did you speak about?"

"We're excused until school resumes next week," he says. "Also, he showed me the fight. You… Thor, I feel like I should be on my knees thanking you right now."

Thor cocks an eyebrow, and Loki rolls his eyes.

"Tony Stark is rubbing off on you," he replies. "But I'm serious, Thor. Thank you."

Thor smiles back, extending an arm and pulling Loki to him. He stares down at him for a moment, the sunlight spreading around him like a halo, and Loki can only stare back, leaning into Thor. Something passes over his eyes, something that looks a lot like realization, and he opens his mouth to say something when Loki hears Odin's voice.

"Thor, my son!" he shouts, bounding up the stairs.

Loki steps back to give them a wide berth, Odin stopping a few inches from Thor as he looks at him. Thor's taller than Odin, Loki doesn't know how he never noticed, but Odin still looks like the authority figure. Thor's usual confidence is subdued next to the arrogance that Odin projects.

"You seem well."

Thor holds up his hand. "Yes, I am fine."

Odin seems to realize that Loki exists, turning around to look at him. His eyes widen, and Loki wants to ask him what his problem with him is other than the obvious hatred he harbors for the boy because he's unwilling to bend to his whims when he hears the sound of heels clicking up the stairs, the familiar figure of his mother appearing in his periphery.

"My Jotunn!" she shouts, covering the distance between him in two long strides. In her heels, she is only an inch or so shorter than him, so he's not forced to bend his neck when she takes his head in her hands. She has the familiar look of fury on her face that she wears anytime Loki is hurt. "Your nose!"

That's what Odin must have been staring at, he realizes, remembering the probably bloody gauze shoved inside his nose. "It's fine," he replies, but she is already tilting his head back to get a better look. "The bleeding has stopped."

His words cause her to drop any concern for him, the anger completely taking her over as she goes into her accusatory mode. "Those men," she says, pointing to people dressed in the blue SHIELD uniforms behind her, "came to get me and told me that you were involved in a fight! Tell me, Loki. What happened?"

"Bruce-"

She takes a step backward. "That boy did this to you, didn't he?" she shouts, bringing her foot down hard, Loki flinching. "You let him touch you! You let him hurt you and make you bleed, Loki! What were you thinking? Oh, yes, you were not! Do you ever use that intelligence you have been graced with for something other than petulant tantrums and childish pranks?"

Loki only stares back at her, used to getting shouted at for getting involved in conflicts with others at school. During his years in primary school, he was often engaged in fights with children who went a bit too far, getting a split lip or bruised cheek as a result, and his mother would publically humiliate him for letting them touch him. It had never made sense to him until after one fight when he was 12, his mother's anger had broken for just a moment to reveal the vulnerability and helplessness that she was truly feeling. It's a defense mechanism of hers that he's learned to deal with, no matter how sometimes her words manage to hurt him. It's better her hurting him than others, she probably thinks.

"I—Loki, I expected you to be much wiser in this new place," she says, now talking in Swedish. "You let Victor von Doom hurt you emotionally, and I was lenient though I wished to punish you for being so foolish, but this friend of yours betrayed your trust without regret. Look at yourself, Loki! Look!"

She grabs him by the forearm, spinning him around so he can see his reflection in the doors. The gauze in his nose is dark red, but the rest of him is fairly fine. There's a stain of red on the front of his shirt, and he's not wearing his blazer, somehow missing that fact. Loki does not look that bad physically, but from his mother's view, he knows that he looks absolutely pathetic.

"You are a scared child, Loki! Only a child who thinks that he is a man, nothing more!" His mother spins him back around, shaking him by the shoulders. "If your father were here-"

"He would be amazed by your bravery," Odin says, stepping forward. "Farbauti, please, release your—our son."

"No, Mother, it's fine," he says, shooting a strange look at Odin. "I know, and I agree. Laufey would think that I am pathetic because I am." He peels her hand from his arm, her expression now shocked as if she's just realized what she said. "I am pathetic for thinking that his opinion matters. He is dead, and his opinion no longer matters. Thor's helped me realize that as well."

She holds up a hand over her mouth, tears falling from her eyes. A sob escapes her mouth, and Loki doesn't hesitate to pull her into a hug, smoothing a hand over her hair. "Is Prins, I am so sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Mother, it's fine. You're afraid. I understand."

His mother looks up at him. "When they came—it was so much like when Laufey—and I started to panic that something terrible had happened to you, Loki. I c-can't bear to lose you. I don't think that I would be able to continue after that. You… you end up in these situations where you endanger yourself, and it frightens me so much. I only want for you to be okay."

A hand touches his mother's shoulder, and Loki looks up to see that it's Odin. "And he is, my love. Loki is fine, and he will continue to be. He has your fight in his blood. Your stubborn streak is what drew me to you."

"Father, we do not wish to hear of your romantic exploits," Thor says, putting a hand on Loki's shoulder. "But you are very right, Father. Loki is one of the most amazing people I have had the joy to meet, and for that, I should thank both of you for falling in love. Love, it's such a beautiful thing."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Gods, Thor, this is not the moment for you to wax romantic." He chuckles, pushing his mother away to look at her. "Mother, I am fine, and I... mitigate my behavior."

"That's the closest thing I've heard to an apology from you since you were four," she replies, grinning. She drags a hand across her mascara stained cheek. "Gods, I was not planning to cry. I've never liked it."

"I hope you don't mind my interruption of this, er… domestic moment," Reed says, stepping up to them, "but may I suggest that we all proceed to get lunch together? I know that you have many questions, all of which will be answered during our excursion, and I admit that I am quite… hungry after that ordeal."

Odin claps Loki on the shoulder, Loki gritting his teeth. "My, that sounds quite good…"

Reed holds out his hand, taking Odin's and shaking it. "Reed, Reed Richards, polymath. Mr. Borson, I have heard much about your…"

Loki sees Natasha sitting on the stairs next to Rick and breaks away, walking to stand next to her. "You should join us," he says, staring at the passing traffic.

"Clint and I have plans with a mom and pop diner and a Calculus textbook," Natasha says. "I never cancel a date."

"I… I'm going to stay with Bruce," Rick says. "These SHIELD guys, they don't know him. He needs as much support as he can get right now. These times are always tough for him."

Loki nods in understanding. He cannot imagine what's going through Bruce's mind now that he's calmed down. He must be feeling more regret than Loki can fathom, wishing to travel back in time to prevent his actions.

Thor comes to stand beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready to go?"

The prospect of sitting around a table with Reed, Odin, and his mother does not seem that alluring as he feels a slightly heaviness settle in his top half. "I… I'm going to head home," he says, glancing at Thor. "I'm not in the mood to do much of anything besides sleep. You should go ahead without me. I'll make it back fine."

He chuckles beside Loki, shaking his head. "Loki, you're… I'm not going anywhere without you." He starts pulling Loki downs the steps. "Let's go home then. I'm sure that they will not mind bringing us food later. You have just been concussed."

Concussed? Loki does not remember any mention of acquiring a concussion. "Thor, what do you mean by' concussed?'"

"Oh," Thor scratches the back of his head, "they were unsure of whether you had one or not, so I assumed the worse."

Loki laughs. "Naturally."

He leans his head on Thor's shoulder during the ride home, Thor stroking the side of his face absently as he stares out the window. Loki in turn stares at his profile, rubbing at Thor's knee and reveling in his touch. If he were to have amnesia, he's sure that this sight would bring all of his memories back or at least the ones of his feelings for Thor.

As he goes up the stairs, Loki trips up the first step, the sudden movement startling him because Loki has not tripped since puberty. He prides himself on his grace and tripping is not considered remotely graceful. Before he can impact the stairs, a hand wraps around his waist and catches him.

"Thanks," he says sheepishly, blushing at how close Thor's hand is to his crotch. "You can let me go now."

"I don't think so." Thor does the unthinkable and scoops him under his knees, shifting him backward into his other arm as he lifts him entirely off the stairs. Thor stares down at him in the bridal carry, wearing a half-smug, half-concerned expression. "I do not trust you to not fall down the top step and worsen your injury."

"I—okay," he says, sighing and letting himself relax into Thor's arms. "Hey, wait, where are we going?" he asks, his head lulling to the side.

"My bedroom," he says. "You have stated your like for my blanket often, and I would like to keep an eye on you." Thor pushes the door open with his back and slowly sets Loki down onto his bed. "I hope you don't mind."

Thor kneels down and pulls off Loki's Converse, his hands ghosting over Loki's ankle in a motion that sends shivers up his legs. When he stops touching him, he almost misses the touch but doesn't say such aloud. There are some things he can blame on a head injury, and he's not sure that falls under that category.

"No, of course not," he replies, pressing back into the soft blanket. He sighs in satisfaction, the relative darkness of Thor's room perfect in making the weight in his head bearable. He lets his eyes fall shut, taking in the silence only broken by Thor's quiet breathing from somewhere in the room. "Thor."

"Yes, Loki?"

The desire to tell Thor is strong, almost as strong as Bruce. Ha, almost. "Can I tell you something?" he asks, lifting an arm and letting it fall onto his chest. He touches something dry and realizes that his shirt is bloody. "Hey, Thor, can you get me a new shirt. Mine is kind of bloody."

"Oh, okay, Loki."

"Wait," he says, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it onto the ground, "just give me one of yours. You… you don't have to go…" He slides out of his pants, tossing them somewhere in the direction of his shirt. "-and get me one of my own."

"Oh," Thor replies, and Loki cracks an eye open, watching him retrieve a t-shirt from one of his drawers. "It's going to be big on you…"

"It's fine," Loki says, sitting up to take it from him. When Thor doesn't budge, he gives another tug and a confused look. He understands what's happening when Thor slides across the bed, his knees on either side of Loki's legs as he puts the shirt over his head. The same shocks as before move down his chest when Thor's hands make contact with his skin, and it seems that his ability to contain himself has been inhibited because he lets out audible moans.

They stare at each other, Thor still straddling him, and in that moment Loki makes a very stupid, questionable decision.

Moving his hands to cup Thor's jaw, he leans forward, gently pressing his lips to Thor's for a fleeting second, pulling back and staring at Thor in shock at his stupidity and gall to think that was remotely okay to do. Feeling the need to explain himself, he says, "I was returning the gesture from before."

Thor instantly knows what he's talking about, eyes widening. "I—there was no other way for me to express my love, Loki. I hoped that you didn't mind…"

"No, of course not," he replies, and the stupidity is back. "If we're expressing our love-"

Their lips meet in another kiss, Thor expecting it this time, and Loki lets his hands trail to Thor's shoulders. If this is just a kiss of expressing love, then he wants Thor to know just how much he loves him. He's not in love with him. No. He _loves_ him in a completely appropriate way that doesn't include a desire to have amazing sex with him anytime they touch. He _likes_ him in that way.

When they break apart, Loki stares at him, unsure of what he's to do next.

The sound of the doorbell makes the decision, Thor standing up from him, eyes wide as he looks at Loki. "I, I will go, uh, get the door."

He lets himself fall back onto the bed, wincing at the discomfort he feels down the back of his head. He stares at the ceiling, bringing a hand to touch his almost-swollen lips, and it appears that this day cannot get anymore surreal.

Loki kissed Thor, and Thor didn't mind.

Oh yes, there's the "platonic" part of the kissing he almost forgot about. Thor claims that he doesn't kiss his friends, but it seems that he has no problem kissing his step-brother to show him how much he loves him. Loki's not complaining if Thor wants to for that reason even if his is entirely different.

Loki never liked kissing, doesn't have much experience to really make an accurate opinion, but he finds that he's liked kissing Thor the past two times. He means that in a totally different way than the way that Thor probably means it because Loki's socially different but not in _that_regard.

"Lo-ki!" Tony's voice shouts from downstairs. "Lo-ki, you alive up there?"

He shuts his eyes, gritting his teeth, and slowly gets up from the bed. Holding onto the railing, he makes his way down the stairs, Thor rushing up to meet him the third step down, and Loki finds himself letting Thor mother him, going at the slow pace Thor is setting.

"You are alive, no thanks to those SHIELD fucks. They almost got you fucked," Tony says when he reaches the last few stairs. "Oh yeah, turns out I'm not your best friend because no one thought to inform me that you almost got killed! I had to hear it from the grapevine!" Tony throws his hands up in the air, some sort of headband waving in one of his hands.

Loki sits down on the last stair, looking up at Tony. "What do you have in your hand, Stark?"

"This," he says, handing it to Loki, "is Stark tech. When I get concussions—which is not that much!" he shouts at the ceiling. "Wait, forgot that JARVIS isn't here."

"Actually, sir, I'm in your pocket," JARVIS says. "You have my interface activated on your cellular device, and I must remind you that your acquisition of concussions is much more than medically recommended, which is none."

"Ha, ha, JARVIS, you're so funny. Anyway, put that on your head, and it should help with the nausea. Something about electric impulses and pressure points on the skull helps it. Don't feel like getting into it because no one is here to appreciate my genius"

Against his better judgment, Loki slides the headband around his head, Tony leaning forward to adjust it until his hands are slapped away. He feels foolish sitting there with gauze up his nose and a ridiculous headband on and hopes that his face projects his disapproval loud and clear.

"Whoa, wait. What did I interrupt?" Tony asks, smirking. "Thor, you taking advantage of Loki's fucked up state? Can't say that I wouldn't do the same to Steve."

"Sir, I must remind you that you-"

"Can it, JARVIS."

Thor doesn't think it's funny, not that Loki does either, and he crosses his arms, staring at the wall.

"Shut up, Stark," Loki says. "Why are you here?"

He looks offended. "I'm here because you survived getting hit by Bruce the Hulk! Grr, right? He totally roared, didn't he? JARVIS, pull up the feed and put it in my queue to watch later. Bruce is always cray when he gets angry."

"'Cray?'" Loki asks. "Really?"

"And, Thor, I heard that you beat his ass good. No one can beat Bruce when he goes insane like that. Well, no one until you. You Swedish bastards gotta be crazy because no one sane would go and intervene in that. The SHIELD agents were talking about it during the clean-up. You should be dead by all intents and purposes. I'm happy you're not."

"Thanks. Now, are you leaving?"

"Psh, no, I just got here, silly. By the way, I think that you should try to stay awake. Gotta keep you conscious and coherent."

"Since when are you a medical professional?"

"Uh, since I got my fourth concussion at 13 and read five volumes on collegiate neurosurgery as I worked on the first prototype of that headband." He shrugs. "When else?"

"Tony, our friend, I think that your antics are ill suited for this situation," Thor says. "If you intend to stay and occupy Loki, hindering his recovery, I will have to make you leave."

"I'm not hindering his recov-"

The doorbell rings, Tony turning around and answering it before Thor or Loki can get there. "Why, hello, Steve and friends, it's nice to see you."

Thor moves Tony aside, opening the door wide and revealing that Steve, Bucky, Sharon, and Peggy are standing there. He glances back at Loki, the irritation clear on his face before turning around and addresses them. "Hello, our friends, it's—you're here for what reason?"

"Sorry, Thor, but we really need to see Loki," Steve says, arms crossed. "He—I saw the blood! He could be dead!"

Bucky puts a hand on his shoulder. "Steve, if Loki was dead, Thor would not be wasting his time talking to us. He'd be finishing the job with Bruce."

"Bucky…"

"Can we come in?" Sharon asks. "We're not going to be any trouble."

"Yes, Thor," Peggy says, flashing a smile, "we have only stopped by for a moment. No inconvenience is meant."

"I do not-"

Tony hops up from the stairs, shoving himself between Thor and the door. "Hey, guys, coming to join the party? Thor, don't be a party pooper. Live like we're dying, right? Loki almost did, so it's only logical to celebrate that."

Thor sighs, and Loki knows that he's given up any attempt to convince them to leave. "Yes, you may-" he doesn't get to finish, Bucky pushing past Tony and pulling Steve into the hallway, Peggy and Sharon slipping in after them with no problem. "-enter."

"Look, he's alive," Bucky says, gesturing to Loki. "He looks like he's on the verge of death, but he's alive."

"Yes, I am alive," he replies, standing up, "and if you may excuse me, I have to go do something that involves a few moments of being alone. I will return, and I do pray that you all sufficiently control yourselves while I'm gone."

With as much dignity as he can muster, he walks up the stairs, his left hand firmly on the railing and his other pulling the hem of Thor's shirt down as far as it reaches. He intended to spend the remnant of his day half-dressed, but his plans have changed yet again. He sighs as he sits down on his bed, taking a few minutes to breathe in and out.

"Loki."

Loki doesn't start at the sound of Thor behind as he pulls out a pair of sweatpants. He completely trusts the boy, feeling almost as safe as he does when he's alone with his back turned on him, and he has to turn around to look at Thor before he's overwhelmed at the realization. "Yes?" he asks, pulling them on.

"I was seeing if you were okay, but you seem fine." Thor's constant hovering should make him feel irritated, but Loki's only glad to have his presence as an anchor.

When the two of them enter the now-filled den, Thor's hand on Loki's back is what stops him from turning around and putting off talking to them all until he's forced to. Steve is sitting in the middle of the couch, his shoulders hunched over as Bucky slings an arm over his shoulder and Tony whispers in his ear. It's as if they're competing for Steve's attention, and Loki does not hesitate to point that out.

"Rogers is only one boy," he says, sitting down next to Sharon. "You two should learn to share him."

Tony looks up, frowning at him. "Oh shut up before I start talking about the obvious thunderfrost love that I interrupted," he replies, Loki not bothering to ask him what "thunderfrost" is. "Nice to see you put pants on. Help him with that Thor?"

"Tony, please, you're such an idiot," Sharon says, "and jealous that Loki has gotten more female attention than you ever have."

"What? I am offended Carter Number Two! Anyway, he's gay!"

"Point is?" Peggy asks. "Chin up and accept your fate as eternal wingman while Steve and Loki pick up all the women." Steve raises his eyebrows at her, and she winks, Steve blushing deeply.

"Steve is off-limits," Tony says. "You will not taint him with your Mac #114 rouge lipstick, Margaret Carter."

"How do you even know that?" Bucky asks, making a disgusted face. "That's… I expect _him_ to know that, but Stark, um, that's not something that's common knowledge for men. Dames, yeah, that's their field, and the more, er, bent guys too, but you? You're straight and pull tons of tail. You should not know that."

"Nice of you to perpetuate gender and sexuality stereotypes, Barnes," Loki says, leaning his head back and staring up at the ceiling. "Social progress is supposedly eons ahead of the rest of the world here. Okay."

"Loki, Thor, we're back!"

Thor cranes his head from his position near the archway, nodding an affirmative to the unvoiced question Loki gives him. "We are in the den," he replies.

"We tried to hurry home as fast as we could," Odin says from the kitchen, "but that principal of yours Nicholas Fury ended up joining us. Phil Coulson did as well."

"What a strange man," his mother adds.

"Yes, he is quite strange."

"Hey, Ms. L and Mr. B!" Tony calls, leaning over the arm of the chair and into the archway. "Remember me? Of course you do, and you totally missed me."

Odin appears in the doorway. "Well, I was not expecting you all," he says with a sigh. "I'm afraid that I am not knowledgeable of your names."

Peggy stands up, taking Odin's hand in a firm handshake, and Loki smiles at the startled look in his eye. "Margaret Carter, but I prefer to be addressed as Peggy. This is my niece Sharon Carter."

"Only Sharon, correct?" Odin asks as Sharon shakes his hand. "And you, young man?"

"James Buchanan Barnes, named for the great president of these United States." He enthusiastically shakes his hand. "It's just Bucky though."

"Wow, you are handsome," his mother says, stepping up next to Odin, "and awfully charming." Loki bites back a groan, knowing that this is going to lead to strange place.

Bucky takes her hand and kisses it. "Always charming for the pretty dames."

"And that's my cue to come and save Ms. Laufeyson from the evil grips of Bucky Barnes," Tony says. "Nice to see me again, right?"

"Hm, if you say such."

When the doorbell rings, Loki almost abandons any plan of fraternizing with his friends in favor for locking himself in his room, but Thor seems to notice and takes a seat on the couch next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder and kneading.

"I've got it," Odin says, turning to go open the door. "Oh, hello, I don't remember you."

A few moments later, a frazzled looking Harry comes into the room, scanning their faces until he finds Loki's. "You are an asshole!" he shouts, everyone going silent in confusion. "You asshole of the biggest, loosest assholes filled with more assholes."

Loki sighs. "I would appreciate it if you told me without using such language-"

"Your freaking nose, that's what!" he shouts, running a hand through his hair. "You fought Bruce Banner and lived! You never thought to call me immediately afterward?"

"Osborn, I hope you realize how stupid you sound," Tony says. "Like really, really stupid."

"And Stark knew before me? Do you not care about my feelings?"

"Please, Harry, shut up and calm down," he replies. "I do not have time for your stupidity."

"Osborn?" Odin asks. "As in Harold Osborn, son of Norman Osborn?"

Harry turns around. "Yeah… why?"

"Your father and I are business contacts and have worked together various times. I had no idea one of Loki's friends was his son. I suppose I should have guessed with the fact that Tony Stark is." Odin claps him on the shoulder, Harry wincing. "It seems that we should move this congregation to the basement before more unexpected guests arrive."

"That is an excellent idea," his mother says.

He may have gotten a jarring to the skull, but Loki thinks that he would remember if they had a basement. "What basement?" he asks as everyone stands up, still seated. "I don't recall having a basement."

"Bruce must've punched him hard."

"Harry, please," Thor replies. "I do not think that you have ever been downstairs, or even aware of its existence. Your lack of curiosity and observation can only be blamed."

"Lack of observation?" he asks incredulously. "I do not lack observation!"

"Uh, you kinda do since you did miss the part where there's a whole extra floor to your house," Bucky says, shrugging when Loki glares at him. "Just saying."

The fact that he didn't notice there was another floor beneath his feet can be blamed on his lone visit into the living room. There was no point in going in there before, it only being filled with decorative furniture and other pretentious things that his mother insisted on bringing with them, so he didn't. Since he did not go into the living room, he didn't realize that there was a doorway slightly off to the side leading down a flight of stairs.

Thor's grip on his arm is constant as they go down the wide steps though Loki holds onto the railing. He only releases his arm when Tony says that Loki is Thor's "special prisoner" with a wag of his eyebrows, earning a pinch on the ear from Peggy.

Loki knows that this is Odin's domain from how the place is decorated. The first thing he saw upon descending the stairs was the garish television screen mounted on the wall, a panel of glass beneath it showcasing many electronics that even Loki is not in the know of, and the seating goes with the entire theme of excess. He thinks that the ceiling high pillars denoting the separation of areas are a touch that pulls the set up together.

Tony goes to the glass panel, sliding it open and staring at the electronics with a wide mouth. He turns to Odin, eyes wide. "This, this isn't even Stark tech!" he shouts. "It's not Stark tech!"

"Why is that a problem?" Harry asks, flopping down onto one of the couches. "Anyone else thinking the same?"

"Yes, you said that you and the big Ozzy were friends. It's got to be some OsCorp witchcraft then," he mumbles, and Odin chuckles. "Really, tell me what this stuff is."

Loki sits down next to Harry, putting enough distance between them in case Harry decides to have another freak out. He doesn't understand the problem either, but he has a feeling it has to do with Stark's gigantic ego regarding technology.

"What do you do?" Harry asks. "Must be doing something important if my dad gives you the time of day."

The look that passes over Odin's features is definitely akin to pride, and Loki barely contains his eye roll, his mother meeting his eyes briefly and sending him a warning look. "Aerospace engineering."

"Ha, ha, you're kidding," Tony says, sounding strained. "You're kidding, right? You're in rocket science? Seriously? Seriously? How did I not know this?"

"I do not understand why the notion is so far-fetched. Our family has been involved in the field for generations, and it is only natural that I follow as I hope that one day Thor does." Loki notes how Thor shifts where he stands. "The technology that you are so infatuated with is merely a product of a functioning R&D department. I thought that you would understand this, Mr. Stark, considering your own involvement in Stark Industries."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he replies with a shrug, finally finding the power button to the screen. "You have Dance Central 3, and I haven't played it yet. As long as you plan on no failed hostile takeovers, we're cool, Big Borson."

When the doorbell rings this time, his mother goes to get it, bringing Peter back downstairs with her.

"Whoa, you're alive," he says, echoing the previous sentiments. "Nice headband. Is it 80's night?"

Harry snorts beside Loki, smirking. "Where's Mary Jane?"

"Oh?" Peter scratches the back of his head in confusion. "Didn't think of inviting her. I brought a pie," he says, holding up the container in his hand. "My Aunt May says that pie can cure anything. It's apple."

Steve beams. "Homemade?"

"Of course, Rogers. Aunt May would be insulted that you even thunk that for a second, All-American patriot that you are." Peter winks at him, Tony turning around just to glare at him. "A place I can put this?"

"Yes, follow me. I have a feeling that you all plan on staying for dinner?"

"Yes!" Tony shouts, frowning when Peggy, Harry, and Sharon say no. "Say yes, you idiots. Have you tried her cooking?"

His mother gives Tony a strange look. "No pressure on my behalf, the one that actually matters."

"Yes, so Stark will not be able to hold this over my head in the future," Harry says.

"These dames are saying 'yes' because they know what's good for them," Bucky says, putting his arms behind aforementioned "dames." "I know that's good for me, so you don't hear me complaining."

Tony goes to where Steve is sitting, pulling him up with one arm and Peggy up with the other. "You two are dancing with me whether you like it or not. Okay, I think we should go with 'Alejandro' because it's a good start and my song. Questions?"

Steve shakes his head, Peggy flipping her hair over shoulder.

Thor sits down finally, choosing an armchair instead of the empty space beside Loki, and Loki cannot help but feel a little offended. It's just a seat, but he thought that Thor would want to sit beside him instead alone. Perhaps it is Odin's previous words stating his expectation of Thor to secede him. That kind of pressure must weigh heavily on one's shoulders, and Loki can only imagine the dilemma that he faces.

As the beginning bars of synth sound out around them, the doorbell rings, and Thor wordlessly gets up to go answer it.

"She's got both hands in her pocket, but she won't look at you, won't look at you!" Tony sings, exaggerating the movements on the screen enough to make Loki shake his head in disbelief.

Steve manages to keep up though he looks extremely gawky in doing so, Bucky silently chuckling the entire time and Sharon cheering him on.

"What the fuck did I just walk into?" Luke sits down in the seat beside Loki, Thor returning to his old one. "Hey, Chef, turn and let me see what Big Green did to you." Luke makes a hissing noise when he sees but lifts his fist for Loki to bump. "You did good, Lok-master. Real good."

"I only got punched."

"By Bruce 'The Hulk of Craziness' Banner!" Harry shouts, throwing his hands up. "How did you even survive?"

He's about to contemplate that when he hears his name.

"Loki, hey." He turns and sees Gwen standing at the bottom of the stairs, her bag clutched to her chest. "I heard, and I came as soon as I could…"

He stands up from the touch, Thor instinctively doing the same but only standing in front of his chair, and stops in front of her. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

She shrugs. "Can't risk having a friend die before I see him, right?" 'Friend.' She still considers them friends? He's surprised with how their interactions have been since the abrupt coming out.

"I must apologize that I am no longer under any risk of dying," he replies.

"You will be if you don't come over here and watch me kick their asses!"

Gwen sits down next to Bucky, nodding him a greeting, and Loki returns to his seat to do as Stark "commanded," rolling his eyes at the thought of Stark commanding him to do anything. Loki does as he pleases.

"Alejandro!" Tony shouts once more, jumping up and down as the score displays a victory for him. "What a BAMF I am, right?"

"Choose 'OMG' now," Bucky says, standing up. "You're not claiming a total victory yet."

"Neither are you, Barnes." Sharon stands.

"Wait, I'm playing then too," Harry says. "Beating your asses."

"Uh, no you're not, rich boy." Luke stands up, rolling his arms. "Let's do this."

Tony chooses the song, rolling his head around as it loads.

Within the first few bars of the song, the room seems to go completely quiet save for the music, each of the dancers focusing hard on the screen as they try to keep up. There are no immediate outliers, much to Loki's surprise and disappointment. He would love to get the chance to mock them for their failure.

Halfway through the song, Steve says, slightly out of breath, "Wow, this is getting me tired," and like that, Bucky and Tony turn to him, descending upon Steve like birds of prey.

Harry, Sharon, Peggy, and Luke continue dancing, Peggy giving Steve a worried look and Luke sending Harry a grin when he sends a worried glance back at him.

When Luke wins by a landslide, Harry shouts at the screen that it's rigged, falling back onto the couch with his arms crossed. Luke smirks, going over and getting a fist pump from Thor and Tony at his victory before accepting a challenge from Bucky now that Steve is fine—he was before, but it seems that their protective streak is almost as strong as Thor's.

"Whoa, when did she get here?" Peter asks, reentering sans pie. "Gwen, I had no idea you were here."

"I wouldn't expect you to," she replies with a frown.

"Dra-ma!" Harry remarks. "Pete, you drag it around with you, you know that right?" He points at Loki. "Almost as much as you carry around craziness. You came, and things have been happening. Mischief everywhere."

"They don't call him Loki, god of mischief, for no reason," Tony says, turning around with a grin.

"How long have you been saving that?" Gwen asks, standing up and adjusting her skirt. "A week? A day?"

"Nope, only three hours. As soon as I heard, it came to my genius mind," he replies, standing up to join the game before they start. "Don't hate, Stacy. Appreciate like how I'm about to kick your asses at 'Gagnam Style.'"

"Dude, I'm happy you're alive though," Harry says, clapping him on the shoulder. "I'm happy that your pretty face is okay too. Without all of that, uh, bloody mess in your nose, you'd look fine. Have I ever mentioned how pretty you are?"

"Where are you going with this, Harry?" Loki asks, suddenly paranoid. "You're straight, made a point to tell me the moment we met after making an innuendo about your penis size."

"Which you still don't know," he says. "Care to find out?"

"Shut up, Osborn," Luke says, turning around mid-dance move to glare at him.

"You know, in case you do die, I think that you deserve to die with this experience." Harry grabs the sides of Loki's face and pulls him forward, their lips meeting uncomfortably due to the fact that there is tissue shoved up Loki's nose and Loki is not consenting to this kiss.

"Osborn, what the fuck, dude?" Luke shouts, stopping dancing.

"Osborn!" Peggy shouts, stopping dancing as Bucky, Sharon, Gwen, and Tony do the same.

Loki stares wide-eyed in surprise, trying to form enough thought other than the one that Harry's lips are on his as he pushes him back at the shoulders.

A hard shove and Harry falls backward, sending a look at a watching Peter as he licks his lips, and Loki gets a feeling that there was some reasoning behind that kiss other than gifting him with a present he never wanted.

"Oh, man," Bucky says. "Not fucking cool. You're not even gay."

"Harry, don't ever do that again!" he shouts, wiping the back of his mouth with his hand before he shoves Harry again. "I will destroy you if you ever try kissing me again. Keep your lips away from mine until you are dead and even through the afterlife, you imbecile."

"So we're kissing people now?" Peter asks. He stands up and spins Gwen around, leaning in toward her, and Gwen immediately leans in the opposite direction.

"Peter, no, no, get away. What's wrong with you?" she says, making a face of disgust. "We're never kissing again. Remember? Over? And who uses that as an opening to kiss someone? He didn't even ask him!"

Luke is suddenly pulling Harry up by the collar of his shirt, Harry trying and failing to get away. "Osborn, come on. Let's have a little talk!" he shouts as he drags him down one of the halls.

"Rejected!" Tony shouts as he resumes doing the 'Gagnam Style.' "You're mad, Parker. Almost as mad as Osborn. By the way, that was not cool at all. You just don't kiss people with possible brain damage. Loki, I apologize for that being inflicted on you."

"I hope Luke gives him some brain damage of his own," Bucky says, Steve shaking his head in disapproval.

Thor sits with his arms crossed, eyes glued to the screen, unmoving during the entire ordeal. Loki frowns at the lack of reaction. The two of them were just the ones kissing earlier. Thor can't have forgotten that fast, vet he did punch Hero for doing so. Maybe he trusts Luke to take care of Harry?

"Loki, there's someone here for you!" his mother shouts from upstairs.

He's surprised when he finds one Erik Lensherr standing in his hallway, hands tucked into his coat pockets as he leans against the wall. Loki smiles, greeting him with a nod of his head.

"Come here," he says, and he gently tilts Loki's head back, grimacing at the sight of his nose. "Well, you're not dead, and it's not broken. Things could be much, much worse. When I heard that it was Banner, I assumed the worse."

"He did the same," Loki says, gesturing to where he knows Thor is standing and listening in the living room. "I-" He's interrupted by the doorbell.

Thor comes and opens the door, Loki waiting for him to invite the visitors in. "It's as if school has come to us," he says, sounding sarcastic.

Charles, Raven, and Dr. McCoy enter, carrying bags.

"Hello, Thor." Charles stops when he spots Loki. "Loki, hello as well. I hope your parents don't mind—oh, Erik, you're already here." He looks at where Erik's hands are under Loki's chin, Erik dropping them immediately. "Erik, please," he murmurs, clenching his jaw, "not here."

Loki freezes, realizing the implication of their position. "There's nothing going on," he says. "He was looking at my nose. Look, see for yourself."

Charles makes a face when Loki turns to him. "Oh. That had to hurt."

"Captain Obvious, my brother, strikes again!" Raven says. She shrugs her coat off, taking Dr. McCoy's, and hangs them up on the rack. "I'm guessing that you guys are all downstairs while the parents are chilling upstairs, correct? Hank, come on, let's go introduce ourselves to their parents before we go and act our true age."

"We should go join them," Charles says, tugging Erik's sleeve. "Come on, Erik."

Thor stares at Loki when they're left alone, his eyes slightly narrowed in an accusation that Loki is ready to deny when the stupid doorbell rings.

Jane Foster steps inside, her eyes huge and glossy with tears. "Thor—oh my god, you're okay." She pulls him into an embrace. "I was so, so worried when I heard. I was afraid of what happened. I'm so happy that you're okay. You're okay. God, you're okay."

Something in Loki's stomach tightens, and he feels ridiculous being jealous at a simple display of care and friendship. "I should excuse myself," Loki mumbles, walking into the kitchen.

Erik steps through the archway, his grin falling from his face as soon as he sees Loki. "You look as if you've just lost your best friend, excuse my use of cliché. The fact that you have a strange headband with the Stark logo on it on and bloody gauze shoved in your nose probably doesn't help either."

He chuckles. "I feel as though I could die at any second, but somehow, I feel fine at the same time," he replies. "My life has become emotionally draining. I wish that I was legally allowed to get drunk because I would. I would multiple times."

"Those are the words of a future alcoholic, Loki," Erik replies, giving him a stern look. "I'd watch if I were you."

They both erupt into laughter.

"That was a terrible impression of your stern face," Loki says. "Try that in class and everyone will laugh."

Erik stops laugh, exhaling. "Tell me what is eating you."

Loki turns away from him, shutting his eyes and letting himself finally relax for the first time tonight. He can trust Erik. It's ridiculous that he trusts him so blindly, but his intuition is saying that Erik is someone that is on his side. "What isn't?"

"Now that's a cryptic answer if I've ever heard one," he says. "I need some sort of reference. I don't read minds like Charles does."

Loki laughs. "I… don't actually know," he replies. "I am unsure of my feelings, and it's hindering a relationship in my life. I'm not in love with him. No. I'm merely… confused."

"Aren't we all? No, Loki, I have to ask you. Is this person possibly who I think it is?"

"I… don't know," Loki replies, almost feeling bad as he does. It's an answer that he's always hated, and he knows that Erik must feel the same with how many times he hears it during the school day. "I really don't know."

"You can talk to me, Loki. I try not to judge that much, or stick to doing it silently if the situation calls for it."

"I know that you speak German, and I need to ask you to translate something for me." Glancing around to make sure that they are as alone as they can get in the kitchen, he leans in toward Erik. "What does ' Ich bin leider in dich verliebt' mean?" he mumbles, almost stumbling over a few words in nervousness.

Thor said that to him and said it meant the same thing, but there's a feeling in Loki's stomach that it doesn't. He always claims that Loki is the one who lies, but Loki knows better than to believe Thor without seeking the truth himself.

Erik cocks an eyebrow. "We'll, it means 'I'm in love with you'," he says, "but if I'm not mistaken, you said 'leider', which means unfortunately." He pauses, frowning. "Did someone say 'I'm am unfortunately in love with you' to you? If you don't mind, may I ask who? Was it this… person?"

He's about to reply with an answer that dodges the question completely when the doorbell rings. "I've got it!" he shouts anxiously, all of the commotion around him going silent before starting up again.

The door opens, revealing a tall chilly figure that makes Loki freeze where he is as every memory from his childhood plays in front of his eyes simultaneously. He knows that he's staring, but he cannot stop. It doesn't matter if he is. He always used to stare, and his father would stare back, blue eyes piercing and emotionless, until Loki broke away. The last time he didn't break eye contact first. His father did.

It's him. It's somehow him in flesh and blood form, the same stern expression of contempt on his face and the aura of subdued anger surrounds him, projecting itself blue and frosty around Loki and bringing his body temperature down a few degrees.

The only reason he does not faint is because of the instinctive reaction he had around him to stay on his toes and remain as composed as possible. He would rather get shouted at for gaping instead of fainting. That left less emotional scars than the alternative.

"Hello, Loki," he says, his voice projecting tendrils of ice into Loki's soul.

He does not faint, but he does not move either.

No, he just stares.


	9. Chapter 9

Farbauti Laufeyson: Fallacious Guardian?!

Nal, his name is Nal, or that's what the man introduces himself as to Loki after Loki stands there for almost ten minutes frozen and staring at him. Erik comes up and saves him from the embarrassment, introducing himself and instead doing the job of inviting him in.

"Loki, you still resemble your father," he says after he hangs up his coat on the rack without hesitation. Loki only continues to stare at him, unsure of the proper response.

Loki finds himself glancing back at Nal with every step they take toward the dining room and toward his mother who will have some explanation to who this man even is. Nal, the name rings a bell, yet he cannot match it with anything but fuzzy images of darkness.

"Farbauti," Nal says as his mother enters the kitchen, freezing where she is. Loki expects her to stare at him as he did, but her only response is a flash of something through her eyes that looks a lot like recognition before she replies, "Nal," inclining her head.

She steps up beside Loki, placing a hand on his shoulder as if to steady him. "Loki, I assume that you don't remember him, but this is your uncle Nal. He is your father's only brother."

Loki looks over Nal, seeing the striking differences between his father and his uncle now with the knowledge. He hears himself exhale loudly, relieved that this is his uncle, which explains the startling resemblance.

When he tries again to match Nal, his memory only gives him an image of a shadowy figure almost as tall as his father when he calls up the name and their relation, and its backdrop is the cemetery where his father was buried, rainy and cold. Loki never believed in superstitions, but he was sure that what turns out to be his uncle was a ghost when he caught a glance of his at his funeral. It had to be him who he saw. It makes sense, more sense than him being his father's ghost.

"You've grown quite a bit though I notice that you did not inherit the family height," Nal says, his face still impassive. "I can only guess that your mother's genes are at fault for that slight..."—_Deficiency_—"difference. As I have already stated, your father's genes run quite strong in you. It's your eyes."

"Loki, who was-" Thor stops at the sight of Nal, his eyebrows raising in alarm and confusion.

He turns around to face Thor in the doorway, cocking his head to the side before extending his hand and taking Thor's without waiting. The height difference between them is amazing, and Loki thinks this is the first time that he has seen anyone taller than Thor. "I am Nal Bergelmisson, and you are Loki's step-brother, correct?"

Nal turns around, not waiting for Thor's response. "I was aware of your remarriage, Farbauti, though I am afraid I was unaware of the fact that the man already had a son."

Odin enters the room, Charles hot on his heels, and instantly stops, Charles stumbling into his back and almost falling before Erik catches him by the sleeve and pulls him to his side. "Oh, I didn't know that you were here."

"Odin, it's quite nice to see you in person," Nal says, sounding amused even though his face is still neutral. "Video conferences and the like do not show you a person as well as your own eyes do." His smiles, well, not technically, but Loki sees it in his eyes. "We are family now, are we not? You have married my widowed sister-in-law. You have passed on your resemblance to your son as my brother did. Our genes run strong."

Odin smiles, but it does not reach his eyes. "Yes, Nal, Thor does carry the family resemblance. If I weren't sure, I would think that you were Laufey. You two do look as though you are twins."

"But we have a year of life separating us," he responds, the tone of his voice all too familiar to Loki. If Loki closes his ears enough and goes to the farthest corner and rocks back and forth, imagining screams echoing in his ears, he could be Laufey. "Loki, I am quite delighted that your face remains unmarred. I would have hated for your face to have been damaged. It so closely resembles mine and my brother's. It would be unfortunate."

His mother squeezes his shoulder slightly. "Nal, I hope you do not mind, but I must ask if you plan on staying for dinner? As you can see, we are having quite a large amount of guests, so your presence would not impose."

"Impose," he says, the corners of his lips quirking up. "I have never done such a thing. I would be quite honored to accept your invitation though Loki and I have subject matters to discuss."

The grip on his shoulder tightens painfully for a moment before dropping. "Nal, would you care to talk to me alone for a moment?" she asks. "There is a private place we can discuss things."

Nal stares at her evenly, his gaze unwavering, and Loki's stomach curdles at how close it is to the one of his father's. "Of course." He lifts his eyebrows. "Lead the way."

At the sound of the door clicking shut down the hall, everyone turns to Loki, their gazes all burrowing deep into his face. It's a mixture of confusion, curiosity, accusation, worry, and pity that makes him want to lash out on them for being so emotional. He should be the one having a nervous breakdown at the sudden appearance of his father's doppelganger of a brother, not them.

Thor takes his shoulders into his hands, staring at his face as if he expects Loki to have some adverse reaction.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asks, his teeth gritted. "I'm fine." He brushes Thor's hands from his shoulders. "I need to go change the gauze in my nose if you don't mind."

He elects to use the upstairs bathroom, closing the door behind him and taking a seat on the closed toilet. The silence of the top floor provides room to think of what has just happened. Downstairs, his mother and his estranged uncle are talking about who knows what with all of the secrets that his mother has withheld from him.

Removing the gauze provides relief, though he winces at the sudden freedom of breathing through one of his nostrils. As starts to take out the second piece, there's a knock on the door, and it's opened before he can object to them entering.

Dr. McCoy stands there with a small bag in his hand, looking at Loki like he's a nuclear weapon set for detonation only hours from now, and stares at Loki as he watches him through the mirror for a few moments before bothering to speak. "I, uh, came to help you replace your gauze," he replies. "I have personal experience with nose bleeds and the aftercare."

Loki doesn't bother arguing, sitting down on the toilet and looking at him expectantly. He smirks when Dr. McCoy only realizes that he's giving him permission to do as stated, going to take out the proper equipment.

He tilts his head back, containing the wince when he goes to remove the second one.

"I—sorry," Dr. McCoy says, finishing putting on his gloves and pulling out some long suction thing. He holds up a light and shines it into Loki's nose, Loki trying hard not to feel uncomfortable about this. "Good thing I came prepared. There's some clotting that I need to get out. If you just-" He makes a motion for Loki to tilt his head back. "Thanks."

The following sticking up of the weird device into his nose almost causes Loki to vomit from the sensation of something so deep inside of his nose. When Dr. McCoy removes it, he exhales, careful not to do it from his nose.

"The bleeding has stopped," he says. "The SHIELD agent I asked said that it was a rupture of a posterior artery, and heavy bleeding is usually expected from those. I'm glad to say that's not the case with you."

"Since when are you a doctor?" Loki asks, glancing at him. It's the second time he's said something like that today. "I mean a doctor of medicine."

"I went to medical school as I've said a few times, but I lost the drive to continue in the field. I can go back and do my residency if I really wanted to become a practicing physician, but it's not in my interests as of now. I've got my MD, but teaching is what I want to do."

"You're only 25," he says stupidly, shutting his eyes before he loses patience with himself. "You make Stark look unaccomplished."

Dr. McCoy finishes putting the gauze in his second nostril, standing up to remove his gloves. "I wouldn't say that," he says, blushing. "I'm just… driven."

"Come in," Loki says when there's a knock on the door.

Raven sticks her head in. "Done playing Doctor?" she says, grinning. "Wait, that came out wrong."

Dr. McCoy looks horrified for a second. "Uh, yeah, Raven, we're finished." He looks at Loki. "You're perfect to go."

On his way down the steps, he almost trips on Thor's arm, not noticing that Luke, Thor, Jane, Steve, and Tony are all sitting on the stairs. It's by some miracle that he catches the railing and steadies himself. "What are you doing?" he asks, losing his patience for a moment. "I—what are you doing _here_?"

"Waiting for you, Chef," Luke says.

"You look as good as new," Tony says, winking. "By the way, I really need to see your uncle. Word on the street, he's sexy as hell and looks like he could be your dad."

Loki maneuvers around them, walking back into the kitchen to wait for the two of them to resurface, and they follow him like a bunch of baby ducklings. He thinks about telling them that but thinks that they wouldn't appreciate the joke. "Yes, he looks a lot like my father, Stark," he replies, turning away. "A lot."

"Oh, Steve, hello," Dr. McCoy says, he and Raven entering the kitchen. "I didn't know that more of you were here."

Loki can practically hear Steve turn pink. "Uh, hi, Dr. McCoy."

"Mickey, what up?" Tony greets. "Miss Darkholme, hello to you too."

"You travel in groups," she says. "Are there more of you?"

"Yep, Gwen, Parker, Osborn, Peggy, Sharon, and Bucky are all downstairs. Can't get rid of us."

Everyone silences at the sound of the door opening, Loki lifting his eyes from the counter to see his mother and Nal exiting, Nal a few steps ahead of her. There's a quick moment where he forgets that this man is not his father, and he prepares to stare him down to prove to him that he is more than a small little boy worthy of his contempt.

"Loki, you have quite the plethora of friends," Nal says. "Your father and I preferred keeping to ourselves during our later years of secondary school though your father remained popular with the female and male population alike."

"So that's where you got it from!" Tony shouts, Nal lifting an eyebrow. "Oh, hello, Mr. Looks-Like-Loki-But-Isn't-His-Dad."

Nal puts his hands into the pockets of his dress pants, pacing back and forth on the other side of the island as he scrutinizes the faces behind Loki. "Anthony Stark," he finally says after a few moments. "You are unmistakably Howard's son. The few times your father and I interacted, I never forgot his quirky behavior. The Stark genes are strong as well, and it seems the wit and sarcasm are too."

Loki turns and sees Tony staring at Nal wide-eyed, seemingly speechless.

"If you are unaware, I am Nal Bergelmisson, Loki's paternal uncle. Would you care to introduce yourselves?"

"Luke Cage," Luke says, nodding his head at him.

"Jane Foster."

"Steve Rogers."

" Dr. Hank McCoy."

"Miss Raven Darkholme."

Nal nods, removing his hands from his pockets to put them on the counter in a position that mirrors Loki's. "And Anthony Stark and Thor Odinson," he says, his head cocked to the side. "Two 16 year olds, a 17 year old, two 18 year olds, a 25 year old, and a 26 year old. A mathematics teacher and an art teacher? Yes. What a varied group. I approve of them, Loki."

The need to tell him that he doesn't need his approval fades as fast as it comes, the resemblance to his father proving to be strong enough to convince him otherwise. Nal is not his father, but he's close enough to bring forth the weak habits he had around him.

"Loki does not need your approval, Nal," his mother says for him, giving him a hard look. "I'm sure that he appreciates it, but he has done quite well without it."

"I do not doubt that he has," he replies, "though I am sure that there are some that will disagree." There's an underlying hostility to the words that causes Loki to avert his eyes from the scene, memories of similar conflicts from his childhood starting to replay in his head.

"Loki, would you care to introduce me to your other… friends downstairs?" he asks, the eye-smile on his face. "Before we dine, I wish to be acquainted with those in attendance and them acquainted with me. Show me the way?"

He nods, staring back at Nal for a moment only to look down at his feet and turn around, sliding between Thor and Luke to show him the way. There's a stinging in his eyes that makes him feel as though he's four years old and being sent away to do something other than "force your presence on me."

"Loki, you're-" Peggy stops, spotting Nal behind him. "Oh, hello, I'm afraid we have not met."

"We have not," Nal replies, his eyes examining the room. "Quite garish though it fits Odin well," he comments. It startles Loki that he was saying the same only hours ago. "Loki, please," he says, inclining his head toward the previously seated but now standing up individuals.

He bites back the bitter retort that comes to his lips, telling himself that this is not Laufey, and he does not deserve such a response. "This is Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Harold 'Harry' Osborn, Margaret 'Peggy' Carter, Sharon Carter, Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr, and James 'Bucky' Barnes."

Nal steps forward, hands back in his pockets. "Harry, I know your father quite well," he says. "I would consider him a close friend and long-time collaborator of mine."

"Everyone knows my dad," Harry says, sighing. "Is there anyone who doesn't?"

He isn't offended by the response, shrugging. "No, there is not anyone who is unaware of Norman Osborn's existence," he replies with a smirk, and it causes Harry to shut up immediately. "Let's see the age demographic of this group of friends… Four 16 year olds, three 18 year olds, a 27 year old, and a 32 year old. An English teacher and a chemistry teacher, though our English teacher appears to be quite varied. Impressive, but not surprising for an Xavier."

Charles stares at Nal, eyebrows slightly raised. "Erik is 31," he says.

"Hm, a year off then," Nal says, not looking at all fazed.

"You are Loki's uncle, correct?"

"Yes, Nal Bergelmisson," he says. "Brian Xavier and my father had a strange relationship. The interconnectivity between our families leads me to believe that this meeting could have been personally organized by fate itself."

"I never took you for a man of superstition," Odin says, appearing out of one of the doorways in the left hallway. "Your brother was quite the realist."

Nal nods. "He was, but that did end up with him in the grave, did it not?"

Loki's eyes widen, and he stares at Nal in disbelief. How dare he speak of his father as if he were an idiot? The fury that courses through his veins makes him want to prove how wrong he is without the use of his fists. He is going to show him how incorrect he is regarding Laufey. Loki knew him well in those five years of time spent together even if it did shape him in ways bad and good.

"Nal," his mother says, descending the stairs with a large black pot in her hand. "If you will make use of your obviously great strength and height, I would like for you to assist me if that does not make you feel bad. All of you, I wish the same of you."

Nal turns to her, mouth still straight, but his eyes are blazing. "Nothing makes me feel bad, Farbauti. I would be charmed to help." He puts a hand on Thor's shoulder. "You boys, come on and help me, but Loki, I think that you should not with your… nasal disability."

He glares at Nal, only getting the contemptuous look in return. "Okay," he replies, not bothering to hide his anger.

No one tries to argue with Nal, everyone except for Loki disappearing up the steps to go get something to carry. Angrily, he flops down on the couch, crossing his arms at being called disabled in front of everyone and not bothering to defend himself. Had it been anyone else, he would not have hesitated to tell him how wrong they were before going to help anyway, but it was Nal. Gods, he hates the man and simultaneously loves him all the same.

Perhaps it is the fact that he's one of the only paternal blood relatives he's seen since his father's demise, but it's idiotic that the love he held for Laufey has been transferred onto the man in the short time Loki's gotten to know him again. Before his father's death, he had to have been a significant part of Loki's life for him to not hesitate to care for him. It's not like he remembers.

The love does not dilute the hate that courses through his veins though. Loki hates him with the heat of a star gone supernova.

He watches them come down in a line, dishes in their arms, and remains seated until Nal and Odin come down last, Nal shooting him an actual smile with his mouth as he passes. Loki's fingernails dig deep enough into his palms to start to draw blood, and the burning sensation behind his eyes comes back.

"Loki, please, come and take a seat," Odin says, coming back. When Loki makes no motion to move, he takes a step closer.

"I require a moment alone," he says, his voice thick with emotion. He looks away, blinking away angry tears.

Odin leaves him, but Nal returns in his place, his arms crossed over his chest and his head cocked to the side as he looks on in amusement. It amuses him that Loki is angry, and that's a trait that Loki despised about his father, wishing that he would show genuine concern for him. Only once did he ever.

"Loki, come and join us for dinner," he says. "Now."

The "now" at the end acts as some command that reawakens the loyal Laufeyson inside him, Loki standing up and following him stiffly into another room that is a larger, more regal version of their dining room upstairs. There are empty chairs around the room, but only one empty chair at the table across from where Nal takes his seat.

With great loathing, he sits down between Thor and Tony.

"So… can we eat?" Tony asks. Steve shushes him, and he shrugs. "Just asking."

"Anthony is right," Nal says, visibly getting amusement in the way Tony flinches at his full name.

Odin nods. "You may all begin to-"

There's a flurry as everyone grabs for different dishes, and yet again, Loki's plate ends up filled without any of his effort. Nal watches him from across the table, not missing his plate as he spoons food onto it and keeps his gaze on Loki.

Everyone settles into a comfortable silence as they eat, but Loki's food remains untouched, his appetite nonexistent with the presence of his uncle across from him.

"Loki, you should eat," he says after a few minutes.

"Yeah, you're skinny enough," Harry says with a nod. Loki rolls his eyes at his attempt to get "in" with Nal.

"No," Nal says. "Loki is perfect. His genetic makeup ensures that his physique will remain the peak of human potential as it has with his father and our father before him. Laufey was quite physically active during adolescence, a trained gymnast with inhuman flexibility. He was going to go to nationals before our father forbid him from the sport, thinking that he was getting too far from the goal of-" He stops himself. "I do spend time running myself, but I can afford to be sedentary if the situation calls for it."

"Thanks for bragging," Peter says.

"I wouldn't consider that bragging. A… humbrag, perhaps?"

"You know what a humbrag is?" Tony asks. "Wow, now that's cray."

"Loki, what do you do? I have noticed that you have very good posture," he says. "I want to assume that some type of yoga is your area?"

"Yeah, definitely is," Luke says, snickering.

Loki bites the inside of his lip to stop from blushing. "Ashtanga, in fact," he replies, finally taking a bite of his food.

"Do you mind if I ask how you know all of these things without prior knowledge?" Charles asks. "Your skills of observation are some of the most unparalleled I have seen. Even my own are not as accurate as yours."

Nal turns to him. "It's a familial trait of being highly observant. It's behaviorally drilled into our minds young. It made for interesting arguments during Laufey and I's teenage years. You judge them before they can judge you, learning every one of their inner workings before they can try to use your own against you. Right, Loki?"

All of their gazes turn to them, and Loki wants to ask him what the point of putting him on the spot several times within a small time frame is supposed to do.

"Show them, Loki," he says, his face devoid of anything. "How old am I?"

He gulps down his food, trying to ignore the feeling of their stares on his face as he takes in his uncle. He doesn't need much time before he knows the answer. "38," he says, glancing down at his food and back up at him.

"See, I did tell you."

Thor's gaze of disapproval weighs heavily on his face, and Loki takes a bit of his food to prevent himself from turning to look at him to explain. Nal will definitely know that there is more to their relationship than simply step-brothers, and he is the last person that Loki wants to know.

"You mentioned your father. What of Bergelmir?" his mother asks. "How is he?"

"What of him do you wish to know? if you are looking for salacious details into his personal life, I can unfortunately give you them all, but his business affairs? No, I am not trustworthy enough or some other half-truth excuse. My father calls upon me when he feels like extending the invitation to his secluded island of choice. His retirement consists of nomadic travels and indiscretions with the locals' finest women."

A few of them burst into laughter, choking on their food for a few moments, the others not choking patting their backs.

"Sounds cool," Tony says, after Steve manages to stop him from choking. "Your grandpa is a BAMF."

Loki glares at Stark, chewing his food pointedly hard.

"Agreed," Bucky says.

"I often find myself out of favor with him due to my choice to stay single and avoid potential suitors. The heightened libido is probably a trait that skipped me. Farbauti, I'm sure that you will say otherwise for Laufey," he says, and the look Odin gives him radiates anger.

"Same for Loki too," Tony mumbles, Charles dropping his fork onto his plate as if he was thinking the same thing.

Nal cocks his head to the side, staring at Loki as if he is reading his every secret indiscretion through his appearance. "Hm," he only says. "As I was saying, I have had the stray relationship that has always led to failure throughout the years, so you are the only heir as of now."

"Heir to what?" he asks, seeing the glare his mother sends at Nal.

"You will see in time," he says, lifting up his glass and drinking. "I do think that Bergelmir will be unhappy to find out that you are probably the last heir in line due to your… preference for the same sex."

With those words, there are a chorus of choked sounds and gasps from around the table, Loki not among them. He only stares back at his uncle, schooling his expression into neutrality to show him that he does not care that he knows he is gay or that he's just outed him to Odin. It's not that big of a deal anymore.

"Adoption wouldn't appease him either. He is quite adamant about keeping the bloodline pure. Your appearance is close enough to your father's that he has been satisfied for quite a while," Nal says. "I must admit that he sees much potential in you."

"I agree with him," Odin says.

Loki exhales through his mouth, hating the blockage in his nose now more than ever. He does not need their pressure or the pressure of a grandfather he doesn't recall seeing since he was an infant.

"Your performance in school is more than satisfactory and has been from the beginning," Nal says, sipping some of his wine. "We are all quite satisfied with your aptitude in mathematics. Yet another trait you have acquired from our family."

"So you're good with math?" Tony asks. "What kind of math?"

"Mechanical and electrical engineering," he replies, Tony's jaw dropping. "I have two Ph.D.'s in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from MIT, and a doctorate in business engineering from Harvard Business. If I am correct, Dr. McCoy, you attended MIT as well."

"Yes, I have a doctorate in mathematics and an MD from Harvard Medical School."

"Well, isn't this just humbrag time?" Raven says. "Charles, care to share your Oxford education?"

He rolls his eyes at her. "It's nothing, Raven. They are obviously extremely bright individuals, moreso than even I am."

"Stop being humble, Charles," Erik says. "You have two doctorates and two masters. That's no small feat."

"There are people that speak my language here," Tony says with a grin. "I'm thinking of going to MIT myself, you know, and I know they'll accept me, but what of mechanical engineering that makes it better than chemical engineering? I want to do both, but there's the whole electrical engineering and business degree that I have to get. I don't want to end up getting bored by it."

"You can do it if I did it," he replies. "I have a masters in Chemical Engineering as well and-"

"What?" Peter says. "You're—excuse my French—shitting me? You can't be human and get all of that done!"

Nal shrugs at Peter. "Loki, you should consider applying to MIT. They'd be pressed not to accept you."

Thinking of MIT, he remembers a certain someone mentioning their interest in going there. "I would rather not let my personal conflicts ruin my college experience," he says, and the temperature at the table drops a few degrees. "A… person I know is going there."

Nal leans forward on his steepled fingers. "An ex-boyfriend, I see, or a sexual flame?"

"Nal, I think that we should change the subject now," his mother says, her eyes narrowed. "This is not a topic I want you discussing with my son."

"I am just trying to get to know my nephew again, Farbauti. Excuse my curiosity."

"Where do you work?" Peter asks. "You know a ton of sh—stuff, so you've got to be putting it to use."

He looks at Loki's mother, the two of them exchanging a glance before he answers. "Arms," he replies, looking at Loki as if he knows something that Loki doesn't.

"How did you find out about Loki?" Odin asks.

Loki never considered that, and it's stupid to have not in retrospect. His uncle showed up out of the blue when he conveniently happens to have just gotten his life pulled to the brink, and he does not recall his mother telling him that she contacted him. It's not that he expects that she would have with all of the information she has kept from him.

"SHIELD agents showed up at our building and invaded my office by the dozen. One of them handed me a tablet with a file detailing the incident on it and demanded that I come with him because I am next of kin after Odin and Farbauti. Of course I objected, knowing that the situation would be handled by the two of you, but they lingered until it was time for me to go. It was my plan to come see you on my own time after I found out. When I told them so, they were quite embarrassed at their mistake."

"Where do you live?" Odin asks. "I assume you have a place in the city."

"Yes, I do. I am staying in the family estate in Yorksville. It's only a brisk walk from the mayor's mansion." Family estate? There are lots of things that Loki definitely did not know before this. He's sure that his mother would have had no problem with keeping it that way if it weren't for Nal showing up.

"We live in the same neighborhood," Charles says. "I live a little farther away, but we are still only single blocks away from each other."

Nal nods. "I try to divide my time between here, Stockholm, London, and Roskilde, but I am only one man."

"How tall are you?" Bucky asks. "I mean, you're pretty damned tall."

"6'6", but Laufey was 6'7". Our father is 6'10", so we are short in comparison. Farbauti's short stature is the reason why Loki is so comparatively short. Had Laufey married his first girlfriend, who was quite statuesque, Loki would probably be taller than I am. Nonetheless, he is still a specimen among men. As are you Thor."

Thor's grip on his knife visibly tightens, and he glares up at Nal.

"Tell me, what amount of weight can you bench?"

"450!" Harry and Tony shout, glaring at each other. "Jinx!"

Nal snorts in amusement, an action that reminds him of his father. "450 pounds? That's a significant amount of weight. If there was enough technology, I would say that perhaps you and Thor could have your own child. He would be a gift from the gods to humanity."

It's that, that finally makes Loki choke on his food, managing to swallow it after two coughs.

"The genetic composition of that child would be an attestation to the complexity and sheer beauty of human evolution and DNA," Charles says. "A combination of two great minds and bodies into one being. How poetic does that sound?"

"Thank god men can't have kids together because every girl in the world would be attracted to the kid," Bucky says.

"Barnes, really?" Peggy says. "That's your only worry?"

"Of course it is," Sharon says. "He only wants to pull tail."

There are a few moments of silence, everyone nearing the bottom of their plates. "If I am correct, Gwen, your father is Captain Stacy of the NYPD, yes?"

She nods though looking perturbed. "Yes, George Stacy. You know him?"

"Yes, we often supply arms to the police force," he says. "I find him to be quite amiable and stern. The best chief this city has had in many years if you ask anyone with basic knowledge of New York crime statistics. In Sweden you were much safer, Loki, but America can be a land of opportunity when one has adjusted to its… shortcomings."

"Oh dear…"

"Our country is fine the way it is, Mr. Bergelmisson," Steve says, sticking his chin out. "Many countries are safer than America, but none of those countries can count themselves as free as we can. Our history is much richer than Sweden's, and I say this from a neutral standpoint. Can you truly count yourselves free when you still have a monarch?"

Tony coughs awkwardly. "Steve…"

"We have got ourselves a patriot it appears," Nal says. "Steven, tell me your plans for life? Government service?"

"Of course," he replies. "It's my duty as a citizen to pay back what I've been given. There's nowhere else that calls for me as much as the military."

"Steve's got that right," Bucky says. "I'm sure that most of us agree."

"Interesting," is all Nal replies, drinking the rest of his wine. "Loki, I am afraid that I must take my leave if I want to get the remaining work I have to do finished by the morning." He stands. "Walk with me."

Gritting his teeth instead of lashing out, he stands up and follows Nal out of the room, the others standing up as soon as they set foot out of the door.

"I find your choice of company to be… fitting," he says as they enter the living room. "I know that you are not quite accustomed to large scale social interaction which would have turned out to be a problem when you—you are in a situation that calls for it. These people are preparing you with their tiny idiosyncrasies that you must… meld to in order to keep them satisfied." He touches Loki's shoulder. "These are not ideal situations that we want to be in, but as you have learned, life is not always fair.

"See," Nal says, nodding toward the door as the others slowly trickle into the hall. "They are hard to deal with if you aren't prepared. I should blame myself for my absence in your early teenage years, but… there were other factors in play."

"It was nice seeing you, Nal," his mother says, crossing her arms. "You were unexpected, but I'm sure that Loki is glad to see you."

He wouldn't call what he feels "glad."

Nal makes a sound of contempt, removing his hand from Loki's shoulder. "It appears quite the contrary, but I do not doubt your words. Loki, do you have a car?" he asks, shrugging his coat on.

"No," he replies. He never wanted a car, having been offered by his mother, but he preferred using the excuse of a lack of transportation for staying home.

"I think that an Audi r8 would suit you well. I'll have to have one sent over by tomorrow evening. By 11:23, be ready because we are going out to lunch alone." He tilts his head to the side, looking at Loki. "I am glad that I met you though these circumstances are not the best. It seems that I should thank that boy for hitting you, or this would have never happened. I will remind my secretary to send him an invitation to one of Father's favorite vacation islands for his recovery. Goodbye, Loki."

The door shuts behind him, and the crowded hall erupts into chatter.

"Don't you all have school tomorrow?" Erik shouts, his hands cupped around his mouth.

They all turn to look at him.

"Well…"

"You see…"

"IDK."

"Yes, you all do, which means that you need to get home. It is…"

"10:34," Charles finishes.

"Yes, 10:34, and you're not in bed." He makes a gesture toward the door. "Let's all go, so I don't have to deal with a bunch of groggy teenagers in class. Goodbye, Loki." He pats his shoulder, sending a glance back toward Thor. "Thor."

Thor doesn't reply, standing with his hands in his pockets.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Charles says. "And get better. See you next week."

He shuts the door behind Charles, slumping against it in relief at finally behind alone. His mother and Odin stand side by side, his hand on her back, and they're trying to appear as a united front against the wrath that they think is coming their way.

"If you don't mind, I am going to go take a shower," he says, the fatigue dripping into his voice. Without another word, he slips around Thor and up the stairs.

He takes his time in the shower, letting the stress of the day slip off with the water and go down the drain, and at the memory of his yearning for such a shower when he was on the brink of unconsciousness, he smiles, but another memory comes along with it.

"_Alsking."_

His stomach does a flip, and he barely remains upright, his hand gripping the stall for balance. He knows what that word actually means like the back of his hand, witnessing lovers on the street call each other the name as they held hands and smooched the evening away. It's one of those words that makes a person want another to voluntarily call them that, and Loki has to admit that he's dreamed of the day when a person that he can tolerate for extended periods of time calls him the name without hesitation.

He never imagined that it would be his step-brother saying it to him when he was bleeding heavily and drifting in and out of consciousness.

Matters are only made worse when he slips into his bedroom, shutting the door as quietly as he can, and turns around to see that a person that he would rather avoid as much as possible is sitting on his bed. He can only sigh in irritation that this situation has only gotten impossibly more confusing than it was.

He turns around, clutching the towel to his midsection in hope that he doesn't actually drop it and flash Thor when he's trying to get him out. "I was not expecting to find you in here," he says, inhaling and going to get something to dress himself.

"You should have," he replies. "You spent a lot of time in the shower. I was… worried that something may have happened."

_'Ich bin leider in dich verliebt.'_

His eyes widen and he freezes where he is. Gods, Erik said that meant 'I am unfortunately in love with you.' Thor told him that. Thor said he was unfortunately in love with Loki.

Turning to look at Thor slowly, he regards the boy with what he hopes is coldness. "Could you p-please go?" he asks, the burning behind his eyes returning at full force.

"Loki." He stands, approaching a shrinking-back Loki. "I'm sorry."

A tear slips out of his eye, and he reaches up to wipe it away. He's crying in front of Thor like some emotional idiot. As of late, that's exactly what he's been.

Thor pulls him into an embrace, Loki leaning his head onto his chest as more of the tears fall free. "I know that today's been rough for you, Loki. I just—let me take care of you, okay?" He sits down on the bed, holding Loki by the waist. "Let me take care of you, Loki."

He doesn't give his explicit consent but lets Thor pull him on the bed anyway, shutting his eyes to stop the ridiculous tears from escaping more. "I'm wet, Thor," he says, realizing how uncomfortable the covers feel under his skin.

Thor shifts behind him, his hands undoing Loki's towel, and Loki almost asks him what he's doing when he realizes that Thor is drying him. His hands brush Loki's skin as he drags the towel over his body, planting a stray kiss on his skin and a murmured apology every few moments.

"Loki, I'm sorry," he says one last time, and Loki has no idea what he's even apologizing for by this point. "You can't fathom how much I truly am."

His body starts to shiver, and he pulls his knees to his chest, hugging them there both as protection and as some anchor he needs to keep as sane as he can.

Large arms come around him within seconds, Thor's warmth transferring to his body in his droves. He settles down next to him, his breath ghosting over Loki's neck and leaving goosebumps in its wake. Loki's eyes open when he hears the quiet rasping of Thor's voice saying the familiar words, "Ich bin leider in dich verliebt," with a phrase that he knows means "I'm sorry" just by the way Thor is saying it.

As he stares at the wall, he wonders briefly: what the hell does he do now?

"Loki!"

His eyes snap open, and he has a moment of panic when he forgets where he is. Everything comes back to him in an instant of glancing down at his position pressed against Thor. As he realizes who is standing there, he's glad that the blanket somehow migrated over him during the night.

Nal stands there, dressed in what Loki thinks is the closest he's getting to business casual. "I do recall being told of your perfunctory nature recently, but it seems that certain habits have changed." His eyes flit back to where Thor is. "It is 11:25. Your mother let me in though I think that she is lingering just outside of the door in fear that I will do something irrational. I will be downstairs. Be ready by 11:35."

"Thor!" Loki shouts once Nal is out of the door. "Thor!"

Thor stirs, eyes squinting in the sunlight. "Hm?"

"It's 11:25," he says, sliding out of the bed. "I am late for my breakfast with… Nal." He opens his closet, pulling on a shirt and a sweater over that. "The alarm wasn't set."

Thor sits up, the cover falling down to his waist where Loki is unsure of him having pants on. "You're still going out to lunch with him?"

Loki pauses halfway through putting his pants on. The way Thor said that is as if he doesn't want him to go. "Yes, I am," he replies, resuming dressing a little more slowly.

Thor follows him into the bathroom, and Loki is relieved to discover that he does in fact have pants on though there is—oh, he has a noticeable case of morning wood, and Loki turns away to brush his teeth so he does not end up staring.

"How long will you two be out?"

Removing one of his nasal packings, he winces before removing the other a little more cautiously. "I have no idea."

Without the gauze noticeably jammed up his nose, he does not look like he's been ravaged by a possibly-psychopathic impossibly-strong teenaged boy yesterday. In fact, he looks normal, and that's a relief. He would rather not attract unnecessary stares while they are out.

"Thor," he says, turning to him and sighing, "I… I will be—I'm fine. Enjoy your day away from school, okay?" He tries to smile, but the words from last night appear in his mind and make it disingenuous. "Really, I feel great."

"Okay, Loki," he says, and as Loki passes him, he grabs him and pecks him on the lips. "Be careful."

Biting his bottom lip and staring at the ground, he nods Thor a goodbye. When he sees Nal leaning on the front door, he hopes that it doesn't show on his face that he was not expecting that.

"11:31," he says. "You get ready fast and clean up well. Come. We have much to catch up on."

They end up seated in some high-class restaurant in Midtown, the tables only half-filled with people. It's pretentious enough that Loki knows this isn't Nal's first time here. The man oozes the pretention that his own father did.

Nal orders them breakfast, staring at Loki over his steepled fingers for a few moments before saying anything. "When did the two of you begin dating?"

Loki instantly knows who he is talking about, and it does not surprise him that he picked up on it so quickly. It probably does not help that he saw them in that not-particularly innocent position this morning. He can and will deny it because Nal doesn't know everything even if he thinks he does. "What... do you mean?"

Nal expects it, stating at him evenly. "Is your mother or his father aware?"

He shakes his head, blinking deliberately to keep his emotions hidden.

"I assume that the two of you are not dating after all though you seem to wish you were. Is he aware?" he asks.

Loki reluctantly shakes his head, feeling slightly ashamed that he can't answer with a yes.

Nal sighs. "Your father was quite conflicted about his romantic feelings at your age too," he says. "I never had the same problems due to my lack of sexual desires, but Laufey often... confided in me with his confusion. I was not of much help, but he did eventually have a successful marriage."

"I wouldn't call dying a success."

"For our family?" He chuckles. "I would. Laufey lacked the need to engage in extramarital affairs unlike our grandfathers. Their marriages always lasted till death which was often more freeing than life for the wives. When you marry into our family, it is expected of you to remain at your husband's side whether you despise him or not. I admire that your mother stayed true to that though she was fortunately given an out. Their marriage was not necessarily something that either of them enjoyed being in."

"You're awfully realistic," Loki says, "almost to the extent of a sociopath."

"If I were a sociopath, I would not have made the trek from our offices in midtown to your home and stayed to ensure your well-being." He accepts their food from the waiter, letting Loki grab his own plate. "I am simply a realist, nothing more, nothing less. After you eat, we have more things to discuss."

He does as told but ends up only eating half of the food there. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You," he replies. "I'm sure that you are aware of your status of my only nephew. I am obligated to devote my attention to you, which reminds me. The Audi is being sent over at 4:00. I will have your mother notified, but I must tell you that it is yours and yours only. She cannot take that from you, too."

"Too?"

"Loki, you are intelligent enough for me to not need to tell you that there are things that you are unaware of by your mother's making. She would call it 'protecting you', but I call it obstruction. Our relationship would be rather different if she had not insisted upon me being absent from your life until you sought me out yourself. If I had let that happen, you would be much, much older, and I would be nearing retirement. Our men have great longevity, but your father's demise was brought upon by unnatural means."

"You're blaming my mother then." He sips his water.

"It's not 'blame', Loki. Let's not be so sentimental and loyal about this entire thing," he replies. "It is your mother, and her doing only. Shifting the 'blame' as you call it is only appropriate. Now, Victor von Doom, tell me of him. I am aware of your small romance before some charade set up by Tony Stark but not of the inner workings."

"What do you want to know?" Loki asks. "We flirted. It ended. Did you see him?"

"Actually, yes," Nal says. "This morning, I visited Saint Margaret's. He's still unconscious, which is unfortunate. I was going to talk to him."

"And thank him for provoking Bruce?"

Nal chuckles. "No, of course not. I was going to ask him to not return to SHIELD. His presence has had quite the effect on you, and you are my responsibility, have been since your father's death. I took care of you in smaller ways, ways that will be of significance once you have reached legal adulthood. Now, I have a duty to make sure you get that far. I will not have another early demise if I can prevent it."

The look in Nal's eyes is the closest thing that Loki knows he's going to get to warmth. The closest thing to a similar look he got from Laufey was a pat on the shoulder and a "congratulations" that didn't reek of contempt. It's enough for him now.

"Thanks," he replies.

"You are welcome, Loki. Do not hesitate to come to me for council, but I have to provide it whether you are looking for it or not in this situation." His eyes go cold again. "Your feelings for you step-brother, they are quite… dangerous-"

"I know-"

"Do not interrupt me, Loki," Nal says, red flashing across his eyes. "It's in your best interests to… get them out of your system before they manifest in a much stronger way."

He waits a few moments to be sure that he's finished talking. "You're telling me to, um… have sex with him?"

"If that is what you desire, yes," he says. "You don't have to do _it_ with him."

"But-"

"I know, Loki, you are very particular of your sexual partners. I am the same, and your father was after that unfortunate stage of his in freshman year of college." What looks like a shudder goes down his spine. "I am suggesting that you act on these urges, so you will not end up with something much more permanent on your hands. We both know that Odin and Farbauti will not be thrilled if you end up in love with Thor. That would make for fairly messy family dinners if you two ended badly, but I have to also admit that Thor doesn't seem the type. You two fit each other strangely well."

"He told me what he was in love with me," Loki says, leaning on his elbow. "It was in German, and he said that he was 'unfortunately' so."

Nal inhales sharply, his brow furrowing. "So your feelings are not unrequited. Perhaps Thor has already passed that point of permanence. If so, I think it wise for you to disregard all of my suggestions before this point. You don't seem like a fan of 'breaking hearts', so pursing any kind of more-than-platonic relationship with Thor is not in your best interests or his. You should consider… finding other outlets for your feelings."

"You're saying fuck other people, again, right?"

Nal's eyes narrow. "If you want to be so crass, yes, I am saying exactly that. Tony Stark seems like a good candidate. He's entered a stage of confusion of his own, and if you want to exploit that, it could end up good for you."

He stares at Nal as if he's lost his mind, which seems likely with him suggesting that Loki actually go after Tony Stark! Gods, he is definitely not Laufey. "I will not have sex with Tony Stark!"

"Calm down, Loki, it was only a suggestion. I only wish that Tony could have held off with his scheme, so you could have had sex with Victor. You would feel much different."

A shiver runs down his body at the thought of having sex with Victor after knowing what he knows. "No," he replies. "I should thank Tony. Victor's not… He was a mistake."

"But you don't make mistakes, and I don't either. We make decisions that are rather unsavory in retrospect, but they are not mistakes. Learn that now because it is a valuable lesson that I missed out on at your age." He runs a hand over his impeccably styled hair, mussing it. "Loki… your father is not here to tell you the proper choice to make, so I have to do it in his stead. I did not have the same woes at 16, but the feelings that I had were mature beyond my years.

"You do not want to hear this, but I think I may be too late to convince you to do anything to prevent this from ending badly. You cannot prevent what has already happened." Nal exhales loudly. "Two step-brothers in love with each other. If only I could have saved you from what is to come. This is extremely reckless of me, but I think you should confront Thor about this."

"No, I can't!" he says, throwing his hands up. "He's—there are certain things you don't talk about with someone you like, and that's that you like them!"

"It seems that there is nothing that I can suggest then," he replies. Nal pulls out his debit card, putting it inside of the bill. "During your vacation, you should try to spend time away from him and get some clarity."

"I'm not avoiding him. That's for-"

"Cowards?" He hands the bill to the waiter. "Cowardice extends to avoiding verbal communication as well, Loki. Need I remind you that is what you're doing?"

The accusation that he is the coward enrages him to not end, makes him want to prove to Nal that he is the farthest thing from a coward. It's an insult like no other, an insult that he heard at the age of three when he refused to enter his bedroom in fear of a large bug he'd seen. It's one that still hurts him as much as the first time.

"Fine, if you really want me to talk to him I-" He pauses. "Stop trying to manipulate me!"

"Trying?" Nal stands, Loki doing the same. "I thought that I was pretty successful. I'm glad that you caught yourself even if it means that you are still going to do as you please. You are quite like your father. He was much harder to manipulate, did so to me many times. He's who I learned my skills from. I hope that I have the same effect on you."

He doesn't reply, staring out of the passenger window. The relationship between Nal and Laufey reminds him of one out of a Shakespearean play, enemies yet allies at the same time. Nal's absence from his childhood is probably an effect of some conditioning by his father to only accept his influence. If manipulation was so rampant through their family then, it's almost nice that Laufey thought to protect Loki. There's that possibility and the other that he didn't find Loki worthy enough of being in contact with his family, save for the occasional visit.

"I'm afraid that I have a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, so I will not be able to spend the patriotic holiday with you," Nal says, walking him to the door. "Spending time with you has been a great experience for me, believe it or not. I forgot what the company of family is like, and I think that it is much more favorable than those who lack the same blood. It helps that you mirror Laufey in many ways other than your appearance."

"My mother says the same," he replies. "She claims that I'm becoming more and more like him."

"That's false," Nal says, eyebrows raised. "You were always like him, Loki, but fate does have different things in store for you." He touches Loki's shoulder. "I will be in contact with you soon. Enjoy your vacation from all of those people though I'm afraid that they will probably make another appearance tonight. Goodbye, Loki."

Just as Nal steps inside, he calls back, "Goodbye!" Seeing him drive away leaves an emptiness in his chest that shouldn't be there, but it is.

Thor's gone, and his mother sends him a worried look when he gets inside. He tells her that he's fine before going upstairs and locking himself inside of his room.

Nal's right as he's been before. At 7:00, the doorbell rings and Tony, Steve, Pepper, James, Clint, and Natasha come inside. He greets them with a sigh and a dry hello, Natasha smirking when he rewards her with the only smile. Thor and Jane turn up a few minutes later, Jane sending Loki a dirty look when she takes her seat at the table.

Susan, Reed, and Johnny arrive, Reed explaining that Odin extended an invitation during their lunch yesterday, and Susan greets him with a hug, Reed looking on in confusion. Johnny takes that as a cue that Loki wants to hug him and joins in on the hug, pulling Reed in too.

Dinner is less tense without Nal's presence, but the empty seat across from Loki only reminds him of the emptiness he feels without his uncle there to make everyone feel extremely uncomfortable and astonished at the same time.

"How was lunch, Loki?" Odin asks.

He shrugs. "Fine." When Odin leaves it at that, he's thankful.

Everyone leaves thanks to Reed launching into an explanation of how lucky Loki is to be alive with the blows he suffered to the skull. Thor urges him out of the door with a glare, and Loki laughs at the worried look he gets once their alone.

Then he remembers lunch and excuses himself to his room as fast as he can.

Wednesday turns into a day for Loki to relax and prepare himself for tomorrow. He's never celebrated Thanksgiving at home, only in primary school in a history class which happened to fall during the unit on American History. He's seen enough movies to know that it can get overwhelming with all of the socialization and eating, both of which he's impartial to.

He's in the middle of lowering down into the chaturanga pose when he feels the presence of someone behind him and freezes, instantly recognizing his breathing patterns. "What are you doing here?" he asks, trying to stay as still as possible.

"Teach me," Thor says, his breath brushing over the back of Loki's neck. "I wish to learn your yoga magic."

Loki rolls his eyes, knowing that Thor is teasing him about his habit of getting a bit overzealous during yoga. "No," he replies. "Can you leave me to finish… alone?"

"If you want to be stubborn, I'll have to simply stay here." He hears the resolve in Thor's voice and sighs, knowing that he's going to have to negotiate his way out of this.

He lowers himself onto his stomach and turns around slowly, staring up at Thor who is closer than he thought.

"Is this one of your yoga positions?" Thor asks, smirking.

Well, it looks like Loki is not going to be able to do that either. He rolls his eyes and attempts to roll his way from under Thor, but Thor's arm provide barriers disabling him from doing so. "Thor…"

"Loki…" he responds, pulling his knees closer to Loki's sides. Suddenly there's a sharp jab in Loki's side that makes him gasp at shock and something else, something bad. "Loki, what's wrong?"

He only stares wide-eyed, hoping that Thor doesn't catch on.

He pokes him again, slightly gentler, and Loki bites his lip to stop from giggling. "Are you-?" Thor pokes him once again, and a giggle leaves Loki's mouth. "Oh, someone's ticklish, are they not?"

"N-no, Thor, please!" he shouts, but it's too late because Thor's hands are already descending on his sides and attacking him. The laughs become painful quickly, and Loki grits his teeth at how not in control he is. Thinking fast, he wraps his legs around Thor's waist as leverage to swing out from under him.

He's not fast enough though, the giggles racking his body making him too slow to see that Thor is a step ahead of him. Thor lifts them both onto the bed, Loki pinned beneath him, and the ways to escape have all dried up with one motion.

"Uh, Thor, p-please!" he shouts again, tears in the corner of his eyes from how hard he is laughing. Gods, he always hated getting tickled for a reason. "Thor!"

Thor hand moves to lift up Loki's shirt for better access, but in doing so, it brushes across his crotch, and a jolt of pleasure rushing through him makes him realize just how much his body reacted to Thor's touch.

Loki, well-aware of the problem in his pants, tries his best to remain as composed as he can be with getting tickled, but it's not enough. Each time Thor's fingers touch his skin, he grows harder and harder, and it's only a matter of time before Thor notices.

Getting desperate, he does something quite strange. He lifts his head and licks a stripe of saliva up Thor's neck. Thor freezes, and it gives him enough time to get off of the bed and escape.

"Loki!"

He runs down the stairs as fast as he can, hearing Thor's own footsteps feet behind him. Boy is he glad that they thought to inform him of the basement's existence because that looks like the only place that Loki has a chance of hiding from Thor.

Out of breath, he pushes open the bathroom door and tries to slam it before Thor gets in, but he seems to have forgotten the fact that Thor can lift four "hims." Thor slips inside without trouble, Loki biting his lip and backing up into the wall as he advances on him with a predatory look in his eyes that makes the situation in Loki's pants only worse.

Something changes in his eyes, and Loki thinks that this is what he looks like before he kisses someone.

Thor lifts his hand to the side of Loki's face, leaning in and stopping inches away. "Loki…"

"Thor, just…"

He brushes his thumb underneath Loki's nose and pulls it back, revealing that it's stained red. "Your nose is bleeding."

Loki pulls a hand up to his face and brushes across the wetness under his nose. His hand is dark red when he pulls it back, and he can only stare in shock. "Oh," he replies, and Thor is pushing him down onto the toilet lid, turning on the faucet to wash his hands before rooting around in the medicine cabinet. The look in his eyes is the worry that Loki hates sent in his direction. "Thor, calm down."

Thor kneels down in front of him, pulling out a roll of gauze. He tilts Loki's head foreword, lifting Loki's hand to his nose in a silent command. "You should have never taken it out in the first place," he says, sounding angry.

He shakes his head in disbelief. "Okay."

"Okay?" Thor holds a tissue to Loki's nostrils, dragging a wet napkin around it. "That's your only response?"

"It's the only one I can give," he replies. He watches as Thor holds the scissors and measures out gauze. "Nal was right."

Thor looks up sharply, his eyes narrowing. "Tilt your head back," he says. "About what?"

"You," he says, and a flood of blood starts coming out of his nose, dripping down over his lips and leaving a disgusting coopery tinge. "I bleed a lot."

Thor stands up, his eyes wide and betraying his alarm. He pulls Loki up by the arm, grabbing a box of tissue and taking out a huge bunch to give to Loki. "We're going to the hospital."

The cab driver looks at them like they're insane, but quickly drives when Thor barks an order at him to do so.

"You slightly overreacted," he says, holding the rapidly darkening tissue to his nose. "I told you that I bled a lot."

Thor ignores him, tilting his head forward with is hand. He picks Loki up in a bridal carry when they arrive in front of the emergency room, Loki sighing and letting himself be mothered if it eases Thor's mind.

"Young man, how can I-?"

"He has a nosebleed after a possible concussion," Thor says. "He took out his posterior nasal packings yesterday, and after physical activity, he got another nosebleed."

The nurse stands up, her eyebrows high. "By physical activity, do you possibly mean, er… sex?"

"No, we're step-brothers," Loki says with a wave of his hand. "I told him I was fine…"

He ends up explaining to many different medical professionals that he's fine and he just happens to bleed a lot when he acquires nosebleeds. It's not as if any of them listen to him, all insisting that Loki take "this test" or "take this CAT scan." Much to his amusement, they all turn out normal, and he ends up in the waiting room with a few nasal packing and a small bag of gauze that should last him a lifetime.

His mother sighs when she comes to pick them up, shaking her head during the recount Loki gives her of the doctors trying to convince him that there is something wrong with him, so he should subject himself to unnecessary tests and stick his head into strange machines.

"It's like the time when I got a nosebleed in primary school. The teacher thought I was dying."

She laughs, but Thor only stares out the window, his hand on Loki's knee. "I rushed there to find that you only had a nosebleed. I was irate. Call your uncle before he shows up-" She stops talking when he spots an unfamiliar car in front of the house. "He didn't forget."

Loki climbs out of the car and circles the green car. He picks up the letter underneath the windshield wiper, opening it to find a beautifully handwritten note.

_Loki,_

_I thought you would appreciate a better, newer paintjob on the car. The keys are in the front left tire. I did not forget._

_Nal_

_Also, I hope your mother likes it too. _

He steps onto the sidewalk, backing up to the stairs to get a better look at the car. It's nice, extremely nice, but he's unsure of whether he wants to look at it or drive it.

"Where are the keys?" she asks. "Did he forget those?"

Loki bends down, reaching inside the rim until he feels the keys. "No, they're right here."

"Hm," she says. "It's… _him_."

Dinner is silent in comparison to the last two nights, only the four of them eating in the smaller dining room. He appreciates the chance to take a breath for once, thankful that his friends are concerned, but still wanting to spend time with people he's more familiar with.

"Nal has nice taste in cars. The R8 is a fine vehicle," Odin says. "Which reminds me, Thor, are you still sure about your decision?"

Loki turns to Thor, lifting his eyebrows and wondering what this "decision" was about.

"I'm sure. It's inefficient for travel within the city," he replies. "Nal seems to have forgotten that though he's okay with wasting his time driving the crowded streets."

"Yes, Loki, Thor is quite right. He chose to leave his own vehicle back at our old house. Driving a sports car is not efficient for city travel."

Loki sighs, wanting them to just get to the point of telling him that he shouldn't accept the car. "I'll ask him for a Mercedes-Benz instead," he says in a dry tone.

Odin chuckles.

"Speaking of travel, are you two going to the parade tomorrow?" his mother asks. "It could be a fun experience."

"No," Loki immediately replies, but it appears that he has too much optimism that people will actually listen to him because he ends up awakened at 6:00 by Thor, Tony standing at the head of the bed wrapped head to toe in winter gear.

"Get up, get up, get up!" he exclaims, going into Loki's closet and throwing down more shirts than necessary. "Bundle up or you'll freeze your balls off."

"I said I didn't want to go!" he shouts, but the anger is lost due to how nasal he sounds. "I'm injured. I can't be forced to do this."

"Then I'll help you get dressed." Tony pulls the covers off of his half-naked body, wagging his eyebrows. "Get up, Loki! Come on!"

He turns and glares at an already-dressed Thor. "Sometimes I hate you."

"Sometimes you hate everyone," Bucky says, entering the room. "We've gotta leave in ten minutes if we want to get a good view."

As he dresses in the too-many layers of clothes, he doesn't spare the insults and complaints that he sends in Thor's direction. Thor only smiles in amusement, making him even more frustrated about having gauze shoved deep into his nose. Screaming at someone while you sound like a duck does not get the point across that well.

Natasha offers him an apologetic look when he comes down the stairs a little stiffly from all of the clothes he's wearing, but Clint bursts into hysterics, pointing at Loki and telling him how ridiculous he looks. One hit from Natasha, and he shuts up.

"I'm not even American!" Loki shouts as they step out of Tony's car. "Why should I be forced to partake in this? I never said yes!"

"Loki," Thor says, "shut up."

He gapes at him, Thor chuckling darkly.

Tony, Bucky, and Clint erupt into raucous laughter while Steve giggles, drawing attention toward their small group.

"Hey, guys!" Harry appears out of the crowd of people, Peter trailing him. "Oh my god!" He breaks into laughter at the sight of Loki, and Loki grits his teeth. "Oh god!"

"Looking good," Peter says, winking. "Going for the whole parade float look?"

Letting out a groan of frustration, he shrugs off two of his coat and turns to Tony. "Put these in your car, Stark."

Tony takes the coats. "Okay, okay, whatever."

"Better?" he asks, turning to Natasha.

"Much better," she replies.

They all follow Stark to Radio City Music Hall, ending up being some of the first people to arrive. Loki stares at in disbelief at some of the other crowds of people there, some of them with giant blankets over their shoulders and sleeping bags.

"You guys should thank me for being such a genius," he says, texting someone. "Tony Stark made this happen."

"Don't refer to yourself in the third person," Steve says. "You sound… strange."

"No, tell him the truth," Harry says. "You sound like a douche."

"Pep and Rhodey are on their way," he says, sticking his tongue out at Harry. "Odinson, Laufeyson, tell me what you think of the New Yorker pastime of watching the parade?"

"Splendid."

"Stupid."

It seems like forever until the first float comes into view, people steadily trickling in behind them and the sky lightening slowly. There's no spare of chatter as his friends move from subject to subject, but Loki just stands there, his hands jammed deep into his pockets, wondering when it will be over.

The sky is completely light and there are hordes of people around them when there is a deafening scream.

"Oh my god, it's The Wanted!" Pepper says, jumping up and down.

Loki stares as a float with what looks like a boyband on it comes into view, unimpressed. They look great, but he's not a fan of the modern boyband craze. He can appreciate the way they look though.

"They were so good," she says, leaning her chin on James' shoulder. "Weren't they?"

"Sure," he says, rolling his eyes.

"Damn right they were," Tony says. "Siva's sexy!"

Everyone within the vicinity gives him a strange look.

"I'm Tony Stark, goddammit! I say what I want!"

"Loki." He turns and looks at Thor. "Are you tired of standing?"

"Yes, I am," he says. "I never even wanted—oh." He's hefted onto Thor's back, his arms wrapped around his neck. "This is a better alternative."

"Aw, that's adorable!" Clint says. "Little Loki on big brother Thor's shoulders!"

"Fuck off," he says, glaring at him. "You're simply jealous you have to walk."

Clint sends Natasha a look, and she shakes her head, sending him a warning look in return.

By the time they get home, Loki's surprised that he actually wants to eat. Getting woken up at 6:00 in the morning to go watch helium balloons and pop stars sing is not something that he planned on doing, but the day has gone fairly well if he looks at it from a balanced perspective or as balanced as it's going to get in his mind.

"Did you have fun?" his mother asks as he takes his seat at the table. "I heard you leave this morning."

He shrugs. "Sure," he replies, but that translates into a "yes" for everyone else if the smiles on their faces say anything.

"Loki," Thor says when Loki is in the middle of eating a piece of pie. After eating, the two of them retreated to the downstairs den, and to Loki's secret delight, Thor sat down beside him.

"Hm?" he asks, setting down his plate. Thor doesn't immediately reply. "Yes, Thor?"

Without any sort of warning, he leans in and kisses Loki, and Loki stares at him wide-eyed for a few moments until he has half the mind to bring his hands up to Thor's shoulders and rest them there. When Thor pulls back, he only stares at him, unsure of what he's supposed to do or say.

"Uh, you had whipped cream on your mouth," he replies, reaching a thumb up and brushing the whipped cream off of his lips. That stirs something deep inside Loki, knowing that whipped cream was just on his lips and got onto Thor's through lip to lip contact. "I should apologize for my tactic."

"No," he says, moving his tongue over his bottom lip. "You shouldn't. Thank… you." He glances over at Thor, noticing that there is still whipped cream on his lip. "You still-" He makes a motion with his hand over his mouth, Thor completely missing it. He doesn't hesitate to lean in and kiss Thor again, cupping the side of his head as his tongue ghosts over his lip and tastes the whipped cream.

When they pull apart, Loki knows that he's gone too far when he sees the gears in Thor's mind turning and forming a conclusion as to why he did that.

He starts to explain, when Thor dips a finger into the whipped cream on Loki's pie and drags it across his mouth, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Loki, there's…"

Loki rolls his eyes. "I know."

"You should let me get it for you-" Thor pulls him into another kiss, smiling against Loki's lips as he tongue dances out and swipes over Loki's mouth.

"Hey, guys, we're here-"

They break apart, turning to look at Tony in surprise. Of all people to catch them in a lip lock, Tony Stark has to be the one. It's almost like fate has some cruel vendetta against Loki.

"I can explain-" he starts, but Tony lifts a hand.

"No worries," he replies, winking at them. "I play the same game with Steve all the time."

"We brought desserts!" Peter says as he comes down the stairs. "More pie from Aunt May!"

Harry follows, looking a bit put off, and Bucky and Steve come down after him.

Peter sets a stack of pies down on the coffee table. "Nice to see you again, Goodyear and Thunder. Hey, that actually fits. You know with tires being lightening resistant?"

Tony makes a thumbs down. "Your wit is terrible in comparison to mine, Parker."

"We should eat in the dining room," Steve says. "We don't want to spill anything."

"Steve's the only other person with a brain that he uses." Tony slings an arm around his shoulder, sending a glance in Loki's direction and smirking. "He uses other things, but-"

"Tony!" he exclaims, turning red.

Loki's not in much of a mood for more pie but ends up seated at the dining room table next to Thor, Gwen, Pepper, James, Robert, Natasha, and Clint arriving shortly after everyone starts eating again. Natasha sits down across from him, lifting her eyebrows and nodding toward Thor as if she knows what went on between them.

Bucky lifts his hand and exposes a list of phone numbers down his arm. "Look what I got today?"

"Ew," Pepper says. "Does monogamy mean nothing to you, or do you openly search for girls to dupe?"

"People love me," Bucky says with a shrug. "Gay men and straight girls alike."

"There's one gay guy in here, and I doubt he wants a piece of what you got," Harry says as he smirks at Bucky.

Robert sends Thor a look, the two of them seemingly having some nonverbal conversation. "Thor," he hisses, making a gesture that Loki doesn't recognize. "Come on."

Thor looks away from Robert, blinking rapidly, and Loki lifts an eyebrow in curiosity.

"At the parade earlier, some chick tried to ask out Thor," Clint says, and Loki only blindly remembers a girl approaching Thor. He didn't pay much attention, thinking that it was a tourist. Thor attracts lots of tourists, much to Loki's amusement. "She was hot, and he said no."

"He always says no," Robert says, staring pointedly at Thor. "To all of the girls. All of them."

"That's just—you're ridiculous dude." Clint makes an exasperated noise. "Is it the fact that you like someone or….?"

Thor crosses his leg over the other in Loki's periphery, and Loki turns to see why. Thor always does that when he's slightly nervous or uncomfortable. "I am not attracted to any of them," he says quietly.

Loki perks up and diverts all of his attention to him.

"What do you mean? Some of them have to be pretty because no one here has as specific of taste as Loki. We know what he likes. Freaking supergeniuses," Clint says. His brow furrows. "Wait, do you mean as in because they're…?"

"That's untrue," he says. "Not all of them have been 'supergeniuses.'"

Natasha smiles a bit, taking a bite of her pie to cover it up.

"There's something I should've probably said a while ago, but I…" Thor clenches and unclenches his fists. "I don't like girls or women or females."

Loki's eyes widen, and he narrowly stops his jaw from dropping straight off of his skull and onto his lap. This cannot be happening. These kinds of things don't happen in Loki's life. The things he wants are the things he never gets without some long and strenuous work.

Thor said he does not like girls.

Thor said he does not like women.

Thor said he does not like females.

Thor's…. Thor's gay?

Thor's gay?

Thor likes men?

Thor likes boys?

Thor likes males?

Loki thinks that his head is going to explode in both joy and sheer surprise. He never thought that Thor would be one to come out as gay without any sort of prior warning to Loki. What even prompted this? Was it their kiss? Did Thor feel? Oh gods, this changes their kiss a lot.

"Whoa, you're gay?" Tony asks, shoving pie into his mouth. "Wow, this is cray!"

"Seriously?" Harry asks, and he glances over at Peter for a moment. "Oh."

Thor nods, staring down at his hands. "Yes, I am… gay."

"We thank you for sharing that with us," Natasha says, and Loki looks up and sees that she's staring at him. She knows about his thing for Thor, and she's probably expecting him to use this opportunity to confess his undying love for him. Loki knows when things are appropriate for the most part. This is definitely not one of those times.

Thor smiles. "Thank you, Natasha."

"But you… you're gay?" Clint asks. "Dude, do you understand how that changes everything? If people knew, straight guys would rejoice, and gay men and straight women would throw parties."

He laughs and shrugs. "I was never truly sure when to share that information. I suppose it's alright now."

"Damn, straight it is!" Tony shouts. "You could've told us this centuries ago. We wouldn't have given a fuck that you like the dong, dude. Ask Loki. I mean, he never told me straight up, but I know these things like how he stares straight at Professor Lensherr's ass during class like it's the messiah."

He narrows his eyes at Stark.

Thor shifts in his seat uncomfortably, and his jaw clenches. Before he starts grinding his teeth, he visibly catches himself and looks over at Loki like he knows that he was about to stop him. There's fury in his eyes, and Loki would just love to punch Stark straight in the mouth, so he wouldn't be able to talk. Then again, he'd find some other way with all of his technology.

"Tony, really?" Steve asks. "Please don't say anything else. You sound really bad right now."

"But Steve, I'm trying to provide comic relief."

"You're terrible at it then," Clint says. "You sound like a dickhole."

Loki looks over at Thor, and then does it hit him like a massive boulder right in the chest. Even if Thor is gay, he's probably not attracted to Loki. Their love is one-sided at best, and now that means that even with most of the obstacles down, the biggest one is still standing. They _are_ step-brothers.

He stands up from the table and excuses himself to the bathroom. He really needs time to process this information.

There's a knock on the door, and he tells the person to come in, thinking it's Natasha.

Instead it's Tony, and he sighs when he locks the door behind him, wagging his eyebrows. "Fancy meeting you here."

The thought of Nal's suggestion flashes across his mind, and he suppresses a giggle at how ridiculous that would be. He would never in his lifetime pursue Tony Stark for sex. He would ask Clint before he would ask him.

"What?" he asks.

"I know why you left, and I came to tell you that it's fine. I mean, you're not related at all, so there's not much of a problem there," Tony says, leaning against the door. "Now you know that he likes the man meat, which is really great since that means you're not icky to him. Doubt you ever were, but we all know what goes on in that mind of yours, and man is it not pretty. I, Tony Stark, accept your pseudo-incestuous relationship for what it is and think that the both of you would make an adorable couple. Now, I must say that you two are going to be the new gay power couple in school, and Rogers and I are probably not going to like that, but good for you."

"Tony, what are you-?"

"Shut up, I know you like Thor, god," he replies. "I know Tasha knows, and Clint probably has some idea. Steve's none the wiser though, and Bruce… not sure about him. My science bro needs some time to himself anyway. I don't know how you of all people could have missed this though. I mean, you two were kind of lip to lip when I came in."

He cocks his head to the side. "But you and Steve…?"

"It's not about us," Stark replies with a dismissal wave. "No entirely straight guy kisses another guy he knows is gay. It's like the rules of the universe or something."

Loki narrows his eyes at Tony, examining him. Here he can see the confusion that Nal was talking about, the way he seems to stand there unsure of what he's doing in more than one area of life. Stark isn't as confident as he likes to project with his wit and strange commentary on the basics of life. Perhaps Loki should have seen this a while ago, but he sees it now, open to exploit if he truly wanted to.

"Tony, Loki." It's Thor, sounding irritated.

"Oh, hey, Thor." Tony grins. "Hold on a second while I button my pants up. Loki get off of your knees-"

The doorknob turns, but it's locked. "Stark, unlock the door."

Tony unzips his pants, unlocking the door, and zips them back up only when the door opens. "I told you to wait, Thor. Trying to see my little Stark?"

Thor crosses his arms, glaring down at Tony.

"Oh yeah, Loki, might wanna-" He gestures to his lip. "You got a little white there."

He looks at him in confusion. "What are you-?" He brings a finger up to his mouth, pulling it away and seeing the white. "Oh." He looks up at a confused Thor. "It's whipped cream."

"And so it is. Should I leave you two in here so you can resume your little, er, game?"

"No," Loki says, remembering Thor's little revelation. "I'm coming with you-" Thor spins him around, closing the door behind Tony and pinning him there. "What?" he asks.

"Loki, tell me how you feel? I cannot read minds."

"I thought that you hated being out of the loop as much as I did?" he replies. "Do you not trust me enough to inform me of your preference for the same sex, or were you just planning on letting me figure it out on my own?"

"Loki, I—didn't know if they would be so accommodating to me being-"

"Gay," Loki shouts. "Say it, Thor. You're gay, but Loki didn't need to know, did he? You were fine with him living under the assumption that you were as straight as they came, maybe a little strange but straight." Thor grits his teeth, and Loki smiles bitterly. "I know what it means, Thor. Erik told me."

Thor grabs the sides of his face and moves forward, stopping short of his lips and opening his eyes. He stares at Loki for a few moments before pushing him away from the door and storming out, leaving Loki standing there in confusion.

He steps out of the bathroom, seeing Tony, Natasha, and Robert standing there.

"I'll go after him," Robert says, but Loki's already moving after Thor, following his footsteps and ending up outside. Thor is a few houses away when Robert bursts out of the door and starts after him.

"Where are you going?" Loki calls, hugging his arms around his chest.

He turns around, walking backward. "For a walk, Loki. You _are_ the observant one."

Robert catches up with him, putting a hand on his shoulder that gets shrugged off.

"Pie?" Clint asks, holding out a piece to him when he comes inside, and Natasha hits him on the shoulder.

The evening devolves into Tony putting on songs about romance and singing along with the others as Loki sits in the armchair, sulking. He waits for Thor and Robert, wanting to know what he did wrong. Was it wrong for him to tell Thor that he knows what he said? He thought that Thor would be happy.

There is the "unfortunately" part of the admission.

Tony, Bucky, and Clint are all engaged in a song-along of "We Belong Together," their arms wrapped around each other as they purposely sing off-key in Loki's direction. "'Cause we belong together!" Bucky takes the high note, and Loki hears the front door open and close followed by footsteps.

He stands up, running up the stairs in time to see Robert and Thor starting up the stairs. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it. Thor looks over and sees him anyway, stopping and turning to him.

"Thor, I think I'm in love you," he says, and for some reason, Thor looks at him in confusion.

"Loki, I didn't know you spoke French so well," Odin says, walking from the kitchen, and Loki realizes that he didn't even say it in English. Gods, is he suddenly that much of a nervous wreck that he can't speak the same language as Thor? "That was beautiful to hear."

Thor looks at him once more before continuing up the stairs, Robert following after him.

He starts forward, but a hand grabs him and spins him.

Natasha pulls him back into the living room, staring at up at him. "Don't follow him unless you're ready to tell him, Loki," she says. "You'll regret it. Give him some space. He just told everyone he's gay, and you told him whatever got him worked up in the bathroom. He needs it, okay?"

Loki follows her advice, going upstairs to his room to try to gain some clarity. He looks up when there's a knock on the door, Robert stepping into his room.

"I'm here to talk," he says with a sigh. "I know that you know that we know about how you feel. He doesn't know we know or that you know though."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he replies, steeling his eyes. "I don't-"

"I know, Loki, god!" he exclaims a la Stark, shaking his head in disbelief. "Dude, me and Luke, we both know."

He glances away for a moment, formulating a plan in seconds. "Okay, maybe you do."

"Yes, we definitely do."

"Then why are you here?" he asks. "Shouldn't you be telling him?"

Robert cocks an eyebrow. "You really want that? I mean, you're sending him mixed signals-"

"Fine, I'll tell him myself," he says, slipping past Robert and out the door. Standing over the railing, he shouts, "I am in love with"—he turns to look at Robert, smirking—"Erik Lensherr!"

It was a borderline stupid decision, he realizes after he hears the house go silent around him. It was a bit showy for his tastes, but he had no other choice. He cannot let him know how he feels. He's not even sure how he feels at this point.

"What are you doing?" Robert asks, gripping him by the shoulders. "Are you insane?"

"I thought you knew," he replies. Using Robert and Luke's little charade from the other day to cover himself is slightly crooked of him, but it's not his fault that they gave him the tools needed. "You said you did."

"But I meant—Thor." Robert lets go of Loki's shoulders, turning to the boy in the doorway.

Loki blinks, his eyes blank, as he looks at Thor.

"Loki!" his mother shouts. "Get down here immediately."

"Oops," he says, smiling innocently at Robert and Thor. Descending the stairs, he sees that all of the others have made their way upstairs. They all stare at him in confusion and shock, Natasha the only one shaking her head.

He gets "grounded" for the first time in his life, his mother pacing back and forth in front of him as he sits down in the dining room, everyone having been sent home after his declaration of love. She restricts his freedom outside of school and seeing others besides her, Thor, and Odin, saying that she should have been suspicious of him when Erik dropped off his laptop. Loki only watches, nodding when she asks him if she's understood, and he thinks that he must be some coward if he goes through all of that trouble just to erase any suspicion of who his feelings are for.

"I am disappointed in you, Loki," she says when she ends her rant. "I suppose Nal isn't as observant as he claims if he didn't notice something going on between you two."

"I told you that it's one-sided, Mother. Erik—Professor Lensherr doesn't… feel the same."

She sighs in frustration. "This is why you do not fall in love with people it is impossible to be with. It only ends up badly."

He nods, knowing exactly what she is talking about. Nal was right in another way. He was too late to prevent anything. But Loki can do this much. He can just… pretend that the feelings aren't there, and they will have to go away. If he even allows anything to happen between them, it will end badly even if Nal doesn't think so. Things always end badly for him.

"I know," he replies.

His mother insists on spending time with him during the remnants of his vacation, going out to lunch with him every day when Thor disappears off to spend time with friends. The topics are always safe, the ones that she knows won't set Loki off, and she holds up most of the conversation as Loki nods along. He doesn't mind it as long as his life remains as normal as it can get with those involved, and it could be much, much worse.

"You need a haircut," his mother says at lunch on Monday.

He frowns. "I don't _need_ a haircut. You want me to get one."

"You get a haircut _if_," she says, holding up her index finger, "you violate the terms of your punishment. I mean it, Loki. You will get one eventually."

"Whatever you say, Mother."

Thor doesn't leave for school early as he expects him to. He waits patiently for Loki to eat breakfast, and they catch a cab together to school, the drive completely silent. Loki knows that he's not happy about his admission, but he doesn't care if Thor hates him for it. He doesn't know, and that's what matters.

"You're a pretty brave idiot," Natasha says as means of greeting. "I still cannot believe you did that."

He laughs. "Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment."

Before he enters Chemistry, he finds himself being pulled to the side by Tony. "You're here."

"Duh, after that whole fight, I've been coming here in the mornings now," he replies. "I know that you like Lensherr and all, but please spare me of having to see you watch him with lovesick eyes. Thor is definitely going to ask me if I've seen anything, and I'm not lying to him, okay?"

Rolling his eyes, he leaves Tony there. Without Bruce next to him, he feels odd in class.

Erik greets him with a nod, Tony kicking the bottom of his chair as some kind of punishment. He seems oblivious to the look he's getting from Tony throughout teaching, acting normally. It's no surprise since he doesn't know about what went on last Thursday.

When they see Thor before lunch, Tony gives Loki an apologetic look before spilling to Thor that Loki and Erik greeted each other. Thor nods, putting a hand on Loki's shoulder and pulling him to the side.

"I won't tell Farbauti," he says, looking at the ground, "because I know that you're only being normal with him."

"Gee thanks," he murmurs, trailing after Thor.

His week ends up like that, Tony giving him warnings before reporting to Thor like some devoted follower. Loki knows that he's only trying to save himself from ending up like Bruce did in another situation where Loki was involved, but it doesn't help that Tony's demonstrated how disloyal he can be.

At lunch on Friday, he sits down next to Thor with a sigh, prepared to contribute a few words to the conversation before leaning on his elbow to sulk and reminisce on what he could have done instead of made the safe decision of lying to everyone. Thor sends him a few blank looks as usual, talking to Clint and Tony about something Loki doesn't care about.

As he picks at his salad, he senses the presence behind him and turns slowly to see Erik standing there.

"Professor Lensherr," Tony says. "Fancy seeing you here?"

Erik flashes him a sarcastic smile before becoming serious again. "Loki, can we… talk?" Now that doesn't sound suspect, he thinks, as he starts to stand. If they don't believe him now, they will believe him after this.

He sees Peter and Harry talking and pointing his direction, Bucky and James doing the same at their table.

"Dude, I'll have to tell Thor if you do this," Tony whispers, trying to provide that comic relief he always claims to have. "Don't do this."

"I don't care," he replies, standing up. He follows Erik to an empty table at the far end of the cafeteria and sits. "I'm guessing that you somehow found out?"

"Yes, I did," Erik says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Barton came up to me, and asked 'if It was true' last period. He elaborated after I kindly asked him, and it explained… things."

"Thor, right?" he asks. "He's been worse in class, hasn't he?"

"Actually, no," he replies. "He's been great which let me know that there was something strange going on in the first place. He participates in class and doesn't insult me every chance he gets. It's good to know even if it's… surprising."

Loki glances around the cafeteria, shifting closer to Erik. "You also know that it's not true then, right?"

"Yes, I do. I know that Thor was the one who said that to you, Loki." Erik gently touches his arm. "It was amazingly stupid of you to say something like that considering the possible consequences, but I can understand being confused by your feelings. It happens to the best of us."

"He… he hates you now," Loki says, shaking his head. "I should have never mentioned you by name. It probably wouldn't have been as impacting, but I know he now despises you completely."

"I guess I should feel honored then," he replies. "If he hates me, I feel like I should give him a concrete reason." Erik glances over at where Thor, Tony, and the others are staring. "Hug me."

"Are you-?"

"Now. Come on."

He wraps his arms around Erik's midsection, burying his face into his neck as Erik reciprocates the hug. He didn't even realize that he needed one so much with trying to keep his mind on other things besides his ruin of a love life. Enjoying it while it lasts, he holds onto Erik, inhaling his scent and basking in his warmth. He chose a fake love well.

"You feel slightly better?" Erik asks as Loki pulls away. "I think you were in need of a hug more than you realized."

Loki nods, standing up. "Yes. Thank you for understanding."

Erik touches his arm. "It will pass, Loki. You may think that it won't now, but it will."

Thor's silence throughout the day is an omen of what awaits Loki.

Everything comes crashing down when Loki gets home and heads to his room, waiting for his mother to hear of his exchange with Erik and punish him accordingly. He doesn't care. He's fine with spending the rest of his high school life in his bedroom. 18 years old and he's definitely gone for college.

At dinner, his mother calmly eats, waiting until Loki's done to turn to him and stare. "Tomorrow morning you will wake up at 8:00 and be ready by 8:30. We have somewhere to go."

He doesn't argue, going to bed as soon as he can to prevent from waking up too late.

He does as told, sitting on the stairs at 8:10 as he waits for his mother to finish getting ready. "Good morning," he says once she comes down.

She smiles in return, and they leave for the mystery destination. When she pulls up to a hair salon, she turns to him and explains that she knows about his exchange with Erik. "You're getting a haircut."

In that moment, he hates Thor more than he ever has, and he gets out of the car without arguing, following her in like the dutiful son he is. "Do not cut it to short," he says to the man, making a motion to a notch in his spine. "Here is the shortest it should be."

He watches, his teeth gritted, as locks of hair fall onto the ground. When a particularly long lock falls, he winces, shooting a bitter smile in his mother's direction. He wonders if this is meant to be some lesson that he should behave or his appearance will be suffer for each time he doesn't. If so, it's ridiculous and not doing anything but causing resentment.

"Loki, you look…"

The man steps back, smiling. "Wow, you look even sexier than you did when you came in." He sends his mother an apologetic look. "Excuse me, ma'am."

"No, it's fine." She holds a hand up to her mouth like she's about to cry, and he rolls his eyes. "Loki, look at yourself."

He spins around in the chair and looks at himself, not seeing much of the difference than what he previously looked like. His hair is a few inches shorter but thankfully still on the long side. "Adequate," he says, standing up.

He gets a few wolf-whistles on his way out of the salon, sending glares at everyone who dares to look at him. At breakfast, he glares at the waiter who stumbles over their order because he's too busy sending glances at Loki.

"Loki, you could be more appreciative of being so handsome."

"Whatever you say, mother," he replies, eating so he can't reply.

The icing on the cake of his day comes when Thor trips as he comes out of the kitchen after catching a glance at Loki.

"What?" Loki shouts, advancing on him. "Why is everyone looking at me today? Is my haircut bad?"

Thor shakes his head. "N-no, Loki."

He presses Thor against the wall, staring at up him. "Then what?" He takes a step back and smiles at his mother when she goes up the stairs. After he hears her door shut, he goes forward. "Tell me, Thor. You owe it to me! I only got it because you felt the need to inform my mother in the first place!"

Thor gulps visibly. "Your relationship with-"

"It burns you, doesn't it?" He grins. "You're jealous, Thor. You hate him. You hate him because of me."

He's silent, staring down at Loki as if he's crossed the line. "Loki…"

"What, Thor?" He bites his bottom lip, looking up at him with innocent eyes. "You want to fuck me, don't you?" The words leave his mouth before he can stop them, and once he starts, he can't stop. "Yes, that's what you want, Thor. You want to bend me over and fuck me hard until I'm screaming your name. Thor! Thor!" He runs a finger down his chest. "You want to fuck me, and it bothers you. It bothers you so much that there's a chance Erik got to, doesn't it? I have to tell you, he hasn't. No one has."

Thor grabs his wrist and drops his hand back to his side. "Don't."

"Don't what? Do this?" He pulls him down into a kiss, assaulting Thor's mouth with barely contained want and passion. "You know what bothers me?" He pulls him into another kiss. "I want you to."

Suddenly Thor is pushing him away. "You assume too many things," he says, licking his swollen lips. "Loki, I do not just want those things from you." He touches Loki's shoulders. "I want so much m-"

The sound of Thor's phone ringing drowns out his words.

"What?"

He looks at the ringing phone. "Nothing, Loki. Hello, Luke?"

Loki stares after Thor, his mouth open around unsaid words. He has absolutely no idea what has just happened and wonders when their relationship crossed the line of almost being strangely brotherly to kissing each other at random moments while admitting their sexual desire for the other.

"Loki, I quite like your new haircut," Odin says as he passes him.

He watches Odin retreat up the stairs, wondering just how long Odin was downstairs.


	10. Chapter 10

Clint Barton: Comical Buddy!?

"Oh, Laufeyson, looking good," Tony says upon seeing Loki.

Loki glares at him.

"Okay, okay, I won't compliment you. Jeez, calm down."

"I'm not saying not to compliment me," he replies, opening his locker. "I'm saying that you should just not comment on my hair. I only had a few inches removed. Everyone is acting as if I shaved it entirely."

"And it looks good. You looked hot before, but you look hotter." Tony's been "slipping" a lot lately, making Loki doubt whether his claimed love for his fling Emma Frost is actually genuine. Nal's little quip about Tony being confused has opened his eyes a lot. "I'm just pointing that out. No need to bite my head off. Tell me, how was your lockdown?"

He shrugs, saying hello to Steve when he walks up to them. "It was fine," he replies. "As you can see, I got a haircut."

"It looks nice," Steve says. "I like it a lot."

"Watch it, Steve. He might try to bite your head off." Tony grins when Loki rolls his eyes. "What's that Steve?"

Steve begrudgingly hands Tony the folded paper, and Loki waits for Tony's reaction to guess what the contents are.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about this," Tony says, waving the paper around. "Winter formal."

Loki makes a bored sound, shutting his locker and starting off toward class. He's not a fan of attending social gatherings with people he dislikes as they rub their bodies against each other in borderline obscene ways and celebrate how "awesome" they look in their formal clothing. He would rather spend the night alone than seeking physical validation from others who want to be "so pretty." There's no way he's going to that thing.

Throughout the first three periods, Loki has to listen to people gush over the poster about how great they're going to look or who they're planning to ask out. He finds Natasha's deprecating comments to be a relief, and adds his own commentary to the exchanges.

Stark meets him at his locker after Chemistry, grinning ear to ear as he proclaims that they both have swimming this term. Together.

"Great," he says, exhaling to keep calm. "Another class with you."

Just as they reach the pool, Loki hears the sound of Thor's voice down the hall, and he rushes inside before he has to encounter Thor with Tony present. He hasn't spoken to him in over a day, Thor sending him glances during dinner and nothing more. When they talk, he wants it to be in the privacy of their home and definitely not in front of Stark.

"Didn't know your brother was in this class too," Tony says, sitting down beside Loki. "We should go say-"

"Sit down, Stark," he says, spotting Thor and Luke on the other side of the room. He's relieved that there is no more space on this side of the bleacher, the rest of his classmates separating him from Thor.

"I am Coach Namor McKenzie!" the swimming teacher announces once the bell has rung. He's standing up on the diving board and it looks as if he is one step away from falling into the pool in his track suit. Loki is secretly hoping that he does. "I will be your swimming and other assorted aquatic arts teacher for this quarter! Most of you have put off taking this class until your senior year like a lot of indolent fools, so you're here. Others, you just happened to get lucky!"

"I wouldn't call this lucky," Tony mumbles.

"Shut your idiotic mouth, Stark!" he shouts, pointing directly at him. "You have today to get a hold of proper swimming attire. Boys, I don't care whether you wear bikinis or not, and the same is for you girls. As long as you are wearing something, I don't care!"

"Yes!" Harry exclaims, pumping his fists. "Frost is in this class!"

Stark swats at him. "Stay away from my girl, Osborn!"

"Since none of you are prepared, you will not be swimming today. After today, for each day that you miss, you must come here during free period to swim the entire duration." There is a chorus of groans. "If none of you feel that I am qualified to teach you how to stay afloat, I must demonstrate otherwise!"

He rips his tracksuit clean off of his body, revealing a tight green swimsuit beneath. It's obvious that he is more than qualified from just how shaped his body is, contours and sharp edges everywhere. He's… wow.

"Show off," Clint says. "I could do that too."

Coach McKenzie crosses his arms and holds his chin out proudly. "Watch and learn, children." He jumps once and manages to gain a lot of height, flipping an inhuman amount of times before he hits the water without any splash. Everyone is silent as he stays underneath the water, bursting out and doing more flips above the surface before he disappears back under. He resurfaces with another flip, entering the water in a split.

When he climbs out of the water, Loki is the first to clap, amazed at his display of talent. He is entirely too qualified to be a swim teacher.

Tony rolls his eyes but joins in the clapping anyway, lifting up Harry's hands and making him clap as well. "He has an unfair advantage."

Coach McKenzie stands with his hands on his hips, the water dripping off of him in cascades. "Training for the Olympics and quitting after deciding that you were undermatched is not an unfair advantage, Stark. I am using my resources."

When they leave for Ancient History, Tony sighs at the amused look on Loki's face. "Please don't tell me you have another crush on a teacher, dude."

"Loki!" He stops in his tracks, sighing. Of course Thor wouldn't just let him leave without saying anything. He seems like he's less aware of the protocol for these things than Loki is.

Loki turns slowly, and he stares at Thor, unsure of what he's supposed to say to him.

"I—we are in the same class," he says, the smile in his eyes fading fast.

His eyes drop down to Thor's lips, and his mind flashes back to the strange heated kiss they shared only two days before, Loki bringing all of Thor's desires out into the open and admitting his own desires for the boy to act them out. Gods, he's surprised he isn't chafing from how many times he's jerked off after letting his mind wander back and forming different conclusions to what could have happened had Thor's phone never rang.

Loki almost blames Luke for ruining what could have been and does not hesitate to shoot the boy a sharp look. "Yes, Thor, we are," he replies.

Luke stares at him in confusion, and Thor stares at him with a swirl of emotion in his eyes. Can't he just control his emotions for once? It's not helping Loki's own rapidly-dwindling control to see that Thor is just as confused as he is. He has to be the stronger one for them though he's been doing a pretty terrible job at that these past few days.

"Aw-kward," Tony says. "Loki, we should… go. You know how Lactus is cray when people are late."

There's no goodbye between them, and Loki's thankful for Tony's knack for interrupting because that was just a bit too awkward for him.

The awkwardness has seemed to reach a point of leveling off by lunch because their interaction is not as bad as it could be, stinted and obviously strained, but still the same as it has been for the past few days.

Clint points their strangeness out, saying that it's their duty as friends to stage some intervention, and Loki is all too thankful that he has to leave for class before Clint can attempt to do whatever he was planning.

He and Natasha arrive at Psychology to find Doctor Strange sitting at a desk in the center of the room, his eyes open and his legs uncrossed.

"If you two would, stand against the wall while I prepare your assigned seats," he says, and his tone is completely different than before, authoritative in contrast to the calmness of last term. "Thank you, Loki, Natasha."

"Whoa, what the hell happened here?" Wade asks, arriving much earlier than he usually does. "Doc, you okay?"

"Yes, Wade, better than usual. Go stand against the wall along with Loki and Natasha."

Everyone arrives and has the similar reaction of Wade, some outright asking Dr. Strange if he is some clone of their true teacher, and Dr. Strange only tells them to stand along the wall, ignoring their comments.

The bell rings and he stands, revealing that he is actually dressed like a teacher for once. "Today is the start of a new term. With this new term, we will move on to a new unit in my own personal psychology curriculum. The first term was spent talking, and now, we will be analyzing these exchanges."

"Uh, what?" Tony asks. "Clarify, doc?"

"I mean that your conversations have been recorded, and you will be analyzing these recordings."

Loki's eyes widen, and his palms clam up at the thought that he could have said something entirely too incriminating, and now it's in some file for people to listen to. What if he mentioned his thing for Thor? He doesn't recall, but it has been 45 days. He doesn't remember everything.

"Oh shit," he says. "Damn, this is bad."

"Dr. Strange, isn't this illegal?"

"No," he replies. "Your legal guardians have all signed wavers in the stack of paperwork at the beginning of the school year granting me the right to do so. No need to fret, students, you are allowed to only grant the privilege of listening to those you wish to. I am not forcing you to share with anyone, but there will be projects where it is highly suggested. You all have assigned seats as of this quarter, all based on the interactions I have witnessed within this classroom."

Of course Loki ends up seated next to Thor as if there was anything other person Dr. Strange would put him next. He should have expected it when he gets sat down and Thor called next to sit down next to him. It's almost amusing. Almost.

It's even better that Tony ends up across from him, Steve next to Tony. "Stane! Curse him!" Tony says dramatically. "I knew I should have made JARVIS my legal guardian."

"You tried, but it wasn't legal," Steve says. "We ended up seated near our friends though. That's great, right?"

Tony turns to Loki and grins. "Right, Loki?" he asks, beaming.

"Everyone, please be quiet. If you have your tablets, go into your student inbox and open the mail from me. Please do not-"

"What the fuck!" Wade screams. "Oops," he says. "Wait, that wasn't me. That was my computer, 'kay? I accidentally pushed the play button, you twats. Now turn around."

"-tap the audio file unless you wish to share your audio with the entire class," Dr. Strange finishes. "I will give you tonight to think of any negative things that you've said and wish to prepare yourself to rehear tomorrow. If you are confident in your previous words, feel free to share."

"November 29th, you and I had a conversation about…" Tony makes a hand gesture. "You know. I think it might be in the file."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Stark," he replies.

"Professor Lensherr, you idiot. You're love affair is chronicled in my audio, so I think that we should listen to it and get it over with."

"Stark, you will do no such thing," Thor says. "Loki has moved past that stage of life, and you are simply messing with old wounds."

Loki turns and looks at Thor, surprised that he's defending him. He would not have been surprised if he'd just let Tony say his normal stupid remarks about Loki's crushes, but he guesses that he shouldn't be surprised either since Thor is quite protective of him. Gods, that shouldn't make him feel as happy as it does.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Tony holds up his hands. "I'll act like nothing ever happened." He winks at Loki, and Thor narrows his eyes. "What? You guys are definitely bullies today."

"Like you are every day, Stark?" Loki replies, Thor chuckling.

"Steve, just gonna let me get bullied?"

"Tony, you're not getting bullied," he replies. "You often bully people, but they're only telling you the truth. You should stop bullying. It's bad karma."

"I'm Tony Stark. Good karma is in my name. Wait, that was terrible. Act like I never said that."

In Earth Science, Mrs. Munroe announces that their final grades for the project are in, and as Thor projected, they get a 100%.

"Show offs," Bobby murmurs, frowning at his 92%.

"You call it that while I call it doing it my way," he replies, smirking as everyone turns and stares in envy.

He heads for newsletter, but Thor grabs his arm before he can go, pulling him after him. "I don't think Gwen will mind much if we go elsewhere today, will she?"

They end up in the shooting range, Clint shooting off arrows into a target and hitting the bullseye every time. It's amazing to watch him do it with such ease, loading an arrow onto the quiver perfectly before shooting it off into the center.

Thor sits beside him, his hand on Loki's shoulder, and they talk for the first time in days. It's mostly them discussing what could have been better in their project though Thor slips in a few compliments on Loki's organizational skills and creativity, and Loki admits that he does compliment Thor back when the opportunity presents itself.

Each time he and Thor stop talking, he finds that when they resume their relationship, he misses it more and more. He thinks that the next time—he knows that there will be a next time for sure—they go about ignoring each other, he will go through some type of Thor withdrawal. He's not looking forward to it at all.

He takes a walk after school, Thor going to do some homework in his room, and he thinks that this alone time will maybe prepare him for the next time. It's strange to have to prepare for such a thing, but Loki can only blame it on the strangeness of their relationship.

He ends up in Central Park, and he pets the dogs as Thor usually does. One dog in particular grabs his attention.

"Wow, she likes you," the female owner says as he pets the massive Great Dane. It's a beautiful dog, one of the most beautiful he's ever seen. "You seem like you're able to take care of dogs. Do you have one?"

"No, I just like animals," he replies, stroking the dog's ear. "Dogs especially. I've never had one."

It hits him then who has. Gods, Thor mentioned he had a dog, a Great Dane in fact, when he was younger.

Wednesday is Thor's birthday.

He hasn't gotten him a birthday gift.

This. This is what Thor needs.

"Thinking about getting one?" she asks, her head cocked to the side. "You should… from me. I breed them."

"Really?"

"This girl right here just had a litter a few weeks ago." Rooting around in her pocket, she slips a card into his hand. "If you want one, contact me. I'd be happy to give you your first dog."

He nods and watches the two of them go. It seems that he has gotten something important done.

He calls the number the woman gave him, and they talk. She tells him about one dog in particular that she thinks would be a good match for him, and he tries to not let it slip that the dog is for someone else. He has a feeling that she wouldn't be entirely too thrilled that it was meant as a birthday present, so he keeps up the charade. He gets an appointment to get the dog on Saturday.

After he hangs up, he grins because he knows that Thor will love the dog. He's going to love the dog too. If it's as beautiful as its mother, he's more than sold.

"Where'd you spend your day?" his mother asks at dinner.

He tries to keep himself from smiling, not one to ruin a surprise. "I took a walk. Absorbed the cityscape."

"I wondered why you were in such a good mood," she says. "I knew it couldn't be a person. People never make you this happy."

"I wouldn't say that," he says, and he sticks food in his mouth before he can grin. He's such a fool.

"Loki, is there someone you want to tell us about?" she asks, the corner of her mouth quirking up. "This young gentleman, have I met him?"

"No, not yet."

Thor drops his fork on the table and turns a sharp look on Loki. Loki barely stops himself from spilling his guts, staring back at Thor to try to tell him that it's not what he thinks without saying it.

It doesn't seem to work if Thor's slightly cold treatment of him the next day is any clue. He sends glares in any boy's direction that gets a little too close to Loki, and Harry is more than often the recipient due to his knack for invading Loki's personal space. In swimming, he attempts to dunk Loki underneath but doesn't notice Thor behind him, getting dunked beneath and coming up sputtering. Tony and Clint howl in laughter, Harry pouting and slinking off to another corner of the pool.

Loki's thankful that he tells all of his unscrupulous secrets off of SHIELD property. His audio is mostly comprised of conversations with Victor about books or "Shut up, Stark's", and he hears that Thor's is conversation with Jane about astronomy, much to his satisfaction. Tony's is him getting shouted at for being so foolish, and Steve's is military strategy talk with Bucky.

In English, Professor Xavier collects their screenplays for grading, and Loki is more than a little confident that he will enjoy it.

Before dinner, he catches his mother and Odin in the kitchen. "Can we talk?" he asks, sitting down on one of the stools.

"Of course, Loki," Odin replies, Loki rolling his eyes at his back. "The floor is yours."

"I'm getting a dog," he says, jumping right to the point. "Tomorrow is Thor's birthday, and he mentioned to me that he had a Great Dane when he was younger. This breeder at the park said I looked like a good candidate for dog care, so I have an appointment to pick it up on Saturday. It's his birthday present."

His mother turns around. "Loki, are you serious?"

"Yes, Mother. Why would I joke about this?"

"Loki… do you know who you are right? This is extremely… caring of you."

"You're making it sound as if I'm a snake, Mother," he replies. "I was just letting you guys know. I wasn't asking."

His mother's brow furrows, but Odin laughs. "Let the boy have his fun, Farbauti," he says. "That sounds splendid, Loki. I'm sure Thor will like it."

"Like what?" Thor asks, sitting down beside Loki.

"Your birthday dinner," Farbauti replies, sending Loki a look. "Tomorrow we're going out to dinner after school. You can bring a few friends. Don't fear that we are there to ruin the fun. You can go out and continue your evening after we eat."

Thor chuckles. "Thank you. That sounds great."

Loki goes to sleep, setting his alarm for 5:30 in preparation to wake up and cook Thor breakfast. He's never gotten the chance to use his culinary skills on anyone besides his mother, and being a fan of only cooking on special occasions, Thor's birthday is perfect for him to show that he has no lost his touch.

He gets up and showers, dressing in a t-shirt and boxers in case he decides to spill something on himself. He slips into his mother and Odin's room to retrieve her to assist him.

"Mother, get up!" he shouts, jumping up and down on the bed. "You have to help me."

"Loki, it's 5:40 in the morning."

"I know," he replies, jumping down. "Thor gets up at 6:00. Come on!"

His mother groggily follows him down to the kitchen, Loki impatiently prompting her to get the pots and pans out so they can cook. "I am slightly afraid that my son has been abducted by aliens."

"Be quiet and mix," he says, waving a spatula in her direction. He sends eager glances over at the clock, waiting to hear the familiar sound of Thor's footsteps, and tries to cook as fast as he can without risking the flavor integrity.

He barely manages to slip the last pancake onto the plate before he hears the sound of the shower starting.

His mother takes a bite of the bacon, nodding. "I must admit that you still have your skills, Loki."

He nods in satisfaction, but the real opinion is one he hasn't gotten yet. As he stands there in nothing but a t-shirt and boxers, spatula hanging loosely at his side, he can't help but feel slightly domestic. He rolls his eyes at himself in disbelief that he's actually gotten this bad.

Thor descends the stairs, blazer in hand, and enters the kitchen, dropping it onto the stool. His eyebrows rise in surprise, and Loki smirks instead of grinning like he desires to. He circles the island, coming up behind Loki, and he leans over his shoulder and inhales. "Mm, it smells good."

Loki struggles to keep his composure, Thor's chest pressed against him, and he avoids looking at his mother. He hopes that she's still too tired to notice anything strange about them.

Loki goes upstairs to change, and Thor stops him. "Since it is my birthday, I think that this request will not be so outlandish," he says, grinning at the bottom of the stairs. "You should wear something blue." He turns to go but turns back around. "And those rather tight jeans. I quite like those."

Loki stares at him in surprise and amusement. When did Thor decide to abuse his power? "Seriously?"

"Yes, now go. We have to get to school."

He blames the fact that he's going entirely insane when he actually listens to Thor.

"Satisfied?" he asks, adjusting his blazer.

"More than."

"Happy Birthday!" Jane and Steve exclaim, standing in front of the school with Tony.

"Yeah, Happy B-Day," Tony says. "How does it feel being 18?"

Thor gets a "Happy Birthday" from almost every person they pass, and Loki finds that he doesn't even know most of their names.

At lunch, Tony steps onto their table and makes the entire cafeteria sing birthday to Thor. They all harmonize without prior planning—that Loki is aware of; it seems unlikely that they would plan to sing happy birthday. Then again…—and are not tone deaf for the most part. Loki grins as Thor rolls his eyes as he pretends to be above it all, but they both know that Thor is more than satisfied with the reaction everyone has had.

Even Dr. Strange wishes Thor a "Happy Birthday" before class starts.

When he sees Gwen in newsletter, she gives him a story to edit and tells him to wish Thor a "Happy Birthday" on her behalf. It's as if he's the most popular guy in school. Well, that wouldn't necessarily surprise Loki. Thor is friends with Tony Stark, and is the most attractive guy that goes there. It's not that far-fetched of a notion.

Loki makes quick work of changing into a dress shirt and slacks, tying his bowtie around his neck. When he sees Thor pass by, he leans out of the door and stares at the perfectly fitted pants in appreciation. It's only slightly creepy when he takes his time going by Thor's cracked door, examining how great he looks in dress clothing. If only it were a full tuxedo.

When Luke and Robert arrive, the two of them clad in dress clothes go up to Thor's bedroom while Loki uses his laptop in the kitchen to pass the time. It doesn't surprise him that his chosen friends are his two best friends, but he secretly hopes that Jane Foster does not make an appearance.

"The party don't start till I walk in!" Barton sings once Loki opens the door and lets him in. He pulls Loki into a one-armed hug.

Loki looks over his choice of blazer and dress shirt and decides that Barton cleans up rather well.

"Happy to see me?" he asks.

Loki's only slightly surprised at his appearance tonight. Clint and Thor do share a lot in common such as their love for badly-plotted action movies and cheesy jokes. "I wouldn't call what I'm feeling happiness. Lament is a better word."

"Thor, I'm here," he shouts, cupping his hands around his mouth as Loki rolls his eyes. He and Thor perform their strange handshake when the other three boys come downstairs, Clint interjecting some weird finger wave at the end that makes Luke erupt into laughter.

"Thank god we've got Barton here," he says, patting his chest. "He's tonight's entertainment."

Loki doesn't even need to see into the future to know that this evening is going to be awful for him considering who his companions are. He's always disliked rowdy people but absolutely hates when they gathered in large groups like school assemblies or sporting events. He favors more subdued conversations instead of mindless screaming amongst a few people, but there's not much of a way out of this situation. The four of them are going to drive him insane each time they break into loud laughs at jokes that Loki does not find funny.

The night takes a turn for the worse when they get into the car and Clint asks if he can choose the music, Thor, Robert, and Luke nodding their approval. He plugs in his phone and some R&B song that Loki doesn't know starts playing. It sounds a lot like Tony's ringtone, and it turns out that Loki is right when he catches a glimpse of Clint's iPod.

He, Odin, and his mother are the only ones not singing, and Loki's angrier about the fact that he doesn't know the lyrics than anything.

A closer listen to the lyrics reveals that their song choice is about taking ecstasy. Mm, how eloquent.

"This song is about ecstasy," he shouts over the music.

They look at him like there's no problem with that and wait for the next song to come on, a song that Loki has actually heard before: "Crew Love."

"Gods, kill me," he mumbles, sticking his fingers in his ears as they put their arms around each others shoulders and tilt their heads back to sing.

They haven't even ordered by the third time that Clint says something outlandish and Robert, Luke, and Thor are practically falling out of their seats. He kneads his temples like he's seen Charles do on a few occasions, trying to block out their stupidity. His mother and Odin look on, Odin smiling in amusement, and it appears that Loki is the only one with enough sense to see how unfunny Barton is.

"Barton, tell me, why do you even bother with playing that game if you're such crap at it?" Robert asks. "You stand there screaming like a fuc—freaking idiot, and everyone just looks at you like you are one."

"Maybe he really is."

Clint flicks a breadstick at Luke, Luke dodging it. "STFU, Cage! Just hatin' that you're not number 3 in the world in anything."

"It is but a phone app," Thor says, grinning stupidly, and it should not be as endearing as it is.

"But a ninja fighting one!"

"Have you guys decided on your orders yet?" Their waiter is the only thing that has kept Loki's interest so far, his blond hair and blue eyes reminding him of someone only feet away. He looks their age, so he's not that out of Loki's league if he does decide to take Nal's advice.

Loki gestures for Robert to order first, cocking his head to the side as he examines the boy.

"And you, cute bowtie boy?"

Clint lets out a laugh, Odin grins, and his mother giggles. On the other hand, Robert, Luke, and Thor turn glares on him.

"Hm, say if I'm feeling adventurous, what would you suggest?" he asks, blinking slowly.

The boy smiles. "Well… Mussels, Shrimp and Calamari over Linguine with Wine Sauce is a very popular dish with young cute adventurous types." He licks his lips. "And it's also an aphrodisiac."

"Then, I'll have that," he replies, leaning closer than necessary. "Thank you."

"What the fuck was that?" Luke exclaims. "Wait, I'm sorry Mr. B and Ms. L. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, Luke," Odin says.

"Loki's got a boyfriend!" Clint says. "Oh, invite me to the wedding."

"The chances of them marrying are next to nil," Thor says, arms crossed.

"Crazier things have happened," he replies, and he makes it a point to flirt relentlessly with the boy when he comes back with their food, dipping his finger into his food and bringing it up to his mouth as he keeps eye contact.

Robert reaches across the table and pulls his finger from his mouth, murmuring about Loki being a pervert.

"Loki, that was a bit… much," his mother says. "If you want to pursue something with him, you should ask for his number. That always worked for me. Being extremely physically attractive does a lot for you."

"You need not pursue any relationship, Loki," Thor says, sending his mother a hard look. "You are 16."

Loki scoffs. "Because you're 18 doesn't make you the authority in my life, Thor."

"I never said it did," he replies, lifting his fork to his mouth and somehow making eating steak seductive. He smirks when Loki starts to bite his lip and flush, and Loki turns his attention to his own food as distraction.

After Odin and his mother finish, they stand up and bid them a farewell, his mother winking at him and whispering, "I trust you be safe, Loki," before running a hand over his shoulder. He stops from telling her that he knows what to do if the time comes by taking a drink. He avoids Thor's eyes in case he happens to see the mortification there from brushing that topic with his mother.

"Hey, are we getting dess-" Clint starts saying.

"No!" Luke and Robert shout, Clint's brow furrowing in confusion.

"Jeez, could have just told me that we weren't. No need to shout."

Robert turns to Loki, frowning. "We would have, Clint, if the chance of you, Loki, ordering something dick-shaped wasn't so high."

Clint rolls his eyes, huffing. "Gee, thanks, Loki, for ruining my food-high potential. Way to keep it in your pants."

"We're leaving," Luke says, nudging Thor and gesturing with his head somewhere behind him.

Thor stands. "Yes, that is quite a good idea."

Loki can't even protest before he's being apprehended by Luke and Thor, Thor's hand on his lower back urging him forward and Luke's hands on his back pushing him. He tries to look behind him for a glimpse of the waiter and narrowly manages to wave him a goodbye before they're out of the doors.

"Teamwork, playa," Luke says, bumping Thor's fist as they hail a cab.

He stands in disbelief. They actually went through all of that trouble just to be sure that he doesn't get to spend some romantic time with an attractive boy. It seems they don't care about Loki's libido struggles or the fact that he is actually trying to get over Thor, and he knows that two-fourths of them are well-aware of his crush even if they feign ignorance.

"I—I hate you all!" he shouts, fisting his hands into his hair. "I hate you!"

"Whoa, I didn't do anything though," Clint says. "You don't hate me."

"No, but I do hate you three!" he says, pointing at Thor, Robert, and Luke. "Just… ignore me. Please, act as if I'm not here."

Loki sits next to the door, staring out the window and ignoring their conversation. He's trying, really trying to get over this stupid lust he feels for his step-brother, but it's hard when he's being obstructed by Thor and his two friends. Thor's aware of his attraction for him but not of the extent of his romantic feelings for him, but Luke and Robert definitely are. They have to be doing this for their own entertainment. There's no other reason for them to want him to be single.

They get out of the cab, Loki bolting up the stairs to go inside and get as far away from the "Trio of Terrible" as he can. The small amount of patience he has left is dwindling by the moment.

"Wait!" Thor shucks his sleeve down and glances at his watch. "Tonight, Steve and Tony have a band concert," he says. "I promised my attendance."

"Please, no," Clint says. "Please, no. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

Luke pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs, knowing what Thor is implying as much as Loki does. "Thor…"

Loki leans against the railing and stretches his back on it, letting himself relax before he says what he's about to say. He knows that this band concert is going to be anything but low-key, and he will not be able to relax until he's home again. "What time?" he asks.

"7:45," Thor replies, and he's smiling at Loki. Loki wants to roll his eyes so much, but he can only return the smile. "It's 7:30, so we may be able to make it promptly."

Robert pats Thor's shoulder as he goes to the curb, and Loki starts moving as well. "Okay, so we're doing this then."

Loki steps up next to Thor on the curb. "I cannot believe you are actually spending your birthday at a band concert," he says.

Thor's hand comes up to rest on Loki's shoulder, and Loki feels himself relaxing _slightly_. "A promise is a promise, Loki. You know my word is strong all too well."

He does know _all too well_, and that's why he can't argue that Thor should just forget the concert. He also knows Tony Stark all too well, and this concert is not going to be the usual experience. It's going to be something fitting for Tony Stark and for SHIELD.

A cab pulls up, and they all pile in, Loki ending up pressed against the door by Thor. The driver looks a little intimidated at the obvious physical superiority of Loki's companions, and Loki finds himself grinning at the not-so-covert looks he keeps sending Robert and the rearview mirror.

"They usually sound good," Robert says, turning around to look at them. "I went last year."

"Yeah, they do, but the experience itself is…" Luke trails off and blows air out of his mouth. "It's fucking interesting."

"Interesting?" Clint scoffs. "It's ridiculous! How do they call _that_ shit a holiday concert?"

They end up seated a row back from the band in the school auditorium. The band teacher Mr. Stane announces the song selection, and Loki cringes at the choices of mash-ups of pop culture anthems and traditional carols. He's never been much of a fan of mixing modern and old-fashioned. It's why Romeo and Juliet in the form of pop songs is one thing that he never wants to relive.

"And here is head percussionist and close protégé of mine Anthony Stark to start us off on 'Hogwarts Bells'."

Tony steps forward, snare drum around his waist, and he's wearing a red bowtie and gold cummerbund that looks like he tried to coordinate with his car. Loki doesn't think it would be that far-fetched of a notion either since it is Tony. His hair is slicked, and he just looks like he's planning _something_.

He leans in to the microphone, grinning. "Hello, everybody. Tony Stark, might know me, and this is our song." He hits his drum sticks together as he counts to four. He begins hitting the snare drum, and Loki's surprised that he actually seems to know how to keep rhythm. Then the lyrics start, and everything goes to hell. "Jingle Bells. Hagrid smells. Draco laid an egg..."

Loki sighs and slumps down in his seat, catching Thor grinning in the seat next to him, clearly amused by this display of _true_ creativity. He shakes his head. How is he attracted to that oaf? Oh yes, he's not actually an oaf, and his thickness is endearing. That's why.

Loki sees Steve sitting in the front row, flute rose to his mouth with his stick-thin arms, and he's somehow managing to stare at Tony and keep up with the other flutists. Loki can guess that Tony is like this in rehearsal, and he's acquired the skill with time.

The band stops playing except for Tony and the flute section. Tony's hitting the drum furiously, bobbing his head in time, and his brow is soaked with sweat. It seems that Tony does get heated under some pressure.

All music dies out, and the crowd erupts into applause.

Tony dips down into a large bow.

"That actually wasn't traumatizing," Clint says.

Tony's hand comes up to shield his eyes, and he points at Clint. "You shut your face and appreciate, Barton!" he shouts. Tony goes to stand back with the percussionists, and Mr. Stane returns to the stage.

The song is not as cheesy and unique as the first one, and Loki claps when it is over with the rest of the audience. The next song is another strange mash-up that the audience yet again loves, but Loki is not very impressed by how simple it sounds.

"We have 'A Thousand Miles to Deck the Halls' by Vanessa Carlton and arranged by yours truly," Mr. Stane says before going back to sit at the piano.

It's another simplistic mash-up, and Loki leans on his arm to boredom. The song after is "Winter Wonderland Champions" some trite mash up of Queen and Winter Wonderland, and Loki cannot enjoy the song because he is too busy scoffing at how ridiculous the idea of them going together is.

"And our last song is 'Let It Snow Baby One More Time'."

"Are you kidding me?" Loki leans forward to see Robert on the other side of Thor, his fingers at his temples as he shakes his head. "Who thought that this would be remotely good?"

"It cannot be that bad," Thor whispers.

"Whatever you say, bro," Luke says, shaking his head next to Robert. "Whatever you say."

The piano starts with the familiar beginning of "Hit Me Baby One More Time", and Robert lets out a loud scoff, earning him a few looks from the people around them. As the song progresses, Loki has to try and contain his shared disdain for the terrible choice.

Everyone jumps to their feet to applaud, and Loki finds himself being hauled up by the Thor, so he begrudgingly claps.

"Hey, guys, wait for us!" Tony calls as people start filing out of the room. "We're coming back to yours for the after party!"

Loki pinches the bridge of his nose as Stark grabs Steve's hand, leaping down from the stage first and lifting Steve off by the waist like some Disney Prince. He almost comments but sees how pink Steve is turning when his feet touch the ground and gives him some leeway.

"Best concert you've ever been to in your life, right?" Tony asks, putting one hand on Loki's shoulder and the other on Steve's. Loki shrugs his hand off, earning a pout from Tony. "I'm taking that as a yes."

"You've ruined Britney Spears for me," Robert says.

"No, 'Jingle Toxic' or whatever the fuck that was from last year ruined her for me," Luke says. "Remember how we covered our ears? Shit was bad."

"Haters," Tony says. "Haters everywhere."

They go back home with Steve and Tony now with them, Tony bragging about how he should just quit Stark Industries and join the New York Symphony Orchestra. The cab driver gives Tony a look and realizes who he is, mumbling about "kids being too smart for their and their wallet's good" when they get out.

Clint goes for the kitchen, pulling out tons of ingredients for what he calls "Thor á l'Anniversaire Diner" and Loki watches him closely, making sure that he does not add anything too suspect to the food. Tony and Steve sit and talk about mess-ups from their other band mates, and Thor, Robert, and Luke begin watching Transformers.

Clint finishes using the stove, piling different food onto their own plates, and Loki leaves him there now that there is a minimal chance of him burning down their house.

As he enters the den, he manages to hear the backend of Robert's conversation. "….No, you're only in love with him because he's got an amazing ass."

Loki stops at the doorway and quirks an eyebrow. "Who has got an amazing ass?"

"No-" Thor cuts himself off and glares at a laughing Robert.

Loki sits down on the couch and sets his drink down in front of him. He crosses his legs and leans on his elbow, looking at them expectantly. They can't just say something like that and expect Loki to not ask who they are talking about. "Who?" he asks again.

"No one, Loki," Robert says, and he giving him a _look_ that means more than he's letting on.

"I would rather not play these games, Robert."

"You want to have it your way, so…" Robert begins to chuckle before he puts on a serious face. "You."

He schools his features, not letting them betray anything to Robert or Luke.

Tony sits down beside him, slapping the side of his thigh. "He damn well does! Rob, didn't know you had a good eye for those things."

"I'm straight, not blind."

"Sometimes it's the same thing," Loki murmurs, catching Steve nodding in his periphery.

"Think you've got that wrong," Luke says. "Blind gay people everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Look around you."

Loki narrows his eyes at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Megan Fox's ass is the best part of this movie!" Clint shouts, sitting down next to Thor after setting down the platters of food on the coffee table. "I made it just in time."

"Barton, you're a freak," Robert says, grabbing a piece of chicken, "but you're a talented freak."

"And me?" Tony asks.

"Same for you, Stark."

Watching Transformers with them turns out to be an event filled with enough film critique to make Roger Ebert roll his eyes. Loki's not particularly entertained by giant robots fighting, but he does find Josh Duhamel's presence is a good compromise. When he voices this opinion, Tony nods in agreement and starts talking about his abs. This earns him some strange looks from Robert and Luke, which he shrugs off with an excuse of "reading tabloids to see what they're saying about me."

They finish the movie by 8:30, and Clint stands up, proclaiming that they should go out.

"Where?" Luke asks. "Where the hell should we go, Barton?"

"Duh, go to a bar," Clint replies.

Tony stands too, beaming. "I know a place, but Steve has to go home first before Barnes tears my head off for taking him out underage." He smiles at him, a more sincere version than the first. "We'll drop you off."

He expects Thor to try to talk them out of it, but they end up in a bar in Lower Manhattan, college kids everywhere. They aren't even asked for ID at the bar, and Loki distantly remembers a conversation with Thor about looks invalidating an ID providing one is attractive enough. There's also the fact that Tony Stark is with them, and he's sure that everyone there recognizes who he is and what his name means.

There's loud house music playing around them, and Thor's hand around his wrist is the one thing keeping him from getting lost in the crowd. They get a table on the balcony overlooking the dancefloor, and Loki's more than a little relieved that he doesn't have to watch people try to seduce Thor with their disgusting dance moves.

"Loki, come with me to get drinks," Clint says, pulling him up before Thor can stop him. Loki's relieved that he has a chance to get what he wants without his step-brother trying to police him.

"I'm coming with." Tony stands up and follows them, a hand on each other their shoulders.

"What would you like?"

"Five beers," Clint says.

Loki doesn't hesitate to lean toward him to put in his request. "Four tequila shots and an absinthe."

"You serious?" Clint asks.

"Wow," Tony says. "Don't want to know where you tried that."

"No," he replies, thinking back to _that_ night, "you really don't."

Tony and Clint set down their drinks, Loki trying to make himself as invisible as possible while he sets down his drinks.

"Whoa, whoa, dude, what the hell is all of that?" Robert asks. He brings the absinthe up to his nose, eyebrows rising. "You can't be serious."

"He is," Tony says, frowning.

He takes his seat, downing one of the shots without pause.

"Bro…" Luke shakes his head.

Thor grabs his wrist when he reaches for another shot. His eyes stray from Loki's face immediately, and Loki thought he was one with the slowly fading control. It's as if he can't remotely keep the unscrupulous thoughts at bay if he tried.

"Want to do a body shot?" he asks, narrowing his eyes and quirking his lips. "Come on, Thor. You're 18 now. Live a little."

Clint clears his throat. "Is this is leading somewhere…?"

He only stares at Loki, and Loki takes that as an affirmative.

Loki grabs the salt, shaking some into Thor's clavicle, and he keeps his eyes on Thor as he does so, watching for any sign of doubt. When he sees none, he grabs the lime, lifting it to Thor's mouth. "Open," he says, brushing his thumb over Thor's lip after he bites into it.

He takes the shot glass into his hand. "Ready?"

Thor nods slowly.

He moves forward, dragging his tongue up Thor's sternum and into his clavicle, blinking up at him as he swirls his tongue in the salt, tasting it and _Thor_. He downs the shot, setting it down, and slowly moves forward, taking the lime from Thor's mouth with deliberate slowness. He sucks from the lime, staring into Thor's eyes before turning and setting it down on the tray.

The others stare in shock.

"Whew. Definitely need a drink after that," Luke says, taking a large gulp from his beer.

"Same here," Robert says.

Tony takes a drink from his beer, eyes shining knowingly as he looks at Loki.

Clint blinks a few times. "That was something I've never… seen before." He shakes his head. "Pseudo-incest."

The song changes to "One" by Swedish House Mafia, and Tony and Clint both jump to their feet.

"This is my jam!" Tony says, Clint bumping his fist in agreement. "Don't know about you geezers, but we're going to dance."

Loki stands. "I like this song too," he says. "Let's go dance, shall we?"

He hates crowds more than anything else, would rather be stranded in a grass plain hundreds of miles away from civilization than get trapped in the center of one. Well, he should say that he normally hates crowds when he doesn't have the liquid courage running through his veins and making his superiority complex reach new heights only reached on a few occasions prior. He's better than all of them, he thinks as he follows Tony into the writhing crowd. He's better, and they are going to acknowledge it.

Loki spots a well-muscled man with a shaved head and goes for him, pressing his front against his back without hesitation. This man should feel honored to be chosen by Loki.

The man turns his head. "Wow, you're beautiful," he says. "Thank god for being bi."

He turns the man's head forward, whispering promises of what he'd do to him if given the chance as they grind against each other. If he can't have Thor, he will settle for this man. He's been told not to settle, but he doesn't mind if it means that he still gets a simper of pleasure out of it.

When he feels another body behind him, he lets himself go for a moment, reveling in the hard chest that he so wishes were _that_ hard chest. He lets the other partner dominate him, relishing how much taller he is than him.

Something tells him to open his eyes, so he does and sees that Tony is staring at him with fear in his eyes, standing motionless in the crowd of moving bodies.

Thanny stares down at him, violet eyes still bright in the multicolored lights. "Nice to see you, Loki," he says, his smirk wide.

Loki's mind is blank for a few moments, but it catches up to the situation and a grin breaks out across his face. "Wow, Thanny, I cannot say I thought that I would see you here."

He lifts his hand up to Loki's face, trailing his fingers down and leaving goosebumps. "I see that your SHIELD entourage is here," he says, glancing around Loki. "They look terrified."

He laughs. "They have a terrible protective streak."

"I see why. A face like yours attracts some rather… unsavory people." He starts to lean in toward Loki, and Loki doesn't lean back this time. If he's going to get over Thor, Thanny is definitely the person to do it with. Back at Osborn's party, he had Hero, but now he's not hopelessly pining after Thor so much.

"Thanos."

Thanny pulls back. "Robert," he replies. "This is a long time, no see if there is one." He crosses his arms. "So much for BFFs, right?"

Loki is being pulled away for the second time that night, his strength nothing in comparison to Thor and Luke's. This time, he doesn't immediately give up, futilely trying to push them away and go back to Thanny.

"Calm down, calm down!" Luke shouts once they're out of the club. "Calm the hell down!"

"Why should I calm down?" he asks, pushing away from him. "You guys—you've done it again tonight."

Tony comes out, Clint behind him. "Dude, since when are you and Thanos friends?"

"I don't subscribe to your childish school feuds," Loki says. "I plan on working my way through the Titan family, haven't you heard? If you haven't, I should inform you that I also jer-"

"Shut your mouth, Loki, please!" Thor pins him against the wall, hand over Loki's mouth. There's really no other choice for Loki than to comply. "I don't want to hear about this!"

They get into a cab, Loki pushed inside by Thor. He ends up between Tony and Thor, and he's thankful that Tony is the buffer in the situation for once in their friendship.

"Dude, Thanny like dwarfs you," Tony says. "He's like your uncle's height. If they fought-"

"He's dangerous, Loki," Robert says, interrupting Tony. "You are going to stay away from him. It might be too late considering Thor did punch Hero, but you need to get away from him when you two encounter each other. We don't know what he's up to."

Loki chuckles. "I don't care what he is up to. He's my… friend, and that is the end of this conversation."

"Fucking drama queen," Luke says, Loki holding up a hand as if to shush him. "You're actually telling me to talk to the hand?"

"He is," Clint replies. "Loki, you should know that I'm on your side in this. That guy was totes hot."

"Fuck you, Barton!" Robert shouts. "Fuck—you don't even know what's going on. Stay out of it."

Loki gawks at him. "Are you serious? What do any of you know? You all believed me when I said that I loved Erik-" He closes his mouth.

"Oh, no, way." Luke shakes his head. "Little liar Loki."

"Took you guys how long to figure this out?" Tony asks, earning a glare from Loki. "What? I knew you'd be pissed if I mentioned I knew, so I didn't."

"Why can't I have sex with who I want to have sex with? Do not give me that lie about protection either," he says. "There is something you're not telling me!"

"There's definitely stuff you're not telling us," Luke says. "You lied about the love thing, so that leaves one candidate." He stares at Loki, and Loki stares back, clenching his fists. "Should I say?"

"Let's play a game, Luke," Robert says. "Let's call it '10 Clues'. We say a clue, and you guys guess at the end."

He bites the inside of his cheek, staring down at his lap. This is not going to end well. He just knows it.

"He's tall."

"He's got blue eyes."

"He goes to our school."

"Guys…" Tony says, frowning. Oh, he's attempting to help for once. Great.

"He's strong," Luke says. "Really fucking strong."

"He's blond."

"He is popular with the ladies-"

"-but he isn't interested in any of them."

"His best friend is a lesbian."

"Luke, seriously?" Tony asks. He shrugs. "Well, that explains a lot."

"He has an odd fascination with the stars."

"He isn't from America."

"His name begins with a-"

Loki reaches over Thor's lap and opens the door, climbing out before Robert can say the last clue. He runs for the door, fumbling with the keys as he tries to unlock it. Of course he's too slow to open the door, and Thor gets there before he can slip in, catching Loki by the wrist and pulling him the rest of the way inside. He tries to keep the emotion off of his face, staring blankly as he is led up the stairs.

When Thor pulls him into his bedroom, he doesn't protest in fear that somehow Thor will know that he doesn't only lust after him. Their clues were startlingly obvious to anyone with a brain and working eyes, and Thor has both of those.

"Loki."

Loki sits down on the edge of the bed, staring at Thor blankly.

"Loki."

"What?" he asks. "What do you want from me?"

Thor runs a hand down the side of his face, mimicking Thanny's movements, and a shiver does down Loki's spine instead of goosebumps. He tucks hair behind his ear. "I want you to sleep in here with me tonight," he replies, a smile coming to his face. "It's my birthday wish."

He stares at him for a few moments, the façade cracking and revealing amusement. "Oh," he replies, "I guess that's reasonable."

"You can wear one of my t-shirts," Thor says. "They look… nice on you."

Loki smirks as he strips, entertaining thoughts of foregoing clothes entirely and sneaking up on Thor from behind, but he keeps his boxers on, letting Thor slip the t-shirt on over his head. When he resurfaces, they share a long gaze that almost turns into a kiss before they simultaneously realize what is about to happen and take a step back.

He slips underneath the blanket and has a moment of indecision over whether he should keep a few inches of space between them, but Thor makes the decision for the both of them, pulling Loki the few inches next to him.

"I bought you a dog," Loki says once he's settled into Thor's side.

"What?"

"You said that you had a Great Dane when you were younger, and I happened to stumble upon one. I bought it for you. I have to go and get it this weekend."

Thor tilts Loki's chin up. "Loki, are you being serious?"

He rolls his eyes, nuzzling his chin into Thor's shoulder. "Yes, I am," he replies. "It's a nice dog. I think you'll like it."

Thor is silent for a few moments, and Loki lets his eyes drift shut, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and letting it lull him to sleep. "Loki, that's—thank you."

Loki smiles into Thor's skin. "Don't. It's your birthday."

Somewhere during the first few hours of sleep, the darkness of Loki's mind fades into something strongly resembling his position before he fell asleep. It's startling, having a dream for the first time in years, and Loki wonders what prompted it as he takes in his sleep-generated surroundings of Thor's room. He has to give it to his subconscious for being so observant. Everything is where he remembers it including Thor, shirtless and radiating warmth.

Loki realizes that he moved in his sleep, his position straddling Thor instead of lying half-on top of him. He can't complain. It's a good place to be.

"Loki, go back to sleep," Thor says, his hand brushing over Loki's head. "You're fine."

He tilts his head back to stare up at Thor, letting his fingers trail over his bare chest. He's always wanted to do this in reality, but his control is still strong enough to hold him back. It seems that in his dream control doesn't matter. Everything that happens here stays here.

"Thor?" He scoots up his body, moving his hands above Thor's shoulders.

"Hm?"

"It's still your birthday," he replies, squinting over at the dream clock that displays 11:45.

Thor's eyes open, and he gives Loki a curious look. "It is," he replies.

They stare at each other for a few moments.

"Are you going to do anything?" Thor asks, bringing his hand up to cradle Loki's face.

Loki lets himself bask in the touch. How is his mind this accurate? "Don't," he says, swiping his tongue over Thor's fingers, "rush me." He takes his fingers into his mouth, holding Thor wrist to steady his hand. He keeps eye contact with Thor, watching the blue steadily turn black.

Thor removes his fingers from Loki's mouth with a moist plop, pulling his face down until their lips meet in a deep kiss. His hand goes down to the hem of Loki's t-shirt and pulls it upward, the two of them breaking apart to get it off of his head. When they meet again, Thor grasps his nipple painfully hard, Loki gasping into his mouth.

He scrapes his teeth along Thor's neck, teasing the skin with his tongue, and when he gets to the juncture between his shoulder and neck, he bites, Thor's back arching up off of the bed and his fingers clenching onto Loki's nipple in a mixture of pain and pleasure.

Loki is flipped onto his back, and he stares up at Thor, grinning as Thor shakes his head. "Are _you_ going to do anything?" he asks, lifting his head up and licking a stripe from Thor's sternum to his chin as he did earlier and swears he still tastes salt. Now his mind is definitely more observant than he thought.

That sets Thor into motion. He pins Loki down by the wrists, grinding their hips together hard, and Loki gasps in shock at how amazing it feels. Jolts of pleasure prickle through his body with each time their hips meet, and it's not long before Loki is digging his fingers into the bedspread and gasping for air that he doesn't need.

Grabbing Thor's hair, he pulls him down into a harsh kiss. "Thor, I-I love you so much," he says before kissing him again.

Thor smiles at him, his thumb brushing over Loki's bottom lip. "Gods, Loki, I love you too," he replies.

One last grind of their hips, and Loki's is crying out Thor's name, his pants becoming a sticky mess, and Thor groans above him, a sound that Loki wishes he could hear from the actual Thor's mouth. But it's close enough to satisfy him for now.

Thor falls onto the bed next to him, pulling Loki to his side. "Some birthday present," he says, grinning.

Loki traces over the bite mark on Thor's shoulder, laughing when Thor winces. "What can I say? I have been told that I am quite creative."

His mind drifts back to black not long after, the usual darkness of sleep taking him back.

When he wakes up, the aching in his bones telling him that this is the real world, he resents that it was only a dream and will probably only remain so. It wasn't a bad one at all. No, if he's going to start having dreams again, he wants them to all be like that.

He notices the stickiness in his underwear when he undresses for his shower, attributing it to his body getting a little too involved in the dream. He went through puberty like any other teenage boy, and even though he did not have dreams, he did wake up with the products of what should have been something other than a void of darkness.

Thor's wearing a turtleneck, and Loki almost points out that's Erik's "thing" but sees the slight uneasiness in his movements. He doesn't comment on the turtleneck but doesn't hesitate to stare him down with a look that he hopes gets the point across that he finds his choice of attire amusing, albeit a little arousing.

Thor doesn't react to his stares, spending the cab ride tapping his foot impatiently. It's as if he is dying to get away from Loki.

"Bye, Thor," he says, passing him and Jane, and Thor throws an enthusiastic wave in his direction. Loki's done something to get on his bad side. He just doesn't remember what.

When he sees him in swimming, he does not even bother to greet him, knowing that there is nothing he'll get in return besides another bad imitation of his normal charismatic goodbyes. Thor doesn't acknowledge him other than a brief glance at him, turning back to continue talking to Luke.

"Trouble in paradise?" Stark asks, pulling his shirt off. "You look like you've just had your heart smashed into a million pieces."

He knows that he does not look anything like that, so he rolls his eyes at Tony. He doesn't deserve any other response besides that.

"Whoa, Thor, what were you doin' after we left last night?" Luke's voice comes loud enough to grab everyone within the general vicinity's attention. "Nice bite mark, bro." He claps Thor's shoulder hard, pointedly avoiding the now visible purple crescent on Thor's shoulder.

Thor scratches the back of his neck, biting his bottom lip.

Loki's eyes widen a pinch, and he cannot help the flush that travels up his neck at the realization of what that means. The bite mark is real. It's real which means...

Tony looks at Thor and back at Loki a few times, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, so that's what's been eating you. Loki, you were a bad, bad boy, weren't you? Doesn't surprise me that you're a biter."

He glares up at Tony, tugging his swimming trunks on. "It wasn't sex," he hisses.

"Oh, so no skin-to-skin contact," he says, nodding as if he understands. "I gotcha. The technicality actually helps when you want to convince someone for a little rub and bust, but they're all worried that it counts as sex. Trust me."

Without even asking, he knows that there is a backstory unfortunately involving a younger Steve Rogers and a very horny, very insistent Tony. Gods, he can imagine the poor boy trying to fend off his advances in reality, and Steve barely survives Tony's jesting advances.

They walk toward the pool door.

"Tell me, was it good-?"

He turns around, stopping. "We are not talking about this, Stark!" he shouts, and the rest of the boys coming out of the locker room move around them, sending them strange glances. "Just... don't, okay?"

Luke and Thor are the last ones out. Luke stops in front of them, prompting Thor to do so to even though Luke tries to dismiss him. Loki has a feeling he doesn't care if Thor hears the conversation that is to come, but _he_ does care.

"We were just talking about Loki's, er, extra-curr-dick-cular activities," Tony says, trying to put a hand on Loki's shoulder but Loki moves. "It technically wasn't sex."

"Nice one, Stark," Luke says, chuckling.

He clenches his fists, eyes widening and pointedly avoids looking at Thor. "Stark, shut up!"

"Yes, please, Stark, shut up," Coach McKenzie says. "The rest of you go get in line before I make you come here and swim laps during free period."

They go and take their seats in the lineup, and right on time, the girls locker room door opens and Emma comes out in another new swimsuit, this one the same white as the others but a one piece that forms an x around her abdomen. All of the boys in the line-up go silent, watching her breasts bounce as she strides.

She stops in front of Coach McKenzie. "This okay?"

He looks her up and down once. "Sure."

Emma brushes her hand over his shoulder before going down the lineup and stopping in front of Tony. "Tony."

Loki grins as an obviously flustered Tony looks her up and down. "E-em, hey."

"I was wondering if you'd be interested in helping me study for my chem exam," she says, leaning down and giving him a full view of her breasts. "Would you?"

"Don't be an idiot, Stark," Harry murmurs.

"That's like asking a fish not to breathe, Osborn!" Clint says.

"Um, I... Steve and I have plans..."

There's a chorus of groans down the line.

Emma flips her hair back. "Okay, some other time then," she replies. "Bye, Tony."

He nods a goodbye to her, turning to see everyone shaking their heads at him.

"Everyone, get in your squads and do warm-ups. Stark, you get a lap off for doing the right thing." Coach McKenzie grins at him, condescending.

Loki slips into the pool, shutting his eyes for a moment to adjust to the coldness of the water. Once it's comfortable, he turns to a still-flustered Tony, and doesn't hesitate to grin at his misfortune. "Stark, you should try not stringing her along," he says, snapping Tony out of his reverie.

"What? I'm not stringing her along!" Tony throws his hands up, splashing water on Carol. "Oops. But, Loki, I'm not. I want her, okay? Steve always comes first."

"Always?" he asks, staring straight into his eyes.

Tony looks away, nodding. "Yeah."

There's a gigantic splash in Tony's face, and Loki moves out of the way just in time to not get hit and see that it was Clint. "Idiot," he says, shaking his head. "You're such an idiot."

"Tell me something I don't know!"

It seems that Thor has finally gotten a handle of the protocol after their heated encounters, not approaching Loki to talk to him at all throughout the day. In Earth Science, he doesn't send the glances like usual and actually has a hold of his emotions, only a few of them lingering in his eyes each time they make brief eye contact.

At home, Thor finally drops the act of being composed and lets all of his emotions flow back into those ridiculously expressive eyes of his. He also knows that Loki plans on avoiding the topic, so he corners him in a place where he has no way to escape, his own bedroom.

Loki's typing away on his computer when he sees the door open and Thor enter, sighing at what he knows is coming. "We really don't have to talk about it," he says, shutting it. "I'm actually not good with these things either. I'm sure you're aware."

"Loki, simply tell me how you feel," he says. "I… need to know."

"How I feel? Well, let's see…" He shuts his laptop. "I feel extremely confused, aroused, regretful but not why you probably think, strange, attracted, and so many other things. There's really no one word that can describe how I accurately feel." He runs a hand over his face. "I cannot believe that actually happened, considering initially thought it was a dream."

Thor crosses his arms. "You don't have dreams."

"I know. I thought that maybe I was suddenly getting them, and I wasn't complaining if it was going to be _that_. That's definitely an experience that I regret not being more…"—He gulps—"eager for."

"Loki, this isn't a joke."

"Do I look like I'm joking?" he asks, rolling onto his back. "I practically lost my virginit—I had se—we kind of… and I didn't even know that it was real until I found out that the bite mark was actually on your shoulder. That doesn't sound like much of a joke to me, and I have a rather morbid sense of humor. Gods, Thor, we had… we almost… "

They're silent for a few moments, the ending to the sentence hanging in the air.

"I don't even really regret it."

Thor sits down next to Loki. "I don't either," he replies, staring at his hands. "I do not think that I ever will."

"Should we maybe," he says, gulping down the tears, "pretend this never happened?"

Thor's silent for a few moments, his hand finding Loki's and grasping it. "Maybe," he replies.

"Okay," he says, and Thor's arms wrap around him, his chin on Loki's shoulder. That's enough to prompt the tears to fall, and Loki hates himself for crying over something so idiotic. Okay, Thor wants to forget that they ever… whatever. It's not a big deal.

"I'm so sorry, Loki," Thor murmurs, his grip tightening a bit.

Loki nods. "I am too."

Thor makes good on their agreement, returning to his normal beaming and suffocating confidence. Loki envies how easy it is for him to return to his usual self without problem while he has to return to his facades and masks to maintain something akin to what others are used to. It hurts when he knows that their relationship is skewed to one side, and that side is not Thor's. If only he'd inherited the blasé feelings his family seems to hold toward romance.

Natasha doesn't notice any difference in Loki which means that he's gotten better at hiding his feelings inside. Tony, on the other hand, doesn't relent with his remarks about his and Thor's relationship, and Thor brushes them off effortlessly, Loki left clenching his fists under the table to stop from snapping out on him. One day, Loki thinks, he's going to catch Tony off guard and expose the truth to everyone.

The days are subdued for the most part. Everyone is talking about their plans for formal, which he's thankful he's not going to. He'd rather spend his night at home than in some tuxedo dancing to top 40 music.

Thor's out of the house Saturday and when Loki wakes Sunday morning, so his mother pities him enough to lift his punishment. He uses the time to go walking around the city, putting in his earphones and walking along the coast of the Hudson River. He encounters a rather large dog, and that's all it takes for him to hail a cab and make his way to Long Island.

The apologies come to him easily, and he patiently sits through the lecture on puppy care, nodding and replying with a verbal affirmative when he knows that the woman wants to hear. She gives him the leash with a warning to take care of him, explaining that she has his address, and he doesn't hesitate to remind her that she sought him out and was the one who suggested that he would be good at this thing.

"I am a 16 year old boy," he says. "If I weren't serious about dog care, I would not be wasting my precious 'teenage' moments here, would I?"

The look of guilt she gives him makes his fake smile much easier to maintain.

As soon as he and the dog are off of the property and back in the cab, he drops the act, returning to the inner shells of his many masks. He runs his hands over the dog in his lap, thinking of what even provoked the women to say such things. He would never hurt an animal, especially one as adorable as him. Gods, she was entirely out of line.

The dog tilts its head and looks up at him when he stops petting it, causing him to grin and resume stroking its head.

"You're just like the rest of us then?" he asks the dog. "Always wanting attention."

He has them dropped off at a dog store in midtown, and as he walks in, he can't help but to feel proud at how beautiful the dog is. The cashier stops talking to a customer to walk up to them, dropping down onto his haunches to reach the dog. "Do you mind if I pet him?"

"Go ahead," he says, smirking at the envious look the abandoned customer gives him.

"This is one the most beautiful dogs I have ever seen," he says, standing up. "How can I help you?"

He tells the cashier the items off of his list, smiling in satisfaction when he rushes off and returns with them all in moments. If this is what having a beautiful dog means, he's okay with it.

Loki picks out a new leash, red like the too-familiar shade of Thor's bedspread, and a silver collar that goes amazingly well with his blue coat. Picking the dog up as the cashier rings up the items, he strokes its back. "You're so pretty," he mumbles, his heart melting when the dog looks at him with those eyes. "You're going to be the death of me, aren't you?"

"These puppies grow fast, so I suggest you get the biggest bag we have," the cashier says, and Loki sighs, knowing that he is nowhere near strong enough to carry that big which is half as large as him. Guessing that Thor is with Luke, he calls Robert.

"Loki?"

"Yeah, Robert…" he explains his dilemma to Robert, thankful that he doesn't hear the familiar booming of Thor in the background. It's even better that Robert agrees without asking why he's not calling Thor instead. Luke, on the other hand, would have had no problem asking Loki a million questions as soon as he answered.

"I hope I wasn't too long," Robert says, entering the store. Loki briefly thinks that he should have paid more attention to Robert in the beginning, and his feelings could be directed toward him. He's straight, but having a crush on a straight guy would beat who he's currently infatuated with.

"Thank you," he says as Robert lifts the bag with ease. "Really, thank you."

The dog walks alongside them, Loki making sure that no one gets any ideas to try to pet him. He doesn't want their hands all over his beautiful coat. He does spare glares for those who look but don't touch.

"If only your taste in dogs was as good as your taste in men."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Perhaps you're a bit right."

"He's a good guy. We both know that," Robert says. "He's just a little, um… stupid when he doesn't try. You're the same though."

"Wow, thank you so much," he replies, rolling his eyes.

"I should apologize for the other night," he says. "We were a bit… much."

"A bit?" Robert rolls his eyes at him, and he laughs. "That was not a bit. That was a lot."

"Don't rub it in, Lying Liar."

"You two are the cutest couple," a dark-haired girl says, walking up to them. "I totally supported gay marriage for another reason besides being les myself, and the reason was this. I totally love seeing hot men and women celebrate their lovin'."

"Uh…"

"Thank you," Loki says, laughing. "Gay marriage all the way."

"Totally," she replies. "I hope I see you guys around. Totes cute as hell."

"Please don't tell Thor that just happened. He will kill me," Robert says. "Really, he would be furious."

Loki thinks about telling him anyway, making Robert look as bad as he can as some retribution for the other night, to try to get a rise out of Thor. He's been the one feeling all of the emotions lately. It's only fair that he pass some of it on to Thor. "She complimented us. Be thankful."

"Yeah, sure," he replies, "even if I'm totally straight, and in no way would try anything with you even if I were gay. I'll be thankful."

Robert goes up the stairs first, Loki lingering at the bottom to see if the dog needs to use the restroom. He is trying to minimize the amount of time spent picking up dog feces or wiping up urine. He's not a fan of either.

"Uh oh," Robert says, and Loki follows his gaze to an approaching Luke and Thor. Definitely an "uh oh."

Loki waits until Thor reaches him, not knowing what to expect.

"Loki, whose dog is this?" Thor asks, looking down at the dog sniffing around his feet.

Loki bites his lip and watches the dog, which is dangerously close to tying its leash around Thor's legs. He looks up, blinking. "Yours."

Thor stoops down, running his comparatively massive hands over the dog's head. "Hello," he says, and Loki's stupid heart melts further. "You're beautiful."

The dog puts its paws onto Thor's knee, basking in the petting.

Thor looks up at Loki. "Loki…" He gently puts the dog down onto all fours before standing. "I can't…" He grabs the sides of Loki's face and pulls him into a deep kiss, Loki staring at him in surprise. It takes a few moments for him to realize what he's doing before he pulls away, licking his lips. "I…"

Loki looks away, running his tongue over his lips and tasting Thor. "Don't move, or you might trip," he says, gesturing down.

He untangles the leash from his legs, picking the dog up. "What's its name?"

"It doesn't have one," he replies. "It's yours to name."

Thor looks at him in disbelief. "I don't—wait… Fenrir."

Loki's heart skips a beat, but he doesn't let his shock show, nodding his approval.

"What?" Luke shouts, mouth open. "What?"

Thor puts a hand on his shoulder and guides him up the stairs, putting his other hand on Robert's shoulder. "Come," he replies. "We have much to discuss. Especially you, Robert."

He picks the dog up, setting it free from its leash to go roam through the house. He can still feel the press of Thor's lips against his own, so he brings a hand up to touch them. The kiss was merely a kiss of gratification. Nothing more of nothing less. If he doesn't analyze it, it will not hurt as much when they return to their normal relationship.

When Robert comes downstairs with his laptop, murmuring an explanation as he goes into the den, Loki stands up from the stool and follows him in. He plugs it into the sound system, grinning. "Loki, hope you don't mind, but it's time to celebrate!"

Luke comes in a few seconds after, rubbing his hands together as he grins.

"Love At First Sight" starts playing, and Loki groans, Luke and Robert beginning to jump around erratically.

"It's happened! It's finally happened!"

Loki has no idea what they're talking about, or why it is making them so happy. "What's happened?"

Robert spins around, moving his index fingers to the beat. It's ridiculous. "You and Thor are finally together!" he exclaims, bumping hips with Luke. "We've been waiting forever!"

He frowns. So that's what their intentions have been, to get him and Thor together? It… makes a lot more sense than anything else. Gods, how was Loki so blind to their little comments? Lov—more-than-lust has made him blind. "No, we're not," he replies.

They stop dancing.

"What is cause for celebration?" Thor asks, coming in with Fenrir under his arm. Loki looks away before the adorability gets to him.

Luke presses the spacebar, stopping the music. "You… idiot!" he shouts, throwing his arms up. "You're hopeless."

"Back to the drawing board?" Robert asks.

Luke sighs and nods. "Looks like it." He grabs Thor's arm and drags him out of the room. "Come on, Thor, god of obliviousness."

Robert puts a hand on his shoulder as he passes. "I promise that we'll keep trying."

He wants to tell him that it's no use, Thor only sees him as a possible sexual partner and nothing more, but another part of him wants them to keep trying to open Thor's eyes to the possibilities that their relationship holds. He can only hope that they do make Thor see that he is Loki's… No, he won't hope. He can just wait.

He's awakened at 5:00 in the morning, Thor picking up Fenrir from the foot of his bed. "We're going for a run," he says, running his hand down Loki's bare leg.

Loki jerks his leg back, glaring at Thor as he grins. "I need sleep. Goodbye." He shuts his eyes, only to open them again at the feeling of Thor's lips on his forehead.

"Good morning, Loki," he says, and Loki attempts to slap him, grinning himself when he feels the firm curve of Thor's ass under his hand.

At lunch, Tony stands up on the table with his hands cupped around his mouth and shouts for everyone to be quiet because he has an announcement.

Loki rolls his eyes but looks up at Tony and listens.

"Everyone, the annual Tony Stark Winter Formal party is going to be held after the Winter Formal… obviously, and you all are invited. Actually, everyone is invited as long as you go here. Well, if you don't go here then you shouldn't be here right now, but—well, anyway, all alcoholic drinks will be provided by yours truly, so none of that cheap crap you people seem to love nowadays! It ends at 9:00 the next morning, so be out by then, or you're getting your ass thrown out! You all better be there—wait, you will because you've been looking forward to this! Anyway, Friday, people!"

Tony sits back down in his seat and chatter erupts around them. He grins into his food, proud of himself for causing it, and Loki has to give it to Stark. He sure knows how to stir up conversation.

"How long have you been doing this?" he asks.

"Since 8th grade, silly. I'm not _that_ bad," he replies. Loki gives him a look that he hopes conveys his disapproval. "There wasn't alcohol present back then, jeez."

"Okay, whatever you say, Stark."

"So you're coming?" he asks. "It's the start of a new Stark party year."

Loki is not going to Stark's party because he's not going to formal. "No, I'm not going to formal."

"I don't care. You better get your ass to my party, Laufeyson. I don't pay to impress _strangers_, you hear?" Stark points a French fry in his direction. "You're going to come and get wasted out of your mind."

"Whatever," he replies. He's not going to Stark's party no matter how much he begs.

"Thor, all of those girls asked you to formal, and you turned down every single one of them. The fact that you're gay is some kind of gift/curse from the universe."

Loki leans on his arm and tunes out, tired of hearing about Thor's romantic life. It no longer is of any concern to him. He has to learn to mind his own business. Gods, that sounds absolutely terrible to his own mind, but he's going to try. He has to because hoping is going to do nothing.

After school, he prepares to take Fenrir out for a walk, but Thor intercepts him and comes along much to Loki's surprise and secret satisfaction. He protests that he can do it himself, but Thor reminds him that technically Fenrir is his dog and his responsibility. After that, he doesn't reply, Thor grinning and putting a hand over his shoulder.

"Hey, you!"

He turns and sees the dark-haired girl from a few days before. "Um, hello."

She comes up to them, adjusting her glasses. "You're a player," she says. "Can't say that I'm not a little jelly at your ability to pull hot men even if I'm not interested in the man meat myself. Or are you just into that whole polyamory thing?"

Loki doesn't want to share his romantic details with this girl he's only met twice, but he feels the need to clarify before the frown on Thor's face gets any deeper. "No, I'm not… he's my brother."

"Step-brother," Thor clarifies, the girl quirking an eyebrow. "The other male was a friend of mine offering his assistance."

"Hm, 'assistance' is what they call it these days. Cool." She nods before extending a hand. "Darcy."

"Thor," he says, taking her hand. "He's Loki."

"Thor?" She makes a face. "Thor… tall, blond, muscle-ly. Wait, you happen to know a cute brunette that goes by the name Jane Foster?"

Loki has to restrain his fury when Thor brightens, nodding enthusiastically. Of course this girl knows Jane Foster, thus connecting her to Thor even though Loki has known her longer.

"Yes, Jane is one of my closest friends."

Darcy grins. "We share a Jane. That means this is _that_ Loki. Oh." His eyes narrow at the tone of her voice. What has Jane told her of him? "I don't know why Jane didn't mention your hotness. Made is sound like you were like ugly or something."

Thor laughs. "Loki is not ugly on the inside nor the outside as you can see." He glances at Loki. "It was quite nice meeting you, Darcy. I must bid you farewell."

Loki's fuming when they leave, his pace quickening in an effort to possibly leave Thor, but that possibility is slim with how easily Thor keeps up.

"Loki-"

"I'm getting a corn dog," he says, shoving the leash into Thor's hands and going into the shop. He comes out with one smothered in ketchup and sits down on the bench beside Thor. It's almost sadistic how he puts the entire thing in his mouth and sucks the ketchup off, holding Thor's gaze as he does, and without any warning, he pulls it halfway out and bites down hard.

Thor winces, turning away from Loki. "Please, Loki," he says, avoiding his eyes. "Gods."

"What, Thor, I can't eat a corn dog?" he asks, eyes narrowed. He bites down again, Thor gritting his teeth. "Or is there something I'm missing?"

He looks at Loki knowingly. "There's no need for you to… be so harsh about it."

"I promise I won't be so… harsh on the real thing," he replies, standing up before Thor can reply. He takes the leash and begins walking, smiling to himself.

His innuendos only get progressively worse through the next two days until he's eating a vanilla popsicle and purposely leaving a trail of white around his mouth, wiping the ice cream from his mouth and licking it from his fingers as he smiles at Thor. Thor only tolerates it barely, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists before he's forced to leave the room from the obscenity of Loki's actions. Gods is it the same for him, but Loki manages to save it for times when he can utilize the thought of Thor going to relieve his frustration with images of Loki in his mind, his name on his tongue when he cums. It's almost… fun.

Wednesday is when Loki somehow gets sucked into the mania surrounding formal.

"Loki, the man I wanted to see," Peter says. "My best friend in this universe, and the third man behind Orlando Bloom who I'd go gay for."

"What do you want, Parker?" he asks.

Peter lounges on the locker to his right, the one that belongs to Rick, and Loki almost hopes that he comes and see's Peter there. He's never liked when Peter was around, always making snide comments and glaring at him. "Aw, you wound me with your lack of requited affection," he says, holding his heart.

"Get on with it, Peter."

"Okay, so you know how I kinda have a thing with Mary Jane, now? Well, a few months ago when Gwen and I were still together, I promised that I would be her date to formal. She doesn't have one right now and expects me to still take her, but that's a no can do, you get it? I need you, buddy, to come in and sweep Gwen off her feet. If you ask her, she'll reject me as fast as Tony would sell Stark Industries to Hammer for Steve. Now, what do you think?"

Loki closes his locker and turns to look at Peter, all charm and somehow sexiness, and groans at what he knows he's about to say. "When?" he asks.

Peter fist pumps before planting a sloppy kiss on Loki's hand which Loki wipes on his pants. "Oh my god, oh my god, dude, I owe you so much for this—kind of as soon as possible really. It doesn't matter as long as you do it before Friday since that is when this is-"

"Friday?" Loki asks, groaning again. That is right. It's the last day of school and formal. "I am supposed to get everything done by Friday? That's two days, Parker."

Peter pats him on the shoulder and shrugs. "Yep. As you can see, I got myself into this mess in the first place, so I'm no authority on getting stuff done the right way. Just thank you, okay? I'll see you around."

Loki shuts his eyes and allows himself to lean on his locker for a second. In one second, he found himself going from completely worry free to swamped with the task of having to pull a great date together. Why couldn't he have just averted his eyes when Parker first looked at him back in Calculus? He would have been fine if he didn't have any pride.

"Brother, is everything well?"

Loki sighs and looks up at Thor. "No, no, it's not!" he says, pushing away from his locker. "I have to go ask Gwen Stacy on a date and take her to the dance! What is happening to me, Thor?"

Thor only stares at him, starting to grind his teeth.

"Thor, stop it," he says. "You know I hate it when you do that."

Thor rolls his eyes at him. "Why did you agree then?"

"It's an opportunity to further repair Gwen and mine's friendship since I made quite the mess of it when I came out to her without any warning. It'll be better for our work environment."

Thor looks like he wants to protest but nods. "Yes, I guess that's a good point. You're going to formal now then. Jane and I are going as friends, but you should come with us."

Loki stops walking and turns to Thor. "As friends?" he asks. "Why?"

"We're only friends, Loki," Thor replies, and he knows why Loki's asking. "That's all we'll ever be."

"I know," he replies. He knows that Thor isn't interested in her for one main reason, she's a girl, but he can't help but be slightly… jealous.

As if he can sense Loki's envy, he pulls him in close and kisses him on the forehead, lips lingering a few moments longer than Loki knows is socially acceptable for brothers. It's not like they will ever be able to go back to that relationship since they crossed the line of socially acceptable after the first kiss.

In newsletter, he puts off asking Gwen until they've both finished their work. He stands in the doorway and watches her put her things away, wondering what it would be like if he were to just pretend to be straight and date her. He would never—he doesn't have that much control—but it's a fun scenario to entertain.

"Any reason you're staring at me?" she asks, looking up at him.

He thinks back to how he just came out to her, and channels himself, the more impulsive version. "Will you be my date for formal?" he asks.

She stares at him, eyes wide. "But… you're gay."

"I know," he replies, stepping into the other room. "I want to go as friends but still as dates. It would be… convenient for us both."

"You mean me going with one of the hottest guys in school?" Gwen grins. "I'm in. I guess we're wearing green, right? You always wear it, and it looks amazingly good on you, but what doesn't?"

He's thankful that she sees no problem with this. It makes his life so much easier than it has been. "Yes, green would be sufficient for us both. I think that it would accent your eyes well too."

"Thanks," she replies. "Compliments from gay men mean so much more since you're not out to get into our pants."

"Um…" He's unsure of how to reply to that, so he shuts his mouth and doesn't.

He encounters his mother once they get home, quickly explaining to her his change of plans for the upcoming Friday, and she immediately grabs her keys and wallet, dragging him and Thor out to go tuxedo shopping.

When they arrive at Rothman's, Loki immediately makes the decision that he is not getting his tuxe from here. No, he's going to go elsewhere like Charles' beloved haberdashery. He quite liked those shoes, and he knows that there is nothing here that he wants for this occasion.

"Loki, if you're sure…"

"Mother, I'm positive," he replies, crossing his arms. "Thor is free to get his wherever he wants, but I want mine from there." He knows that he sounds like a petulant child, but he is not compromising on this. He compromises too much in comparison to what he used to.

He waits patiently for them to finish finding something suitable, and it turns out that Loki's wait isn't going to be entirely boring if the way Thor looks in the first tuxedo they have him try on is an indicator. Loki finds himself channeling Erik, pacing in a circle around Thor as he takes in the way it fits him.

"Another," he says, falling into one of the armchairs.

Thor listens, going to try on the next tuxedo, and Loki tries to keep as calm as possible, wiping his clammy palms on his jeans. Thor is just trying on clothes, but gods is it causing quite the reaction for Loki. Perhaps it's the fact that everything he wears miraculously looks perfect.

Thor comes back out in a red tuxedo shirt, and Loki's temperature drops, but his hands only get clammier. He buttons up his cuff with a skeptical look, and Loki gulps at how incredibly sexy he looks doing something so normal. "How does it look?" he asks.

Loki gulps again, clenching and unclenching his fists to try to maintain some composure. "It, uh, looks great," he says, and Thor turns, cocking an eyebrow at him. "It really does."

His mother stands up, clapping her hands. "We're getting it. It's the perfect one."

The same old man greets them, eyes lighting up when he sees Loki. "Why, I was not expecting to see you back so soon," he says.

Loki regards him coolly, remembering his insistence in not letting Loki pay last time. Jokes on him because Loki will pay this time. His mother will have the same response as he had last time. "Green," he says. "I need a tuxedo centered around a black… perhaps gold color scheme."

The old man smiles, leading him into a dressing room. "Wait just a moment."

He crosses his arms and taps his foot, looking around the old-fashioned decorations of large armchairs and area rugs. He can see why Charles likes the place to much, feels right at home.

"Here you go," he says. "This should be the right size."

Loki doesn't argue as he takes the tuxedo, knowing that the old man somehow has the right size. He changes and there's no surprise when the suit fits like a glove, hugging his body in all of the right places. The color of the vest is the perfect shade of green, olive green, just how he loves it.

"Loki," his mother says once he steps out. She grins. "You look gorgeous."

He turns and stares himself in the mirror, smirking at his beautiful reflection. "It is quite… adequate."

She rolls her eyes. "'Adequate,' I'm taking that as a yes. Even if you are daft enough to say no, we're getting it. You look perfect. More than."

"Thank you," he says, glancing at a silent Thor. He's staring at Loki, silently regarding him, and Loki's more than sure that he's happy with what he sees. "Thor?"

Thor continues staring.

"Thor?" He chuckles when Thor jolts, looking around nervously. "Do you agree?"

"Yes, anything." Thor sees the look on Loki's face and realizes his mistake. What did _he_ have in mind? "I mean… it's great."

On their way out, he grabs a green scarf. Perhaps the bowtie and waistcoat are enough green for most, but Loki wants it be to quite striking to any lucky observers.

The exchange between his mother and the old man is quite amusing with her trying to enter her information while he tells her that there is no need. One murderous look and the old man acquiesces, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Your mother is quite scary," Thor whispers in his ear, almost catching him off guard. "I see where you inherited it."

He keeps his eyes forward, but trails a hand up Thor's back. "You love it," he says, running his fingers over the nape of his neck and enjoying the shiver he feels. Gods their relationship is more confusing than ever, but Loki can't stop to pick up the pieces before they get anymore splintered.

He finds out from an angry Tony that Steve's date is Peggy the next morning, Tony going off on a tangent about Steve's innocence and how corruptible he is and how corrupted Peggy is. Loki nods and entertains Tony until he is able to slip off into calculus where he does not follow.

Steve spills his own fears about being Peggy's date after class, and Loki finds that listening to Steve's complaints is more favorable than listening to Tony's. They're more rational and less garbled.

"And I-"

Someone brushes past Steve a little too close, but the small contact is enough to send the notebooks in Steve's arms spiraling to the ground and coating the floor.

Loki bends down to grab the nearest page of notebook paper—why does Steve even carry around notebooks?—when he sees the page the words are clear. Well, they're not _only_ words, but words enclosed by hearts.

_Steve McCoy_

_Dr. Hank and Mr. Steve McCoy_

_The McCoys_

He blinks a few times to be sure that he's actually seeing what he thinks he is, and the words and hearts are still there when he looks again. Steve has a crush on Dr. McCoy, and it turns out that Steve _was_ staring at Dr. McCoy his first day. He knows not to immediately doubt his first instincts.

Steve's staring at him in shock when he looks back up, and he thinks the boy is about to have a panic attack by the way his bottom lip is trembling.

"Steven, what do we have here-?" Tony bends down to grab a page near his feet and freezes. The page in his hand, he straightens out, and Loki sighs at what he knows it coming.

Steve's full-body shaking by now.

Tony's eyes narrow, and he flounders for a proper response, his mouth opening and closing.

"Steve, we should go," he says, and it's a poor attempt to diffuse whatever is about to happen, but it's something.

"McCoy?" Tony shouts, crumpling the page in his hand. He bends down and grabs a handful of papers from the ground, flipping through them. "Let's see—_McCoy and Rogers, Mr. Steve McCoy_—are these all the same thing?" He crumples all of the papers and goes to the wastebin, throwing them all inside.

Loki takes a protective step toward Steve. He can't let Tony try to guilt Steve into feeling bad for liking an obviously attractive—if stroppy is your thing—man when he knows that there's nothing wrong with it. He can appreciate an authority figure himself. Heh. "Stark," he says.

Tony spins around, pointing a finger at Steve. "You know, he's probably not even gay!" he shouts. "He's probably like a serial killer on his own time or a—even worse some hoarder! He's totally not your type, Steve. You're wrong!"

Steve's shoulders relax slightly, and he looks as confused as Loki feels. What is Stark even talking about? His arguments are all invalid and far-fetched. He's grasping at nothing here. "Tony, what are you-?"

"You can't like him, okay?" Tony grips his shoulders and shakes him a few times. "Get it through your skull, Steve. You don't like him, okay?"

Steve nods.

"Tony, you can't just tell someone not to like a person," Loki says. "It doesn't work." The "trust me I tried" remains unsaid.

"Stay out of this, reindeer games!"

Loki can only give Tony a confused look at that. Where did he even get that?

"Steve, you and McCoy, not happening. You're done with him." Tony drops his hands from Steve's shoulders and takes the notebooks out of his hands. "No more doodles either. You should be happy someone didn't see how you feel."

The sad look is on Steve's face again, and fury is slowly building in Loki's chest at how Tony is acting. Steve seems to worship him for some reason, and consider is opinions to be even more valid than his own. What Tony says has an impact on how Steve feels, and the things he's saying are making Steve feel terrible.

"Please, Stark," Loki says. "Stand down."

"And what? Let him chase after some loser?"

Loki clenches his fists and looks down at Tony, narrowing his eyes at him. "Leave him alone and keep your irrelevant opinions to yourself. Some of us like to fall in love instead of a bed."

Stark looks taken aback, and he doesn't respond with his usual theatrics. "Oh, harsh," he replies, and the words fall flat. "I'll take my whoring elsewhere then."

"Tony…" Steve starts as Tony turns and walks in the opposite direction. He sighs and begins to walk. "Loki, you really shouldn't have said that."

"I could not let him guilt you for being a feeling and loving human being," he replies. "Tony is smart in many things but love is not one of them. He should keep his nose out of matters he's ignorant in."

"I just—I feel bad. He was ri-"

Loki stops and turns to Steve. "Don't you dare discredit your love for some ignorant boy like Stark. You are allowed to feel how you feel, and no person, Tony Stark or other, can tell you that you aren't. They are wrong, and you are right."

He nods. "You're… right. I just don't want him to think any less of me."

Loki pats Steve's back comfortingly and smiles. "I don't think that is quite possible with your personality. You are quite the humanitarian, Steve. You could kill a kitten, and people would still think of you the same."

"But I'd never-"

"I know, Steve."

Tony's absence from their next few classes and lunch only makes Steve worried, and Loki and Natasha share an exasperated look at Stark's behavior. He doesn't see the need for such overreaction.

Thor seems confused and slightly irritated that he's out of the loop in this thing, but there's Clint who shares the same expression on his face, and he balances their table out. There's also the thing that Loki has a ridiculous soft spot for Thor and at some point became subject to his whims. "Tell me what happened?" he asks, walking with him to Psychology for the first time. Natasha is a few paces behind them, and Loki finds this situation odd. "Where was Stark?"

"Steve has a crush on a… teacher," he replies. "Stark is not too thrilled."

Thor snorts. "I share the same feeling."

Loki turns to stare at Thor, cocking an eyebrow. "Stark is overreacting."

"No, he is not. He's protecting those he cares for."

"Steve is not his to control."

"He means not to control him but to ensure his safety."

"What makes you think that Steve is not safe? Dr. McCoy is a fine teacher."

"Dr. McCoy is a man, and any man willing to corrupt a child is not one to be trifled with."

Loki scoffs. "According to whom?" he asks. "What makes a person a child?"

"Anyone willing to do such a thing has to be a child," Thor replies. "No adult would do such a thing. An adult would soundly reject their advances."

"What if Dr. McCoy did, but there was no need for him to because Steve is pretending? What is Steve is in love with Tony and attempting to get over him?"

A hand touches his shoulder, and he turns to see Natasha. "Loki, come on," she says. "I don't think either of you are talking about Steve or Tony anymore."

"And what if—what if Steve's love is requited?" Thor asks, following behind them. "What if Tony is in love with Steve?"

"Impossible," he replies. "Tony has never demonstrated any interest in Steve other than a physical one. He even wanted to stop their physical relationship and pretend it never happened!"

"Steve was in agreement!"

"Steve only said so because he didn't want Tony to know how he felt," he says, gritting his teeth. "Tony didn't even show any sign that he wanted anything more than a quick one-off!"

"Loki!" Natasha shouts, a hand on his shoulder. "Please, stop talking before you say something you can't take back."

"Think it's a bit late for that, Tasha," Tony says, coming around the corner. "I mean, it's obvious that Tony and Steve are both in love with each other but completely unaware of how the other feels. It's like some modern teenage-"

"Can it, Stark," she says. "Loki."

He takes his seat in class, shifting his seat as far away from Thor as it can get without leaving the table.

"I thought my romantic problems were bad," Tony says, sitting down. "You've got me beat bad."

"Fuck off, Stark!"

"Mr. Laufeyson, please," Dr. Strange says. "I understand that Mr. Stark can be rather… aggravating, but profanity will solve nothing. I suggest that you talk it out, or ignore each other until the problem resolves itself."

They all silently choose the latter, lapsing into silence and continuing as Steve joins them. He casts a glance at them and seems to know that something happened, retracting into a bubble of his own. Loki can't blame him for not wanting to be a part of the conflict. He's probably had enough with Tony to last him a lifetime.

"You got your tux?" Gwen asks as Loki falls into his seat.

Earth Science was almost unbearable with the tension between him and Thor. Everyone seemed to be aware of it, sending them glances throughout class like they were prone to explode. Mrs. Munroe asked Loki if he was alright halfway through class, and he responded with a shrug. He hates shrugging, but he is alright. Their relationship isn't.

"Yes," he replies, "and your dress?"

She nods, grinning. "Yes, and it is absolutely perfect. I can't wait till you see it. Olive green, right?" She lets out a sigh when he nods. "Good, I was afraid for a moment. Anyway, we'll be perfect. What time are we heading over to Stark's? I'm guessing that we're going there first, right?"

He runs a hand over his face but nods. Of course they're going to Stark's first. It hasn't been mentioned, but he has a feeling that if he doesn't make an appearance, he'll be hounded during formal for being antisocial or some other Starkian stupidity. He's not letting Stark try to use that as an excuse for him to have to go to his after party either. There is no way he's going to that.

"I'll give you my address," she says, pulling out a piece of paper and scribbling onto it. She takes the initiative to put it into his blazer pocket, and Loki would be afraid that she was going to take advantage of his lack of guardedness if she weren't aware of his preference for the same sex. "Pick me up around 6:45. That's perfect time for my dad to meet you."

Great, he has to meet her father.

"Loki, how are you d-" His mother stops speaking when she sees the look of exasperation on his face, followed by Thor's going directly to his room. "Do you want to talk?"

"No, that's the last thing I wish to do, Mother," he replies, sitting down on the stool. He puts his head in his hands and sighs. "Perhaps you should have left me with an aunt."

She laughs. "Hm, I don't think that would have lasted very long, Is Prins. Your aunts are very… particular, almost as particular as you can be. They would try to mold you, and you are not one to be molded."

He has to admit that she's right as always. He would have ended up here, albeit a few weeks later, and things would probably be similar to what they are. It's as if he was headed toward this destination for a while and has only noticed now.

At the sound of the front door opening, Loki turns and catches a glimpse of Thor taking out Fenrir, shutting the door behind him without a second glance. He stands up with a sigh, grabbing his coat and opening the front door. "Thor!"

Thor stops but doesn't turn around, leaving enough time for Loki to catch up with him. "I told you-"

"I know," he says, interrupting him. "Tomorrow, we have to leave before 6:45. I have to go pick up Gwen before we go to Stark's."

Thor doesn't say anything about the subject change, but his pause is enough. "Lady Jane has commitments before the event, so she will meet us there." He looks over at Loki, expecting him to have some reaction.

"What?"

"I know that you are not the fondest of her."

Loki laughs. "And I know that you detest my spending of time with any male who is not you," he replies, Thor scoffing. "What? Thor, you're not the most subtle with your distaste. I mean, Robert? He's your friend, and he's well aware that I-" He stops himself. "He's straight. You know this."

"I'm not-"

"Jealous?" Loki grins when Thor looks away from his gaze. "It can be just our little secret, Thor. Promise I won't tell anyone." He blinks a few times, looking as innocent as he can. "Really, Thor, I find it more amusing and endearing than anything. You're quite the protector."

"Protector?" Thor chuckles. "That's highly funny and ironic in more than one way, Loki. If I were truly your protector, I doubt that we would be having this conversation or any similar one." He lifts his hand as if to touch Loki but drops it. "The things you said, they were all true, Loki. Every single one of them. Every word you said. It's as if you took them straight out of my mouth, censoring the more vile parts."

Loki stares at him, speechless. "Thor, I…" He glances around before taking a step toward him. "I have no idea what I am supposed to say."

Thor smiles sadly. "There is no need for you to say anything at all."

Why does he keep doing this? Loki lets out a growl of frustration. "You're not making this any easier for me!" he shouts, Thor raising his eyebrows in confusion. "You—you walk around with you shirts and your pants and your inhuman body and your supernova bright smiles and your voice and you don't realize what it's doing to me! I'm going insane because of you. I'm going to lose my mind if I don't kiss you."

"Then… do it."

He stares at him before he does, pulling him down and kissing him hard. He tries to press his every inch into Thor, wanting more than he can possibly get, and he's only growing more and more frustrated. It's as if there's no way he's going to ever get enough of him.

"I hate you," he murmurs as he sucks in his bottom lip. Maybe if he says it aloud, he can convince himself that it's even remotely true. "I absolutely loathe you."

"I understand the feeling," Thor replies, glancing down at Fenrir. "You should head home."

"Again?" he asks. "You're brushing me off again?" He grits his teeth and turns. "I hate you!" he shouts, stomping off in the opposite direction.

"Get home safe!"


	11. Chapter 11

Tony Stark: Lovestruck Idiot?!

Loki doesn't follow Thor's advice, taking a rather extensive "detour" before he goes home. His mind realized the error it made after he almost pushed a woman carrying a large stack of wrapped presents in his post-Thor-involved-encounter anger.

Yes, Christmas gifts to go with the wonderful season of giving and receiving. Has Loki ever mentioned how much he despises giving? It's not his forte. He's more than a little sure that his aunts take one look at his chosen—Mother suggested—gift of overpriced designer whatever before throwing it into their overflowing closets bought by their younger, richer new husbands.

In years past, he's only been liable for purchasing gifts for his mother, his aunts, the occasional person he tolerates who isn't blood related, and his maternal grandparents. This year, he's somehow shackled himself with people he tolerates who aren't blood related, and that's a new thing for him. There's also the person who he simultaneously loves and hates and his abrasive step-father. He can't forget his charming uncle either.

Loki doesn't necessary owe them gifts though. No, they wouldn't be gifts then, would they? He's simply feeling generous but not generous enough to waste the rest of his evening searching high and low for the "perfect gift." If he finds something that he thinks one of them will like, he'll buy it.

In the meantime, it doesn't hurt if he happens to see something _he_ likes. Loki's due some self-appreciation.

He happens upon a copy of a book about the KGB in Russian as he browses the foreign language section in a bookshop in SoHo. Thinking of Natasha, he purchases it and a Russian book about old nuclear experiments in case Bruce makes his return in the near future. The boy may have hit him and made him bleed… a generous amount, but Loki still considers him a friend. Yes, he's probably insane for thinking such, but Bruce was fine up until that entire freak out.

A boy with a massive scarf sells video games out of a box with a sign declaring the end of times, and Loki takes the boy's offer to grab his copy of Pokémon Red for Gameboy. Stark should appreciate it.

It continues that way, Loki wandering inside of shops that draw his attention and exiting with another gift. He only buys something for himself when he enters a clothing shop and sees an "I heart blonds" sweatshirt. Smiling secretly, he briefly thinks of how Thor's going to react to it. He's nowhere near finished with pushing his step-brother, and this should be sufficient for tomorrow.

Luck has it that Loki over hears two grandfather sweater wearing guys talking as he orders his tea, and the words "Sigur Ros concert" draw him into their conversation, his attention turning to them in an instant. "Did you say 'Sigur Ros is having a concert?" he asks, taking a sip from his drink.

They turn to regard him, their lips pursed in a way that makes Loki roll his eyes and think "pretention."

"Yeah, Sig's having a concert in a few months," the one with a beret on his head replies. "Why, you buying them for someone or are you just a fan?"

"I…" Loki flounders for a moment, unsure of why.

"Oh, dude, it's okay if you're like… gay," the other guy says. "I mean, we're accepting of all the sexualities. It's not even… set in stone or whatever, you know?"

"Yeah, so your boyfriend, right?" Beret boy asks.

He blinks a few times, nodding. He could correct them, but… he doesn't feel the need to.

"That's cute, you know? Buying him Sig tickets for Xmas."

Beret boy nods. "Totally," he says, "but anyway, tickets are on sale at the Garden. So mainstream for Jonsi, but…"

"Whatever," the other finishes, shrugging his shoulders. "_Vanilla Sky_ was when they went main, but that movie was chill even if the Spanish version was totally better."

"Yeah…"

He stands up and collect his bags, hailing a cab and telling the driver to go to Madison Square Garden at once. It isn't even a thought of "if." He's getting tickets today, and his present is going to be the best out of everyone's. It's not that, that matters, but…

"Two tickets for Sigur Ros," he says, tapping his fingers impatiently.

The girl looks at him for a moment. "What?"

"Two tickets for Sigur Ros," he repeats, grinning.

She seems to get it this time. "Oh, um… where? I mean… like, front row or something? There are still-"

"Yes," he says, "if that is the best you have got."

"Mm, okay then." She disappears for a few moments, returning with two tickets. "You British or something because-"

A boy with light brown hair appears. "Sarah, what is taking you so-" He notices Loki and a smile replaces his frown. "Oh, well…"

Loki sighs. He has no time for bashful boys mystified by his looks. "Can I please pay for my tickets and go?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," he says, pushing the girl out of the way. "$200, please."

He hands over his debit card, not hesitating to rid of that money whatsoever. He's had access to his own deposit account since he was 11, and he's never cared where the money was coming from, knowing that it was likely some consolation Laufey left for being such an absent father. Nonetheless, it's been useful in getting him some tools for his happiness, so there's that to thank him for.

"Um… you buying this for someone or…?"

"My boyfriend," he replies, taking the tickets and card back. "It's a Christmas gift."

He leaves with a smile on his face, the disappointed look on the boy's face fresh on his mind. Even if this entire…. _thing_ with Thor doesn't turn out well, there's the fact that he's desirable to a few very attractive people. That's some reassurance.

Using his genetically blessed stealth, he slips inside of his room and deposits the bags in his closet, only running into Thor as he exits to go back down stairs.

"You're home late."

Loki smiles, thinking of the tickets in his room. "I had things to take care of." He goes to side-step Thor, but he moves in the way. "Move."

Thor kisses him, hard and brief but long enough for Loki to start to react. He pulls back, Loki trailing after him for a few inches, and smirks. "You did manage to get home safe. Thank you for that."

As revenge and because Loki enjoys messing with Thor's head, Loki pulls on his best fitting jeans and the sweatshirt, pretending as though it's a normal morning as he gets his juice and feels Thor's eyes on his back. He does smile when his back is turned, leaning forward on his elbows to give Thor the show that he so, so deserves.

He turns around, suppressing a smile as Thor stares at him, eyes scanning his chest. He knows the exact moment that Thor realizes the implication of the words, Thor knocking over his bowl and dropping his spoon.

"What are you wearing? What—what are those pants? Just—take them off," Thor says hurriedly, swallowing and averting his eyes.

Loki smirks. "I can't," he replies, sauntering around the counter. "I'm not wearing anything beneath."

It's worth the strained looks that Thor gives him throughout the day. At lunch, Tony tilts down his stupid sunglasses to point between the two of them, to Loki's shirt, and give Loki a thumbs up as Thor leans on his elbow and tries—and fails—not to look at Loki every two seconds.

"You're cruel," Natasha whispers as they walk a few paces in front of Thor and Tony. She winks at him, grinning.

He talks to Gwen briefly in newsletter, her informing him of the question drill down that her father plans to use on him when he comes to pick her up. With a sigh, he tells her of his need to go see Professor Xavier about their screenplay.

"What's the problem with it?" she asks, but he doesn't answer her, leaving before he has to and ends up ranting.

The problem? Oh yes, it's the fact that there is a smattering of purple pen across the pages, editing marks that Loki has never encountered in his days as a student. He's afraid that he does not understand whatever code Charles is using, and it would not make a difference if he could. There should be nothing marring the pages.

He enters the observatory, screenplay held over his head to show Charles his distaste.

Erik is pressed against Charles, Charles' back against the side of the stage. Their hands roam all over each other as they kiss rather loudly, Charles surprisingly enthusiastic for seeming so bland about things.

Loki freezes, staring at them in awe. Finally, he thinks, they see that they are made for each other.

"Loki!" Charles shouts, shoving Erik away. He drags a hand across the back of his mouth, turning pink. "What, what are you-?"

"I came to talk about my screenplay, but it seems that there are more important matters at hand," he replies, smirking. "You have my congratulations for finally seeing how perfect you are together."

Erik talks for the first time, and he looks a lot less embarrassed than Charles. "But we're… not?" It sounds more like a question than an answer, and Loki realizes that they are almost as hopeless as he is.

"Your secret is safe with me," he says before the door shuts behind him. He lets out an exhale of relief. He's happy for them. He really is.

He doesn't tell Thor about his encounter, knowing how badly he'll react and how easily he'll jump to "he was only using you, Loki." Today is going to be a good day, and it has been, save for the unsatisfactory marks on their screenplay. All he has to do is get through this dance, and his life will be able to reach some kind of normality where he's perpetually pining after Thor and deciding how much of a bad idea it is. He thinks that he can learn to deal with that.

His mother prompts him to change around 6:00, and he climbs the stairs with dread in each step, the knowledge that tonight has the possibility to turn out many different ways hitting him only moments before.

He sighs and shuts his door, setting his tuxedo out on the bed. If tonight does turn to… shit, he will look incredibly good. That's an upside. Yes, Loki should start looking for the upside of everything. Perhaps he will see the world as Thor does, bright and happy.

As he falls on his ass when putting the second pant leg on, he realizes how farfetched that is. If he's tripping, this night is not going to be any good. It's going to be like the rest of the events gone sour because one: Stark's involved, and two: Loki has terrible luck. He doesn't even have luck, that's how terrible it is.

Loki falls on his back, his waistcoat only over one shoulder. He inhales. "Loki, you can get through this," he says aloud, listening to the faint sound of Thor in the next room over. "You can do this. You have gotten this far."

That is a valid point if he's ever heard one. He's made it two and a half months with this ridiculous life of his, so one night of dancing to pop music and fraternizing with people he barely tolerates cannot possibly measure up. Two hours and he can retreat back to his room and spend the rest of his vacation in peace.

He glances at himself in the mirror, smirking at how great he looks. Green is his color for sure, and the fitted trousers and shirt show off the body that he's been genetically gifted with and fined tuned with a few years of yoga used both to tone his muscles and calm his nerves. The trousers really show off the ass that he knows people desire. The least he can do is give them a show of what they'll never get.

There's a knock on the door, and he inhales deeply, recognizing who it is instantly.

"Come in," he says as he finishes the last button of his vest. He glances at Thor in the mirror, immediately letting out the breath. It looks like Thor is giving him a show of what _he'll_ never truly get.

"You look…" Thor touches his shoulder, and Loki barely stops from freezing. "You look exquisite," he says, and the way the word rolls of his tongue sends a shiver down Loki's spine.

He looks away from Thor's body and up at his face. "You don't look bad yourself," he replies as he begins to do his bowtie. "Red looks great on you."

Thor kisses his neck, and he freezes because he cannot do _this_ right now. He has to keep his mind as clear as it is right now, and that's the clearest it's going to get with how his life is going. Thor kissing Loki on the neck is going to mess that up. "As I recall, you said that everything looked great on me."

It seems that everything Loki says comes back to bite him in the ass. That is definitely something he should have kept to himself if he wants to try to stay as sane as possible.

He gulps, finishing his bowtie. "I said something of the sort." He turns around, taking a step back from Thor. "Are you ready for pictures?" He puts on a false smile, hoping that his anxiety is safety hidden behind his chosen façade for tonight, approachable but inaccessible.

Thor stares at him for a moment before he picks up Loki's jacket from the bed. "You would not want to forget this," he says, and to Loki's gratification, he hands him the jacket instead of attempting to put it on him.

He descends the stairs with his scarf in hand, almost tripping down a step when he sees Thor in his full suit. It should be impossible for a person to look that beautiful and still appear to be so humble. He knows that beneath that grin Thor is as confident as the worst of narcissists, but every poor soul tonight is going to be none the wiser.

"My is prins!" his mother exclaims, lifting her camera and taking a picture. "You look gorgeous."

He puts his scarf around his neck, pausing so his mother can take another picture. "I know," he says, pointedly avoiding Thor's gaze. "I've been informed."

He keeps all of his emotions tucked inside as Thor slings an arm around his shoulder and his mother clicks away, the flash of the camera almost blinding him by the fortieth time.

"You two are just magnificent," she says as she looks through the pictures. "If only you had grown up together. I do not think that anyone not in the know would guess you are not brothers."

Thor's arm drops from his shoulder as if echoing the mixture of disbelief and guilt that Loki is feeling himself. The things that they have done are not things that normal brothers do or should ever do if they want to remain in society's good graces. If his mother knew…

He gulps, struggling to maintain his smile. His mother would not be saying such things if she was aware of those rather… unscrupulous activities. He's spent his entire life around the woman, but he's unsure of how she would react to that. His uncle who appeared to know her fairly well thought that her reaction would not be one of support and love. Loki cannot even imagine that right now. He doesn't want to.

Thor casts a concerned look in his direction as they descend the stairs, and Loki doesn't bother with trying to convince him that he is feeling fine because this—whatever this is between them—is not making him feel any closer to fine. He looks away from him, and Loki knows that he's gotten his point across.

Loki has half the mind to call his uncle and thank him for something he had absolutely no part in but had no problem pointing out. Their resemblance provided a buffer for Captain Stacy when they met, pulling him into a firm half-hug, half-handshake as he gushed about the valiance of his uncle and how his still-elusive "services" helped him and the police force. Loki only smiled, relieved that he did not have to undergo the pre-date screening that Gwen seemed so skittish about earlier.

He and Gwen look dazzling together. He thinks that it is a pity that he isn't straight because he'd have had no qualms about pursuing a sexual relationship with her after seeing how amazing she looks in a dress. Then again, Loki's not straight, which is a gift for every girl lusting after him. His superficiality toward the female sex would probably still be present.

"Hello, Miss Stacy," JARVIS says from a few feet away. "It is nice to make your acquaintance."

Gwen cocks an eyebrow. "Let me guess, AI?"

"And you are right-o, Stacy," Tony says, appearing at the door. "Come in you beautiful people and Loki!"

Loki gives Tony a strange look at his words but notices that his teeth are clenched. That must mean that Peggy and Steve have already arrived.

He puts a hand on Gwen's lower back and guides her forward, feeling Thor's eyes on the back of his neck as he does. There's no reason for him to be concerned. He has no interest in Gwen in that way. Thor should know this by now.

"Wow," Pepper says as they enter the living room. She looks beautiful herself though Loki thinks that she may have an obsession with pearls. "You both look fantastic!" Her eyes widen more as if that's possible. "Thor, wow!"

"You look quite beautiful yourself," he replies.

"Dudes, fuck you," Bucky says, Sharon slapping him on the arm. "You're both trying to actively steal women you're not even interested in."

"Barnes, we mean no such thing," Thor replies, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We mean to steal men. I suggest you get it correct if you want to make such claims."

Peggy and Steve enter, Steve somehow looking so American it almost pains Loki to stare at his blue tux. Peggy's wearing red and her dress is something reminiscent of the 30's in America.

"Oh, hello, Loki, Thor, and Gwen," Peggy says. "We had no idea you arrived."

"'We had no idea you arrived,'" Tony mocks into his phone. He looks up at and sees Loki staring at him, winking back. "Lookin' good."

James enters with Emma a few paces behind him, Pepper's eyes narrowing and Tony frowning. He pulls off the tan tuxedo, and Loki guesses that's because of his natural attractiveness. Emma looks like a princess taken from the stills of a Disney movie, layers and layers of white fabric that still manage to show off as much skin as possible and high heels that make her tower over James.

"I'm trying to tell her that she looks fine," James explains, sitting down on the couch and putting his head in his hands. "She doesn't believe me."

Emma stops mid pace in front of Thor and the corner of her mouth quirks up in a way that makes Loki's fists clench and eyes narrow. "Thor, I'm guessing that Jane's not coming from a while, right? Tell me, how do I look?" She spins around, lifting her dress much higher than she needs to. "Truthfully."

"Thor's gay!" Bucky shouts. "What? I don't think she knows."

Emma stops. "I was well aware," she says, eyes flickering over to Loki briefly. "Tony." She goes over and grabs his hand. "Come help me fix my dress."

He sighs, letting himself be dragged. "But you look fine." He turns and looks at Loki, shaking his head and making a "no" motion toward her back. It seems that he's trying to communicate that he's not going to do anything with Emma, but Loki doesn't understand why.

Loki shrugs back, cocking an eyebrow. "But… I don't care," he says, but Stark's already out of the room.

"Thank god she's gone," Pepper says. "She's such a bitch."

Clint enters the room, laughing loudly, and Natasha pushes him forward by the shoulder. "Oh, Pep, that's a good one."

"How did you even hear-?"

"Clint, Jesus." She shoves him down onto the couch, reaching up to adjust her earring. Loki outwardly stares at her, taking in how great she looks in black. "Oh, hey, Loki. You look great. You too, Gwen. Thor, I don't think my opinion is needed, but you don't look too bad yourself."

"You look wondrous," Thor replies. "You quite remind me of a black widow, if I may comment without eliciting your offense. Clint, I would be careful around Lady Natasha tonight."

"Always," he says, Natasha and him sharing a look that Loki wishes he could share with the boy standing next to him.

Loki's slightly surprised at the appearance of Jean and Scott, never taking them for people to hang out with Tony Stark, but Susan, Reed, Johnny, and Ben surprise him a bit more. Reed and Tony's relationship isn't what he'd call a friendship, and Johnny and Tony are not two people he wants to be in a room with.

"Summers, Grey, the Storm clan, Grimmy!" Tony greets, coming back in with a scowl on his face. "Nice seeing you again, Loki."

He grits his teeth. Stark is not going to get to him.

"Richards, didn't think I'd see you within three feet of my house after last year," Stark says as he goes to a cabinet and pulls out a bottle of wine. "Nice to see that you're all still going for the navy and black color scheme. Looks fantastic." He takes a drink, holding it up.

Reed regards him coolly. "And you're still underage drinking."

"Don't be such a stiff." Tony puts a hand on Loki's shoulder, and Loki gives Gwen a look that screams for her to get away before something bad results from this. "Look at my bff Loki. He's the hottest guy here tonight, and I have to deal with the fact that he's not going to be in my bed tonight. I'm not acting like a stiff, am I?"

Loki shoves Tony away, frowning. Stark is trying something, but Loki's not sure what it is exactly.

"Calm down, calm down," he says, taking another drink. "Hey, Emma, nice of you to join us!"

She suddenly stops a few feet away from Jean and Scott. "Oh," she says, frowning, "I didn't know that you two were coming."

Scott puts his arm around Jean. "Uh… you look, er, great."

"Great?" Johnny comes and slaps her on the ass, Emma gritting her teeth. "Fucking beautiful."

"You think that it's a possibility we could leave before things get… worse?" Gwen whispers, looking uncomfortable. He feels just as she does. "I think that'd be a really good idea."

"Yes, it would," he replies. "Stark, we're leaving."

Tony grins, shaking his head. "No, you're not," he replies, an edge to his voice. "You're staying."

Loki stares at him, gauging his seriousness. "And why not?"

"Yeah, Stark, the fuck are you getting at?" Ben asks, taking a step toward him. Loki feels proud to have someone as obviously strong as him on his side.

"Because we're playing music and dancing, duh. This is a pre-party, right?" he shouts, everyone staring at him like he's insane. Loki's afraid that he is. "Guys, come and follow the master of ceremonies to party central."

Everyone follows Tony out into the hallway and up the stairs into a rearranged version of the room Loki saw on Halloween. Even with all ten plus of them, the room still has space for more people. It seems that Stark's party is going to be no small affair, perhaps even bigger than Osborn's, and that reaffirms his decision to go home instead of participate in the act of teenage recreation.

"JARVIS, turn on the jams!"

The lights turn cyan and Britney Spears begins playing, accompanied by the declaration of "This is my song!" from three different people, and suddenly everyone is doing as Tony said, dancing together in various ways after looking at each other and shrugging at the perceived harmlessness of said act. Loki, on the other hand, retreats away from their flailing limbs.

Luke and Robert arrive with two girls Luke introduces as Jessica and Lindy before "Toxic" starts playing, both wearing tuxedos that look coordinated.

Only moments after, Jane fucking Foster waltzes in with her red dress that she immediately shouts to Thor is "the color of the Great Red Spot" with her stupid astronomy talk, and Loki crosses his arms tighter in his position against the wall next to Reed. She drags Thor over to Loki, crossing her arms and standing in front of him expectantly.

"Great Red Spot red," Reed says, nodding in approval. "Though I suspect it is slightly darker."

"Jane," Loki says evenly. "You look… satisfactory."

"Darcy told me that she met you two," she responds. "You're like 'totally cute as hell' to her, and she thinks that you and Robert should totally become a couple. I think you two spoke two words to each other, but she always says how awesome you are when I bring up your name in passing. I'd almost be afraid that you were trying to steal her away from me if she wasn't so enthusiastic when she…" She turns pink enough for Loki to see it in the lighting, and he smirks knowingly.

"You are a lesbian then," he says, Jane's eyes steeling and Thor sighing.

Thor puts a hand on Jane's shoulder. "Loki…"

"What's happening over here?" Tony asks, coming up with Steve trailing behind. "Foster! Reppin' astronomers everywhere with that BRS red!" How does everyone know exactly what color the Big Red Spot is? "You agree that Loki looks good?"

She nods, her jaw still clenched. "Mhm."

Tony touches the skin above Loki's collar, and Reed clears his throat awkwardly. "Perfect," he says, smiling.

Loki's patience has reached its hourly Stark-related-antics limit. "Don't," he says, grabbing Tony's arm and dropping it to his side. "Keep your hands to yourself, Stark!"

He has the gall to reply, "Calm down, Laufeyson. I'm just playing around."

"Didn't look like that to me," Steve says, eyes narrowed. "Tony, maybe you should just…"

"Drop it like it's hot, Frost!"

They turn and see that Emma is standing up on the bar, seemingly acting out the lyrics to the Bruno Mars song playing, and Johnny is making motions with his arms expressing his enthusiasm. It's obvious that she's dancing for someone in particular, and that person is not her date Tony or Johnny, but the guy dancing with Jean.

"Fuck," Tony says, dragging a hand over his face.

"It's 7:30," Reed says. "We should leave."

He finds Gwen talking to Pepper and leaves the house as fast as he can, wanting to put enough space between him and Stark before they end up in an altercation before the night even starts. He stands with his arm around Gwen's shoulder, not a bit surprised to find a whole legion of SHIELD-uniformed people on motorcycles, in SHIELD labeled sports cars, and a massive truck to top it all off.

He hears Stark approaching, talking to someone in an irritated tone. "You could not have settled for a limousine?" he asks.

"Why would I get a limo?" Stark asks, stepping beside him. "I'm not Paris Hilton, okay? Escalades with motorcades are where to be, and it doesn't hurt that SHIELD loves me. They have tons of these stiff assholes to spare."

Travelling by means of SHIELD motorcade provides a spectacle for the populace to gawk at, turning away from their gadgets to point and take pictures as they pass by. There are some reactions that remind Loki of the man from Halloween, people turning away with expressions of fright, and there's also the screaming man who is almost hit by a car in his attempt to run away from the motorcade.

"Some can't handle our swag," Clint says, pulling on a pair of sunglasses.

"Fuck you for saying that word," Robert says. "Fuck you and your 'swag.'"

"Rob," Lindy says, grinning, "don't be mean."

Robert actually listens, and Loki thinks that he could have used Lindy back when Robert and Luke were so insistent in trying to make a fool of Loki or push him to reveal his feelings when he was more confused than he is right now.

When he steps out of the car, his hand around Gwen's, he's almost blinded by the flash of cameras. He helps Gwen down, and when her hand is on his forearm, he continues down the path between the two huge mobs of photographers with caution. He does not want him falling to be documented by this many people.

"They definitely went all out this year," Gwen says once they're inside. She shrugs at his disbelieving look. "They do this every year. It doesn't help that our school has so many geniuses in attendance, you know?"

"Wow, I think I'm blind," Bucky says, blinking rapidly. He grabs Loki's shoulder for stability, and Loki doesn't brush him off because he looks good in a suit.

"C'mere, Barnes." Sharon takes his head into her hands, smirking. "You're fine. Pupils small, but you're fine."

The school halls have become decorated in light blue and white in the intervening hours since they've last been here, snowflakes dangling from the ceiling and other wintry symbols strewed throughout the way to the ballroom. The lighting seems to have taken a dreamy glow to it as well, and by the time they've reached the ballroom doors, Loki feels as though he's on a cloud.

Blinking away the strange feeling, he opens the doors to the heavily decorated ballroom, the others quickly slipping in beside him and declaring their awe. It's as if all of the decorations in the school are a product of someone taking them from here and dropping them a long their way out. It should look tacky, but it's… cute.

There are other arrivers all dressed in their best and dancing to the fairly mid-tempo song playing. There are also people standing and staring at their group in barely contained awe, and Loki rolls his eyes before breaking off with Gwen in tow.

He goes for a table in a corner of the room, far from the stage, but his friends don't get the message, filling in the other six seats and surrounding tables in little time. Thankfully, they only linger for a few moments before going to dance or socialize with others.

The songs get progressively faster and worse in quality quickly.

"Loki, we should dance," Gwen says, sitting down beside him. "You probably hate pop, but… it's fun to dance to, right?"

He stares at her for a moment until she begins to pout, her eyes widening.

"Please?"

Loki casts a glance around the room and stands, holding out his hand. "If you must insist," he says, pulling her onto her feet. He hates dancing, hates crowds, hates this all, and there's no alcohol in sight to change his mind.

They slip in between a few students, stopping midway through the crowd. She grins at him as he stands there and exhales as he attempts to diffuse whatever holds him back when he's not three drinks full of alcohol, and begins to sway. He stares at her for a few moments before he grins at how ridiculous she looks. A quick glance around and everyone looks rather ridiculous.

That's yet another thing that makes SHIELD so strange. No one is really grinding against each other as Loki is familiar with. They're actually dancing, some just swaying back and forth like Gwen is, but they're attempting to actually dance. It's miraculous, and it definitely makes Loki feel much better about being in this situation.

"Born This Way" comes on, and there are a few screams of delight around them, everyone starting to dance much faster and erratically.

"You've got nothing to lose," she says, throwing her hands up.

She's right. He shouldn't care even if he does look ridiculous. Their opinions are invalid.

The song changes to something more suitable and a lot better in Loki's opinion.

He takes her hand and pulls her to his chest, Gwen's eyes widening in surprise. "I assume you know the tango. If not, follow my lead."

Gwen manages to hold her own, gathering her bearings and matching his steps after a few moments of tripping through them in surprise. She glances down every few seconds as if she's afraid of falling, but when she's staring at Loki, he holds her gaze and keeps his hands securely on hers as an anchor of sorts and a reassurance that she's doing fine. He's only a had a few dance partners throughout his life, but Gwen is among the top especially with how well she is moving in such high heels.

He pushes her away and spins her, using his hand as an axis, and as the last bars of the song play, he pulls her chest to chest with him, Gwen grinning and breathing rapidly. Loki exhales, allowing himself to smile.

The song ends, and applause erupts around them, Loki looking up and seeing that they somehow made their way to the center of the crowd.

"Is there anything you cannot do?" she asks, reaching up and adjusting the collar of his shirt. "You're like… inhuman or something."

"Feeling Good" by Michael Bublé starts to play, and Loki glances over at the DJ booth, the DJ holding two thumbs up in his direction.

"Care for another dance?" he asks her, taking her hand back in his. This should feel more intimate than like it does: two friends dancing together, and he hopes that Gwen sees this for what it is instead of something more.

"Looks like it's time to tango, bitches!" someone shouts, and suddenly everyone is pairing up around them. Yes, definitely a strange school.

He gets a bit showy toward the end of the song, but hey, Loki has acknowledged his innate need to be showy when he does things. He spins Gwen, pressing his chest to her back and lifts her by the waist, spinning around in a circle before putting her back down and resuming the usual steps.

She's a bit shocked for a few moments afterward, giggling uncontrollably as Loki stares her straight in the eye with a smirk on his face. "Show off," she murmurs before allowing herself to be pushed away and spun.

He shrugs as he pulls her back to him in a spin, catching her and dipping her down as the song ends. "What can I say? I have a flare for the dramatic."

Gwen stares up at him, blinking. "I, uh… I need a drink." He helps her onto her feet, and she runs a hand over her hair. "I'll… be back."

"Be careful," Peter says, coming up from behind him, "you don't want to make her fall in love with you."

"I'm assuming you made that mistake?"

Peter chuckles. "Nah, thought I did, but it looks like she's fine without me. Nice show you two put on, and hey, green _is_ your color."

"And red is yours," he remarks, taking in Peter's jacket-less state. "Goodbye, Parker.

He attempts to exit the dance floor, but he's caught by a small yet firm hand and stopped from moving. Immediately he knows that it's her and turns with a bow, grinning at the look Natasha gives him. "I'm at your service, Black Widow."

Natasha laughs. "Come on, God of Tango, and show me your moves," she says, leading him farther into the crowd. "See if you can keep up."

"Secrets" starts to play, and Loki thinks that there is great irony-induced laughter to be had.

"Viennese waltz?" she asks, holding her arms out.

He takes her hands, nodding. "Sounds excellent," he says, placing his hand on his shoulder blade.

As the chorus starts, they burst into motion, moving across the floor effortlessly and keeping in beat just as easily. All of those years Loki spent trying to find something that maintained his interest and kept him in shape have seemingly come in handy with how he's keeping up with someone so obviously skilled like Natasha. Even he can see that she is much more experienced and much better at the dance than he is, but he's keeping up with her deft feet with little work other than that required dancing to so rigorous a rhythm.

"Not bad," she says, quirking her lips. "Could use some work, but I've danced with worse."

"Oh, how your criticism wounds me," he replies, enjoying doing this. Dancing isn't that bad all things considered.

"Tall, German, and sexy at my 6:00," she says, but it's already too late for Loki to attempt to escape if he truly wanted to.

There's a tap his shoulder. "Miss Romanoff, if you would not mind, I want in on this dance fest," the voice Loki identifies as Erik's says.

Clint appears out of nowhere, taking Natasha's hand. "I've got her from here," he says. "I think I'll manage to keep up."

"I'd like to see you try, Barton," she says, but her eyes say otherwise. Loki has a feeling that Clint will keep up more easily than he did. "Have fun."

He turns to Erik, taking in how amazingly handsome he looks in his tuxedo. It feels like the first day of school all over again, but there is the fact that he knows him, and knowing that there is some kind of relationship between him and Charles changes things. There's also Thor and how Loki feels toward him.

"Care to dance?"

"This song has been requested by both Miss Darkholme and Tony Stark for with the message 'I love you bff, and get your mac on,'" the DJ says, causing Loki to look up and see a grinning Tony standing in the booth next to her. "Um… okay, here's 'Lolita' by Lana del Rey for Loki Laufeyson."

"Sure," he says, trying to maintain his composure. He really can't believe this.

Erik takes his hands, assuming the position of the leading partner. Of course he does. "Raven has a sick sense of humor."

"Tony's an idiot."

"Can't deny that," he replies, lifting his arm to spin Loki around. "You kids usually don't appreciate the wonders of ballroom dancing. I'm happy to see that's changed."

Loki watches him spin, strangely enthralled with how fluid his movements are. "Yes, I feel the same," he replies, the two of them coming chest to chest with only an inch of so between their bodies. "Salsa."

Erik smiles as the two of them move together. "I feel as though I should explain what you saw earlier."

They pull apart briefly, their hands coming up and intertwining.

"No," Loki replies, spinning, "you don't, but I have to give my congratulations. One of us has made a move for the positive."

Erik laughs. "If you count suddenly realizing that we both have feelings for each other over lesson plans as a step forward, then I guess you're right. But I must admit that the ensuing moments after your departure were some of the most awkward we've experienced since he happened to walk in on me in my more underdressed moments."

Loki pointedly laughs. "I cannot imagine how I would have reacted."

"Awe?" Erik asks, spinning. "Awe would have been much better than fleeing."

There's a moment of silence between them as Erik puts his knee between Loki's legs and the two bend their legs, keeping eye contact throughout the entire movement. A tendril of guilt runs down Loki's spine, and he's relieved to have some space between them again.

"I feel as though something groundbreaking has been realized on your end." Erik doesn't know how right he is.

Loki smiles, gulping down the lump in his throat, and spins. "I can't say that my problems are any closer to being resolved. In fact, I think that I've made them worse."

"You never told me who said that thing," Erik says. "I'm guessing that it was Thor, but did you ever ask him about it? It's probably a bit late for me, but you're a kid. You still have time. Which reminds me of the fact that we're dancing the salsa to a song possibly about pedophilia."

"Ephebophilia if anything," Loki replies. "I'm 16. And it was… him. Things have happened, but our situation is rather complicated."

"Ah yes, step-brothers. That could get messy."

"You're telling me?" He laughs to cover up the anxiety he's feeling. He spins, just catching the familiar blue eyes only feet away. "I'm doomed."

"I wouldn't say that." Erik stops dancing, his eyes glancing somewhere behind Loki. "I definitely would not say that."

Loki stills, knowing all too well who is coming. His words were truer than he realized. He's doomed for a life of confusion and strange encounters.

"Thor," Erik greets, removing his hands from Loki's. "You look dapper."

"Professor Lensherr," he replies, and Loki can see the look on his face in his head. "I've come to retrieve Loki for a dance before he's too tired to continue to do so."

"Well, I wish you two luck then." Erik looks down at him. "Don't wait too long," he whispers as he passes.

Loki turns around to face Thor, the boy still managing to take his breath away even though Loki's seen him already. He thinks that it's the realization that there's something more to their relationship—something more that he's feeling—but he does not want to go there yet.

"Loki."

"Whataya Want from Me" starts playing, and the couples around them slow their pace.

He exhales. "Thor."

"One last dance?" he asks, holding his arms up.

Loki barely stops from crying. He has no idea why, but the emotions are starting to leak through. "Of course," he says, reaching up to take his hands.

They fall into step without discussion, Loki letting Thor take the lead. He's great; of course he is, considering that he's great at everything he seems to try. Thor provides the only anchor he has to reality as Loki begins to slowly lose his sanity with each passing moment spent in his company. It's almost poetic but more tragic than anything.

He keeps eye contact with him, hoping as the song goes on that his coincidental connection to the song's lyrics is a useful method of communicating his feelings about whatever is going on between them. He doesn't trust himself not to break out down if he tries to explain how confused he is to him, so he's settling for something as stupid as staring at him with eyes that are probably filled with tears.

Thor glances away from him at the second chorus, audibly exhaling. "I cannot read your mind, Loki," he says.

"But it must have been enough for you to know what I'm trying to do," he replies as the two of them stop moving. He is purposefully silent during the bridge. "I need to tell you something."

Thor looks at him, quirking an eyebrow expectantly.

He's doing this?

Yes, he's going to do this and get this over with. Erik is right about it being the right time.

"I'm confused-"

"And now here's a song for our couples out there," the DJ says. "Some Coldplay for your teenage hearts."

Loki holds up his hand to Thor. He's not going to give up so easily and allow one interruption to change ruin this. "One last dance?"

Thor stares at him, a smile coming to his lips. He takes Loki's hand, assuming the lead position again without thought. "I never pegged you for a fan of Coldplay."

"They have a cute bassist," he replies, letting his eyes flutter shut as Thor dips him down. He feels stable here as though the chance of him falling is zero. Funny that the same isn't true for his heart. "And... artistic integrity."

"You're confused."

He spins, blinking away the tears. "Yes," Loki replies.

"You're not alone," Thor replies, his chest pressed to Loki's back. "Gods, you are not alone."

Loki spins back around, staring up at Thor. There's vulnerability in his eyes that Loki knows is mirrored in his own. It does nothing but make him feel more anxious.

"Your pulse is racing."

He looks down at Thor's lips before looking back up at his eyes. "I'm terrified."

Thor shuts his eyes, exhaling. "Of your feelings."

"Yes, and of yours too." Loki touches Thor's shoulder, dropping it back to his side after a few moments. "I have no idea what you're thinking. I want to talk to you, and tell you everything, but I can't-"

Thor's pulling him out of the room by the arm, Loki letting him lead him out into the comparatively silent hallway. He turns around, removing his hand. "You can talk, Loki," he says, sounding angry. "I'm listening."

He gives him a scowl. "No, you talk!" he shouts. "I'm tired of the one trying, Thor!"

Thor stops pacing and turns. "You think you are the only one attempting to decode this mess of our relationship?" he asks. "You are this enigma, Loki, that is more impossible to figure out than something as complex as the origin of gamma ray bursts. You think that you are as transparent as the rest of us, but you have these layers and these masks that you hide behind, and it's impossible to even estimate your next move, let alone your feelings." He raises his hand as if to touch Loki but drops it.

"You let these hints slip, but on closer inspection, they do nothing for my endeavor to get to the center of Loki," he says with a sad smile. "I am as confused as you are, perhaps even moreso."

"I doubt that-"

"Then tell me, Loki. Tell me how you are more confused than I am."

He lets out a bitter laugh. "I think that I'm in love with someone who I will probably never be able to be with in the way that I want, and even I'm unsure of what I want," he replies. "One moment I want to go for walks with you while we talk like normal brothers about your strange love for planets, but the next moment I want to drop to my knees and suck you off until you're moaning my name." He runs a shaky hand through his hair. "My uncle warned me about this. He said that it was dangerous, but it was too late. Gods, it was too late."

The words are at the tip of his tongue for him to say and realize at the same moment, but he can't bring himself to say them aloud. It would make it too official, too real.

"Too late for what, Loki?" Thor starts to cover the distance between him when he hears the sound of his name being called. "Say it, Loki. Say it, or I will."

He blinks. "Be my guest."

"Hey, guys come on!" Pepper shouts, grabbing Loki's hand. "They're announcing king and queen."

Thor pulls on Loki's other arm, turning him and kissing him hard. It lasts for quite a time, but Loki would not mind if it lasted longer.

Loki stares in shock after he pulls away. He was not expecting that.

"Oh… um, okay," Pepper says, reminding him of her presence. "Uh… can we go…?"

Loki nods, holding a hand to his partly swollen lips. He has to take Pepper's lead because he's still kind of shocked by Thor's random decision to kiss him in front of someone else. It means something…

"Everyone, please, shut your mouths," Vice-Principal Coulson says, looking extremely miserable. "Thank you."

"What up, Coulson?" Tony shouts from somewhere, Loki rolling his eyes.

"Mr. Stark, shut up," he replies, sending him a look. "I should say thank you all for coming, but I'm not very grateful nor are any of the other SHIELD staff members here. You are all more of a burden than you realize. Anyway, you might have voted for king and queen through the app or you may not have, does not matter to me or to anyone else. Either way, I'm here to announce the two winners. Ms. Ronson, drumroll please."

Loki finds himself looking over at Thor instead of up at the stage, accidentally making eye contact with him and turning away to try to hide the shock still on his face.

"This year's queen is… Emma Frost," he says, the crowd erupting into applause.

Emma gets onto the stage, looking every part of a Winter Queen as a SHIELD agent sets the silver crown on her head.

"And this year's king is… Jonathan Storm."

Someone male shouts his name as Johnny runs and jumps on the stage, taking the crown and holding it above his head.

"Wait, Coulson, let me say something." He takes the microphone as Vice-Principal Coulson rolls his eyes. "Thank you all for recognizing how hot and awesome I am. Have a nice night, and thank you, Stark, for having such a good party. Haven't had it yet, but it's always fucking awesome and the puss-"

"Thank you, Mr. Storm," Vice Principal Coulson takes the microphone back, sending Johnny a sharp look. "You have 20 minutes left until you have to go home. Try not to do anything stupid by then, Stark."

The music restarts, and Loki slips out of Pepper's grasp to seek refuge in a space with a lot less people. He takes a few flights of stairs and ends up on the first floor, disappearing into the nearest restroom. He does into a stall and locks the door, closing the lid and sitting down.

He touches his lips again. There are a million possibilities of what Thor was going to say, but Loki is sure that there are only three of them that he would have said. Every option holds a path as to what would have ensued, but with the kiss, Loki's sure that it was choice number two.

His own would be the same, a murmured, "I think I'm in love with you," followed by a passionate kiss. That didn't happen, but there's still time. He stands up and slips out of the stall. There is still time.

He takes long strides toward the stairs, slowing down when he hears voices not far down the hall.

The curiosity inside Loki carries him past the stairs and to the room where the light is pouring into the hallway, the photography room.

"…I'm Harold fucking Osborn. I can get, do whatever or whoever I want."

"No, you don't. I know who you wish you could fuck. Mary Jane? I had the chance though. That pisses you off, doesn't it?"

Harry laughs. "What makes you think that I didn't."

At the sound of a body hitting the wall, Loki is almost tempted to push the door open the rest of the way and intervene.

"You didn't!"

"Calm down, Pete, dammit. I didn't, but only because I thought of you the entire time." More silence filled by breaths. "Wanna hear my little faggy thoughts about you? Well, know this, Pete. You're the only person who makes me this way. All of these girls throwing themselves at me, and I want your little sarcastic, tight ass."

Loki knows the sound of kissing, but he edges forward and catches the image of Peter and Harry in a deep, almost violent kiss. He moves away from the door, turning to go back to the stairs. He's seen enough people engaged in lip locks for a day.

He opens the door to go up the stairs, but Stark's at the bottom blocking his way.

"Loki? Oh wait, there you are." Tony comes up to him, pulling him back into the hallway. "I've been looking for you everywhere. I never knew you danced so well. If you can do that, I can only imagine what you can do on something a little softer and wearing a little less clothing."

He opens the door and pulls the both of them outside, Loki allowing himself to be led by Stark. This is too much surprise for one night, Loki thinks, remembering what he just witnessed.

They stop at the bottom of the stairs, the school a seemingly empty backdrop. All of the photographers are thankfully absent, and it's much darker and emptier than before.

Tony puts his hands into his jacket. "I don't know what I was thinking when taking a dip into the Frost pool."

"You were just stringing her along," Loki says, staring at the passing traffic. "You never liked Emma, Stark."

"You're right, okay," he replies, shrugging. "I don't want her for anything but a trophy."

"You finally admit it." Loki exhales, a puff of vapor appearing in the air.

"Want to know something?" Tony doesn't wait for him to respond. "She's fucked Summers, you know? I mean, they lost their virginities to each other, and what's pretty shitty is that he was with Jean. The poor girl doesn't know. Good for them both because Jean's got a fucking temper that makes her look like she's Bruce's twin. And Coach Logan. Phew, he'd beat Scott's ass. Hates the dude anyway. He is kind of an asshole though."

"Are you going to happen to tell?" he asks, glancing over at him.

"Hell yes, I am. Tonight it's coming out one way or another. I've got nothing to lose."

Loki smiles at that. "Steve."

"What?" He has Tony's full attention now. "What about Steve?"

"You have him to lose," he says. "He's your closest friend."

"And? Rhodey is my fucking bro from another mo."

"You know what I'm getting at, Stark," Loki says. "You hate Peggy for nothing more than being his date. You cannot fault the girl for falling for his natural old-fashioned charm. You did yourself."

Tony sighs, his shoulders heaving. "I hate Margaret Carter because she's a bimbo who uses her stupid accent to try to make nice American boys fall to their knees. She's taking advantage of Steve's innocence, and it's my job to make sure that Steve's not being taken advantage of. Barnes sure isn't doing it."

"What if Steve doesn't need protecting?"

"Oh don't bring your pseudo-incestuous problems into this, Laufeyson." He huffs. "Steve damn well needs all the protection he can get. You need some too. Thor sees your craziness for what it is. It's going to get you into trouble, and you can't blame him for not wanting to see you hurt. He fucking loves you, and you're an idiot for not seeing that. You should appreciate it."

He wasn't bringing his "pseudo-incestuous problems" into it, but now that Tony points it out, their problems do parallel to a _certain_ point. Tony's problems are easily solved, while Loki's are the kind that can ruin a person's life and then some. Loki disagrees with the assertion that he and Steve need protection. They're doing fine the way they are, Steve much better in many regards.

"All you have to do is tell him, Stark," Loki replies. "I am more than a little sure that he feels the same way."

"There you go again, talking about stuff you don't know shit about!" Tony shouts, but Loki still keeps his expression fairly even. "What the hell are you even referring to? This cryptic shit doesn't work on anyone else besides the voices in your fucking head!" Stark turns around, shoulders heaving up and down.

He lets Stark be for a few moments, hoping that he can calm down enough for them to have a rational conversation at an appropriate volume. After Stark's breaths get quiet again, he continues their conversation, jumping straight into the topic and right into the "zinger."

"You love him." And at that moment Loki truly realizes it. He's in loves with Thor.

Tony turns and glances upward briefly, giving him a wry smile and shrugging. "Well, what can a guy-" he breaks off and surges forward, grabbing Loki by the lapels of his blazer, and kisses him, deep and slow.

Every alarm in Loki's mind goes off, and he catches the two figures at the top of the stairs standing up from their seated position. He immediately recognizes them both, and everything shouts for him to get Tony off, so he shoves him away as hard as he can.

Tony falls ass-first into the snow, and Loki's not a bit apologetic.

He brings his sleeve across his mouth and turns to look at Steve and Thor. He has no idea what to do for one of the first times in his life, and it's something that he doesn't like at all.

Steve's scoff reverberates off of the buildings and echoes in Loki's ears, and Loki goes up a step toward the still figure of Thor.

Thor's just standing there with his face is obscured in the moonlight. Loki has no idea of what he's thinking, but he hopes—he's hoping that he'll give Loki the chance to explain himself. He's always been the type of person to listen first then act. It's one of the reasons Loki is… so deeply in love with him.

"Thor-"

He turns around and disappears into the shadows of the building. Just like that he's gone, and Loki's left feeling emptier than he has in years. He hates feeling empty much more than he hates feeling alone. Thor is that chunk that Loki's been missing as cliché as that sounds.

He doesn't look back to see if Tony has managed to get himself onto his feet and runs up the stairs as fast as he can. He tears the doors open and runs down one of the corridors—he's not sure since his mind is working on need and natural instinct—till he reaches a flight of stairs and another and another, and he runs into the ballroom at full-speed, not caring that he almost knocks down a few people. He has to find Thor.

He searches the crowds for that familiar blond hair and radiance, but he comes up short with every scan he does of the room. Thor is not there, and Loki has no idea where he is.

"Students," Vice-Principal Coulson says up on the stage, "the night is coming to an end shortly, so get your travel arrangements together because you can't stay here. The school's closed for winter break, thank god, Buddha, George Washington." He snorts. "You all for came to the 2012 Winter Solstice Soirée, and we'll sadly see you at the Valentine's Day dance and before that."

"Loki." It's Gwen, and she's beaming, looks happier than Loki will ever feel again. "Are you going to Stark's party after this?"

He didn't plan to go originally. He expected to go home after this formal and reminisce on the new memories. Instead he was subjected to so many illicit affairs and the like that he's sure that he's set for a successful career of blackmail. He could really use a stiff drink… or three, and he knows that Stark will be sure to provide some.

Stark. That little bastard. He ruined everything with his impulsiveness and denial.

"Yes," he replies. "Will you be able to get home-?"

She nods. "Yes, I will thanks. Um, thanks for being my date tonight. I know after all of that stuff in the beginning of the school year you probably thought I was crazy, but, hey, here we are at Winter Formal together." She pats his shoulder. "You're a good friend," she says before walking away.

Loki's the worst friend to have graced the face of the earth, but Tony Stark is even worse.

He sees a petite brunette and knows that it's Jane Foster. "Jane!" he shouts as he walks toward her. "Jane!"

She turns around and spots Loki. "Oh, Loki," she says, frowning. "Is there-?"

"Have you seen Thor?" he asks impatiently. He has to find him soon.

"Oh, I just saw him." Her entire expression changes to a glower, and Loki really does not have time for this. "He was clearly distressed. He said he was going to go to Stark's party and get 'hammered.'"

He pulls her to him and kisses her on the forehead, not caring that she pushes him away. "Thank you, thank you, thank you a million."

"You know, Loki, you should be a lot more grateful to Thor for the things he's done," she says, gripping his arm. "I helped him, you know? I helped him even if I knew that it didn't matter." She's gone before he can ask her what she means, and it's just another riddle for Loki to solve.

He's definitely going to Stark's party. He's going to find Thor.

Johnny Storm passes by him with his leather jacket slung over his shoulder, and Loki claps a hand over his jacket and walks with him. "Is there something I can help the Lok-master with?"

"Actually, yes, I need a ride to Stark's party," he says, remembering Johnny taking his car in the motorcade. "I'm assuming that you're still going after your… speech."

"Fuck yeah, I'm going. You can come with me and Ben. Ben!" he shouts.

Ben appears from a crowd of students near the doorway. "We going?"

"Hell, fucking yes, we going! Lok-master's coming along, but we don't mind him."

Ben nods him a greeting, and he only halfway returns it, too anxious to think about anything other than getting to that party.

The three of them get into Johnny's convertible. Loki pinches the bridge of his nose and stares out the window as Johnny blasts rock music and talks about "babes." He can only imagine what's going through Thor's mind. He probably thinks that Loki has been having a secret fling with Stark or something outrageous like that. He would never ever in his days go after someone like Stark no matter what his uncle suggests.

The drive seems to take an eternity, and by the time they get there, Loki is about to pass out from the anxiety. He hastily calls out a thanks to Johnny before he goes inside.

"Hello, Mr. Laufeyson," JARVIS says, and Loki doesn't pay much attention to the AI. He's undoubtedly greeted everyone like that.

Everyone.

Thor.

He stands to the side of the foyer and looks up at the ceiling as if he's talking to a god. "JARVIS, have you seen my step-bro—Thor?"

"Mr. Odinson arrived not too long ago," he replies. "He's currently with a majority of the party guests in the second floor lounge-"

He's moving before he even realizes it and runs up the stairs as fast as he can without stumbling from all of the energy inside of him begging to be discharged. With three words he could simply rid of it all. All he has to do is find him.

Wait, what is he doing?

He stops at the landing and realizes how irrational he's being. He didn't even think that far ahead to investigate whether Thor was interested in an actual relationship with him beyond the random kisses and flirtation.

What is wrong with him as of late? Is this the effect love has on Loki? If this is, is it truly worth it?

It seems like an easy answer, yes, but that's the kind of answer for those who don't think realistically. Loki's always been a realistic thinker—though he doubts that as of late—and simply answering yes is far from realistic. There is more to life than love even if Loki's soul suddenly yearns for completion.

He has to think about this in the long run. What happens if he tells Thor and the feeling is not mutual? He sits down on the steps and rests his head in his hands. This isn't the simple infatuation that he previously thought it was. Thor is a massive part of his life, and a revelation like this could bring the world around him to a halt as everything recalculates. He would have to see him afterward too, and if that doesn't make for awkward cereal talk, he doesn't know what does.

How would Thor even react? Some people appear to be the most accepting when they are not directly involved, but this involves Thor to the letter. He's the object of Loki's affections—his love, and that's not even the extent to his involvement.

The answer is no, it is not worth it. Loki's stupid love for his step-brother is not worth ruining their entire relationship and the life just recently built around them. Loki's selfish, but he's not egotistical. There's a thin line that separates them, but Loki has managed that line well. He knows when being selfish goes far enough to still be considered "selfish."

Perhaps that's Stark's rationale, he realizes.

But no, Stark and Rogers are not step-brothers. None of their family members would be affected. Stark's still a coward and a bastard with a penchant for ruining everything that he touches. Steve would be better off without him.

Loki's not going to tell Thor that he's in love with him tonight, probably not ever. Thor will go off and start his own life after this school year with some college guy who loves the planets as much as he does, and Loki will get over his love with his absence. It will work out for all of them.

Yes, perfect.

He stands up and begins ascending the rest of the stairs. He made the right decision, the realistic one that benefits everyone—_except you._

There are people everywhere, and it's perfect for Loki to blend in and drown away the kicked-dog feeling nagging at him. He will not get blackout drunk, but he will have a few drinks to ease the emotions inside.

He heads for the bar and leans against the counter. "JARVIS, give me an absinthe," he says.

A glass pops up out of an opening in the counter, and Loki grabs it, stopping to take a breath before downing the entire glass in one drink.

"Whoa, we got ourselves a trooper over here." Harry comes to stand next to him, wearing that goofy grin of his. Loki feels sick looking at him, knowing that he's almost in the same boat as Stark except he's already kissed his best friend. Loki wishes he hadn't seen that. "What is that?"

"Absinthe," he replies as he slides the glass into the opening on the counter and waits for it to pop back up. When it does, he grabs it and downs the entire drink again, the burn duller than before. It's working then. "The best stuff there is."

"Ab-abstinthe? What are you, crazy? How are you just downing it like that? When the fuck did you need to drink absinthe in the first place?" he asks, and he tries to touch Loki's shoulder, but he flinches away from him. "Dude, are you-?"

"I'm fine, Osborn. Can a man get drunk in America?" he asks, cracking a smile that's more painful than it should be. Smiles were always easy for him to fake, but now… it's absolute torture. "You are going to order a mojito?"

"No, I'm getting another beer, which is what you should consider drinking. Going to burn a hole in your esophagus by the end of the night."

"I heal fast," he replies, chuckling at his own joke. "A pálinka, JARVIS."

As he sips his drink, he turns around and chances a look around the room. He doesn't spot any familiar blond heads in the sea of those standing up, and he lets go an exhale of relief. When he faces, Thor he still doesn't know how he's going to explain the Tony kiss. That's a whole other issue besides him being in love with him.

Oh god, he almost forgot about that. He's in love with his step-brother, and there's nothing he can even do about it. He's stuck with these feelings he doesn't know what to do with. If only he'd inherited the sociopathic tendencies that plague his paternal lineage. All of his woes would be obsolete within moments.

"Whatever is bothering you, I think I can relate," Harry says, reminding Loki of his presence. He's sipping on his mojito—seems he decided to forego the beer—rubbing around the rim every few seconds in a way that reminds Loki of the denied homosexuality within Harry.

Loki chuckles. Harry can relate with the stuck-in-love part of his situation, but everywhere else he's on his own. Peter and Harry have probably been friends since kindergarten, playing in the sandbox and staying up late during middle school to cram for exams. Hell, they've probably experimented, playing "Doctor." They were on the path to loving each other far before Loki even came here.

Some sick twist of fate or whatever cosmic force with the power to do so made it so he fell in love with Thor, and here he is now, sipping something that burns as it goes down and moping about his problems with a person in a situation as bad as his own. He's been moping a lot since he's met Thor, and he blames it on his feelings. If only he were his uncle, life would be much easier. He could have killed those who crossed him back in Sweden and been impervious to Thor's wonderful eyes and perfect mouth and golden hair and-

Loki whines into his glass, taking a drink to try and wash away the thoughts. His eyes flicker up just as a gap in the crowd of people allows him a view of a blond head facing away from him from, sitting on a coffee table. He knows that it's Thor, and Loki's heart gives a lurch as if it wants to burst out of his chest and make its own way over there.

His feet remain firmly planted on the ground, and he just stares at the back of Thor's head, willing him to turn around and see.

And it seems that the gods do listen to Loki but only grant the wishes that he really does mean but tries to convince himself that he doesn't. Thor turns around, eyes glancing from side to side until they land on Loki and something flits across them.

Loki's far too inebriated to know that it would probably be wise to just avert his eyes and go upon his business, but instead he lounges against the bar and keeps sipping from his glass. His legs edge apart at their own accord until Loki realizes that he's doing some mating call and inviting Thor to fuck him.

It doesn't seem like that bad of an idea—

Thor stands up, but he keeps eye contact with Loki, and he makes his way around the crowd to where he's standing. There's a bottle of something in his right hand, swinging at his side, and there's a slight difference to his gait that lets Loki know that Thor has consumed whatever is in that bottle and then some.

Loki should be moving away, but instead he just stands there sipping his drink and staring back at Thor. He always knew that his body would betray him at the most important moment.

He leans against the counter next to Loki, setting the bottle down on the bar. He leans in close to Loki, and Loki's heart skips two beats. He audibly sniffs Loki's mouth, and it's somehow incredibly sexy. "Absinthe and pálinka," he says.

"Oh, someone knows their liquor." He would wonder how Thor knows, but he only knows that his feet are beginning to feel like they weigh more than they actually do, and that's not a sign of sobriety.

"Where's Stark?" he asks, and Loki can't help but chuckle as he takes another drink.

"I don't know. Last time I saw him he was on his ass in the snow."

Thor turns around so he's facing the bar, but he turns to look at Loki. "It wasn't consensual then?"

"You're making it sound like rape, Thor," Loki says. "It wasn't rape. It _was_ random kissing, and the bad, unwanted kind. I definitely was not expecting that after what I said, but it is Tony Stark we're talking about."

"I should've punched him," Thor says, and the muscles in his arms flex, veins bulging briefly. "I would've had you told me."

"And you would've looked like an idiot for it. You don't have to fight for my honor, Thor."

Thor leans in closer, and his breath ghosts over Loki's neck. "But I want to."

They stare at each other, goose bumps covering Loki's neck, and he really isn't drunk enough for this to be remotely okay.

He turns around. "JARVIS, another absinthe."

"No, not another," Thor says. "How many has he had?"

"Not enough," he mumbles, diverting his eyes away from Thor. He's still too close for Loki to think straight.

"He's has had three 10 fluid ounce glasses of liquids with high alcoholic content." So JARVIS is a traitor as well. "I would advise for him to stop so the consumed alcohol can properly metabolize."

"Good idea, my friend, because I say that you don't give him anymore of those drinks as his older brother and current guardian. Two beers please." Thor stares at him as if daring him to saying otherwise, and a shiver runs up Loki's spine at the feeling of not being entirely in control. Since when did this become a fetish of his?

Oh yeah, since Thor.

Thor sets a beer bottle in his hand, bringing his own to his mouth and drinking. He keeps eye contact with Loki the entire time, and Loki can't find the willpower to tear his gaze away as he brings the bottle up to his lips. Somewhere deep in his mind is a Loki who wants to ruin everything because his tongue darts out to lick at the excess condensation on the neck of the bottle, trailing up to the opening, and that's a universal signal for blow jobs if there is one.

He twirls his tongue around the opening of the bottle before tilting it back and letting the bitter taste flood his mouth. It tastes like German beer, and it probably is since it is Tony Stark's house. He's hedonistic enough to pay for the cost.

Thor's hand encloses around his, and the bottle is being pried out of his hands. He lets go and watches Thor bring the bottle to his mouth, tongue darting out around the rim as if he's trying to taste Loki, and Loki does not know how to handle this at all. There are a million different scenarios where this is a good thing, but there are a billion scenarios where this is an extremely bad thing. He has to get out of there before something else happens.

"Shut all your fucking faces because I have a fucking song to sing to all of you, freeloading bastards!" It's Tony's voice from somewhere, and Loki uses the opportunity to escape.

He slips away from the bar into the crowd and weaves around the outside, stopping when he gets toward the thinner side. He can see Tony standing up on something from here, and there's a microphone in his hands. This cannot lead to anything good.

The music is turned up, and "DONTTRUSTME" starts playing. Loki is not in the mood for karaoke, but he can't tear himself away from this train wreck.

"White dress with the boots underneath," Tony sings over the music. "I've got the breath of my last peppermint on my teeth. And she's a temptress, but she aint got no need. She's got looks from her parents and some big old double d's. T-t-t-tongues always pressed to your cheek while my tongue is on the inside of my own set of teeth. T-t-tell Scott Summers if he said he's a v. He actually lost it to her, and they've since fucked multiple times…"

Loki sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose as he turns around and makes his way into the hallway.

It's somewhat low—even for Tony Stark—to broadcast her romantic conquests out like that, especially with others involved. Tonight is a night of personal baggage being aired, and Loki's at the epicenter of it when he would rather be anywhere else.

"You're such a prime asshole!" Emma passes by in a flurry of white fabric. She looks enraged and validly so. "Do you have to be such a douchebag?"

Loki moves out of the way in time to see a microphone-wielding Tony storm out into the hallway with James following behind him.

"Tony-"

"Fuck me, right?"

The urge to grab him by the shirt tails and pin him to the wall and torture him is overwhelming, and the look James gives him as he stops and watches Tony disappear around the corner tells him that he knows what Loki is thinking.

"I heard about what he did"—of course he has— "and I can say that he's sorry," he says as he runs a hand over his face.

He can only shake his head in return, brushing off whatever attempts of explanation James can give, and he follows the same steps Tony took. His mind is swimming, the outside of his vision blurred slightly, and the trip up the stairs almost ends up with him on his back. Through great effort, he follows after where he thinks Tony went.

He stops in front of a set of massive double doors that stand out like a void against the wall, Loki's mind reeling for a second as he gains focus. This is Tony's bedroom, he remembers vaguely from something Tony said.

Lifting his hand, he moves to knock on the door, but the answer comes before he gets the chance to do so.

"Go find somewhere else to fuck!" Tony shouts, and there's a smash of something against the door, something glass and something alcoholic—Loki sniffs—and something expensive…

Loki glances down and sees that there is a puddle of wine seeping under the door, red like blood. It's kind of like the bleeding heart Tony thinks that he has, right?

"Leave me to wallow in my sorrow!"

"You never had a flair for the dramatic, Stark."

There's a moment before Tony speaks again. "What are you doing here, Loki?" He sounds hysterical, and Loki can imagine that he's crying now. "You're supposed to hate me! Normal people hate Tony Stark after he pulls shit like that!"

"I recall you saying I was not normal," he replies, and the anger at Tony is staring to dissipate already. He's becoming soft.

There's a sniffle. "Go away! Wait… get me more wine. Never mind, I'll-" the door slides open and Tony, wine spilled all down his front, appears. "Why are you still here?" Tony snaps. "Go fuck your brother or something."

Loki doesn't bother trying to follow Tony and doesn't feel the need to retaliate at his poor attempt at an insult. It's not insulting when he really wants to. It's more of just a suggestion that he cannot listen to. At all. Ever.

He makes his way downstairs and into another room, one that reminds him of the party room but smaller. He sees Robert and makes his way over to him, falling into the seat beside him and stretching his legs onto the boy's lap. Closing his eyes briefly, he leans on the couch cushions and takes in the sudden comfort of being in a soft and stable place where his head isn't spinning as badly.

"Uh… Loki?"

He opens his eyes. "Hm?"

Robert looks rather awkward, and Loki begins to laugh. "You're drunk, dude. You're fucking wasted."

"I'm in love with Thor."

"Oh, damn," he replies. "Dude, please tell me you haven't been walking around saying that to anyone who will listen."

"No," Loki says, lightly hitting him on the arm. "I'm slightly drunk, not stupid."

"Have you encountered Thor during this drunkenness?" he asks.

Loki rolls his eyes. "Yes, but I didn't tell him. I'm telling you because you already know."

Robert sighs, taking a drink from a red cup. "I'm totally breaking bro code right now, but…" He sets the cup down. "Thor's in love with you too."

"No, he's not."

"Um, he actually is." He moves Loki's legs, standing up. "He's been in love with you for like… this entire time. A week into our friendship he was moping around about how he was afraid that you were way out of his league. Luke and me had some laughs. Lots of laughs to be honest. Hold on. I'm getting you some water before you pass out and someone tries to take advantage of you or something."

He stares up at the ceiling, shutting his eyes until he feels Robert pulling him into a sitting position.

"Here."

He takes a drink, opening his eyes and blinking at the pink and blue lights. "I hate him."

Robert sits down beside him, a hand around his shoulder. "You say that, but I know you mean something else in your Loki language." He chuckles. "I've broken bro code in the worse way, but… that's what Thor calls it when we talk about you. You act and talk in your own language even if you're speaking English. You're pretty weird. God, I bet Thor has a fetish for that now. You've ruined him."

He makes a noise, shutting his eyes.

"He rolls his eyes all of the time and makes snarky comments. A month ago, he was fine, but now, nope. Thank you for making Thor a diva."

"We had sex."

There's the sound of water being spilled, and Robert jumps up beside him, Loki opening his eyes to see the noticeable puddle on his trousers. He grins as Robert stares at him in shock.

"Technically, it wasn't since there was no skin to skin contact, but you know… things resulted."

"You're such a little shit, you know that?" he asks. "Was this the bite mark that Luke kept bugging Thor about?"

He nods.

"I'll be back, but—Barnes, hey, watch Loki. Yeah, thanks."

"Sup, Lok-master," he says, falling down beside him. "You look like you've done a keg stand."

He offers him a smile, closing his eyes as the spinning gets to an unbearable point and he's sure that he's going to spill the contents of his stomach all over his front. He takes in the dull thrum of fast electronic music and voices around him, and he distantly realizes that this party thing isn't that bad providing a person is up to their ears in alcohol consumption.

Someone sits down on the other side of him, and he opens his eyes and sees that it's Peter.

He starts to laugh uncontrollably, taking the beer bottle from Peter's hands when he tries to ask him what's so funny. He hands him back the empty bottle, dragging a hand across his mouth and resumes laughing until Peter gets annoyed and stands up.

"Loki, there, I was looking for you." Thor pulls him upward and puts an arm over Loki's shoulder, his arm too heavy in Loki's foggy mind. The sickly sweet smell of alcohol reaches Loki's nose, and he knows that there is a massive chance that he smells the same, albeit more stronger. "We should head home before we become too inebriated."

He's being steered down the stairs before he can object, so he nods along absently.

They burst into the cool air, and a few not-too-graceful steps later, they're off of Stark property.

He wants to ask Thor why they aren't hailing a cab, but all he can think about is the way his side presses to Thor's and how the warmth from Thor's body even radiates from under his shirt. He thinks that if he touches Thor's bare skin, he may get burned, but a big part of him is willing to take the risk. With his right hand, he reaches up and touches the depression of Thor's clavicle gently.

Thor doesn't seem to mind and allows him to without protest.

He drops his hand, but he remains pressed hard to Thor's side. He's not even cold, but Thor warms him up. He means that in a temperature sense and in a sexual sense too. The heat is sinking into his gut at as rapid a rate as it is into the places where they touch.

Thor's hand slips into his somewhere along the way, Loki's head slightly resting on his shoulder as they walk. They get a few smiles along the way which Thor gleefully returns. Loki finds himself giggling instead of rolling his eyes, and he doesn't have it in him to even try to care. He feels oddly happy, and he wouldn't rather be anywhere else.

They reach 79th Avenue when Thor leads them to Park Avenue and hails a cab, gently shoving Loki inside first before he gets in himself. He doesn't feel annoyed at that, but as retribution, he places his legs on Thor's lap and leans his head against the door. He feels comfortable like that, and when Thor's hands find his shins, he feels himself relaxing into the touch.

His hands rub along Loki's trousers almost teasingly, and Loki begins to squirm under his touch.

He yelps when Thor's hand swats his ass on the way out of the cab, turning around the mimic him on the way up the stairs and laughing so hard that Thor has to grab him by the arm and pull him the rest of the way.

Thor opens the front door, his arm still over Loki's shoulder as if to steady them both, and they fall down on the way up the stairs, Fenrir coming out of the living room to stare at them like they're insane. This ends with them both laughing uncontrollably, trying to keep themselves quiet to stop their parents from waking up, and Fenrir seems to tire from them, disappearing back into the doorway.

They fall onto Thor's bed, Loki getting up only to fall back down.

He lies next to him for a few moments, staring at the rise and fall of Thor's chest. "I should go to bed," he says, sitting up.

Thor turns and fumbles with something on his nightstand until there's the sound of more R&B music that Loki doesn't know the name of filling the room. It's the kind of music that people listen to with one thing in mind with lyrics talking about wanting to be alone with someone, and he doubts it's a coincidence.

"Why the music?" he asks, having a feeling that he knows the answer.

Thor runs a hand down the side of his neck, leaving goosebumps in his wake. "It's… nice," he replies, and Loki knows that he's not answering the question.

Loki turns and looks at his still dressed state, and the neat monster within Loki makes the decision to correct the problem of Thor wearing a tuxedo to sleep. All he has to do is undress Thor then he can go to his own room and fall asleep. There's nothing else that can happen, right?

He throws his leg over Thor's lap, moving to a straddle position, and shifts his weight down automatically, trying to ignore the jolt of pleasure he feels. He leans forward to undo the buttons to Thor's shirt and get him undressed, but his hands fumble clumsily, and he gives up after a few tries.

"I should go to bed," he repeats, starting to move off of the bed. As much as he would love to sleep next to Thor, he has a feeling that he shouldn't.

Thor grips at the lapels of his jacket, and any hope of leaving has been extinguished. "No, sleep here with me," he replies as he pulls Loki forward. They're eye level, Loki's face hovering over Thor's dangerously close, and Loki's mind strays to how Thor's eyes look so pale in the moonlight. "I insist."

And with the words, the small string breaks, and they both surge forward, their lips meeting painfully. Loki grips Thor's forearms as Thor pulls himself into a sitting position because he feels like he has to anchor himself or he'll float away. He's lightheaded and not even from the lack of air from the kissing.

He pulls away for only a moment to catch his breath before he captures Thor's lips again, moving his hands up to grip his shoulders. They're firm under his hands, and the number flickers briefly in Loki's mind _450_, causing him to let out a small moan.

Thor's hands drop from his lapels and go to his hips, and they seem to fit into his hands perfectly. Those hands are massive and strong, and Loki thinks he's going to go insane, and Thor hasn't even done much other than kiss him.

Thor pulls away, and Loki almost whines, but his lips find his neck and begin to kiss the length of it, Loki tilting his head to the side to give him better access. His lips feel impossibly soft and moist, and they feel impossibly better than before.

He's pressed down onto his back slowly, and he closes his eyes and allows himself to feel Thor's hands on his body, roaming as if searching for something. His breath hitches for a moment when Thor's hands come up to his collar and pull, ripping his shirt down the middle and causing buttons of fly every which way. He's pulled back upward, and Thor kisses him again.

His tongue ghosts over Thor's bottom lip, and he bites down, pulling as he gives Thor a dark look. Gods, he wants this so bad. He's wanted this so bad.

Thor's hands are unfastening his pants in the next moment, and Loki thinks that this has to be some dream. Maybe he got so drunk that he's blacked out in some corner of Stark's house.

In one movement, his pants are around his ankles, and he's on his back. He pushes himself back onto his knees to kiss Thor's mouth again, and he has to pull away to giggle to a few seconds because he realizes how crazy this is.

He stops kissing him for a moment, putting a few inches between their bodies, and goes for Thor's pants. Biting his lip, he glances up at Thor as he pushes him onto his back to gain better access. He's pulling Thor's pants and boxers down, and he has to stop himself from marveling like a child.

Loki kicks his pants and boxers off onto the ground somewhere beside the bed and makes a beeline for Thor's mouth again. He doesn't think he'll ever tire of that mouth. Letting out a small moan, he nicks Thor's bottom lip, his tongue darting out and tasting copper.

Thor grins wickedly at him, and he flips them over with ease. Loki is almost startled at how easily he's pined onto his back with Thor looming over him, and he finds himself growing harder than he already is.

As Thor kicks his pants off his ankles, Loki begins undoing the buttons of his shirt, giving up and ripping them about halfway down. He doesn't hold back, letting his hands trail over the chiseled planes of Thor's chest. Their eyes meet as Loki's hands begin to explore lower and lower.

Thor begins to scoot lower down the bed, and Loki gulps in realization at what Thor is going to do. He's imagined this so many times and—how is this even real? Thor's nails scrape over his hips, and Loki squirms a bit in anticipation.

He won't look down. He doesn't think he will last if he looks down.

"Loki."

Well, maybe he will look down if he asks especially with how sexy his voice sounds…

Loki glances down, and see's Thor's faces inches away from his flagging erection. He has to look away after a few seconds because it's too overwhelming.

Thor was never known for his tact, so it shouldn't surprise Loki when he takes him in his mouth without hesitation, but it still does. His eyes roll back, and his toes curl, his hands fisting the sheets to stop from doing so to Thor's hair. It's warm and it's wet and the suction-

"Thor, I-" He can't even finish his sentence because Thor's hand comes up to grab the base, and his mouth is twisting and—he thinks he might die. "I'm—I think I'm going to die!" he says, squeezing his eyes shut.

Thor pulls off, and Loki's hips slightly buck off the bed at the loss, but Thor's hands pin him down. "No, I won't allow you to," he says, and his mouth is on Loki again.

If Thor were to ask Loki to give up his life for him and run off to say… Mongolia, Loki would do it without hesitation. Hell, even if he weren't sucking Loki's brain out Loki would say yes.

He removes his mouth with a moist plop that sounds borderline pornographic and trails wet kisses on Loki's abdomen, his hands rubbing up and down Loki's thighs. The look in his eyes is going to kill Loki.

It isn't long before there are three very large fingers pressing deep into him, kisses being pressed on his chest in time with each thrust. His toes curl, and his vision starts to ebb, becoming more blurry than it already is when the fingers ghost over a sensitive spot deep inside him.

When he feels Thor remove his fingers and replace them with something a lot larger, his eyes open, and he stares up at Thor, waiting for him to press inside and continue on to the next logical step, the one he knows is coming and has jerked off imagining.

"Loki, are you-"

"Yes," he answers to what the question was, trying to smile and keep the slight anxiety he's starting to feel away, "I am."

Thor kisses him, and Loki kisses back until he feels the slight burning and simultaneous filling sensation below, breaking away to gasp for air as he clenches at the sheets to try to grab onto something to ease the overwhelming feeling. When he's pressed flush to Loki, Thor looks down, and Loki blinks away the tears in his eyes to offer him a reassuring look.

"I'm so in love with you, you cannot fathom," Thor says, the look in his eyes so earnest that Loki's entire body clenches in surprise, and Thor gives a small moan. "Loki…"

He tries to stay as relaxed as he can, setting his hands on Thor's shoulder. "I'm in love with you too," he replies. "It's okay, Thor. You can fuck me now."

Thor smiles. "No, Loki. I don't want to fuck you," he replies, and there's a look in his eyes that makes Loki feel small. "I want to make love to you."

And Loki moans at the first thrust, almost splitting his lip from biting down so hard. Thor's hands on his hips are firm and strong, and everything about this is just too much for Loki to think about, so he just shuts his eyes and lets himself go.

Thor's thrusts get faster and harder until they're both moaning and groaning over the music, and he slows down to kiss Loki, Loki pulling him downward as Thor begins to thrust again.

They stare deep into each other's eyes as Thor thrusts into him, Loki beginning to match every thrust with a roll of his hips, and Loki can finally see everything that he's wanted to know: the love, the care, the happiness. This is what he's wanted, to have Thor above him, inside of him.

He throws his head back and moans as he thinks about what's happening. It's just—his eyes open at the feeling of Thor's hand on him, and he stares down in speechless shock, overwhelmed by all of the sensations bombarding him.

By some miracle he doesn't scream when he cums, but that's probably because he's too breathless to do so. He does end up giving a silent scream as his body clenches, Thor spilling deep inside him and causing Loki to give a quieter version of the first scream.

Thor plants several kisses along his neck before kissing him on the lips, and Loki barely manages to lift his hands to cradle Thor's face. Thor pulls away, chuckling softly, and Loki rolls his eyes as he realizes what is so funny to him.

"You tire fast," Thor says, running his thumb over Loki's bottom lip.

Loki looks up at him. "You've done wonders for my stamina," he says, and as revenge, he clenches down briefly, Thor letting out a low moan. "I'd say I've had the same effect on you."

Thor pulls out of him, and Loki takes a deep breath in, wincing. "Mm," he says, falling onto the bed beside him.

Loki snuggles up to his chest, relishing in his natural warmth and that of the blanket Thor pulls over them.

"_Jag är kär i dig_," Thor whispers into Loki's ear, and Loki finally lets himself truly relax, trusting his entire being to Thor for safekeeping.

He shuts his eyes, repeating the words back to Thor with a smile on his face and not a thought on his mind other than that of the verified fact that Thor actually loves him. Gods, he's such a sap, but damn does it feel amazing to know such information. It feels better than anything Loki's ever had the chance to learn.

The usual black void of sleep is tinted red, but Loki doesn't pay much attention to that.


	12. Chapter 12

Nal Bergelmisson: Meddlesome Interloper!?

Something touches his back, and for a moment, he sinks into the warm, heavy, strikingly familiar touch. His mind recognizes it as someone he… loves, and he accepts that as enough verification that he's safe. It wouldn't matter anyway. He feels safe here pressed against a person—_the_ person that he loves, and the realization is foreign enough that it makes him want to try to make it last as long as he can.

He relishes the sensation of someone else's skin against his own strangely sensitive skin. He thinks that he could learn to wake up like this every morning, warm and strangely happy instead of being rudely awakened by the cool air of his room.

At the sound of breath that's not his, Loki takes a moment to sit there with his eyes shut and absorb the atmosphere. This happens in movies, waking up next to someone you're still too tired to actually remember and deciding that you're fine where you are. In the light of day he'd never admit that he yearned for something so similar, but he's acquired it since the last time he woke up in his bed with mischievous thoughts on his mind.

Loki slowly opens his eyes with a sigh, expecting to see his window or desk greeting him, but instead he sees a wall covered with various posters written in his native language and pictures of planets and stars. It's jarring enough to make his mind leap into action and scan his memory to decide whether he's suddenly switched lives with someone.

Then a part of his mind puts the splintered, sleep-addled pieces together, and he realizes where he is.

Thor's room.

He stays frozen, staring at the posters as his mind frantically goes over what could have led him there. Then as if he's watching some point of view narrative of his life in fast forward, he relives all of the events of last night from twirling Gwen to Emma storming out in a fury to the pleasant burn of Thor breaching his-

His mind stops on the thought as if it's too much to process at the moment.

He and Thor-

Loki gulps, shutting his eyes again. He must not freak out about this. He has to stay calm.

Again, he tries to reduce everything into a simple statement.

He and Thor-

He and Thor… had sex.

He shifts away from the body behind him, not wanting to think about who it is to prevent panic. It's then that he feels a slight stickiness trailing down his ass to his thighs. He cringes from the strange sensation but continues moving toward the edge of the bed.

One of his legs emerges from beneath the covers and down on the floor, giving Loki the leverage he needs to completely get out of the bed and not fall. He stands, cringing at the tightness in his lower back as he does. It's as if he's been sitting down for a decade or getting f-

No, he can't think about it, or he will not make it out of here alive.

_He_ rolls over, causing Loki to think that he's waking up for a moment, and Loki freezes in an instant, hoping that if he does wake up, he'll be too tired to think of Loki as anything other than a figment of his imagination. When his breath returns to normal, Loki lets out a sigh of relief.

His eyes trail down to the not-so-small appendage peeking out from the top of the sheets, and he has to turn around at the sheer absurdity of this situation. That's _his_ penis, which Loki is about 99% sure was deep inside his-

No, again, he's not going there.

He grabs his discarded boxers and pulls them on in haste, taking the precaution in case he happens to run into one of their parents on the way to his room. He gathers up the clothes that he finds—he cannot find his shirt or his left sock—and flees Thor's room with less dignity than he came there with. Well, the alcohol didn't really give him dignity. Just a bit of confidence it seems.

What was he thinking? He thought that having sex with him would somehow make it all okay, but it's only made things worse. Their relationship reached that point for a reason because they can never be… together, and Loki had to go and let himself get drunk enough to forget rationality.

He shuts his door quietly and throws his tuxedo into the laundry bin. There's a chance that there are… liquids on it—Loki's not entirely sure of the whole undressing process that went on—and his mother is not remotely ignorant of _that_ to not know what it is. He just hopes that they were smart enough to, um… spray their liquids elsewhere. He does know where Thor deposited his.

A jolt of pain shoots up his back as he stands back up, and he groans, shutting his eyes to try to remain calm. His ass hurts because of… activities, but he can do this. He can remain calm, and he can make the right decisions for the first time in months.

Rooting in his closet until he finds his duffle bag, he fills it with as many clothes as it will hold. He isn't sure how long he is even staying, but he's not sure when he's coming back either. They're going to need space to try to think of how to proceed. Well, Loki knows that he does.

He makes the mistake of sitting down on the bed, paying the price of a cry of pain. He wishes he could say that he hates Thor, but he knows that he could have put a stop to it if he meant to. Well, he would have meant to if he'd have been sober, but he wasn't, and his true desires came forth and wreaked havoc.

Loki's in love with Thor, and Thor is in love with him.

Crying is stupid, and it solves nothing. It's just a waste of tears, and it makes his eyes burn.

Even as he repeats that to himself, the tears fall freely, his vision blurry as he searches for anything else he may need on his self-imposed exile. He wishes that the tears were the only part, but no, sobs escape his mouth. When he does cry, it's silent, and gods, is he thankful for the practice he had as a child.

He's crying because Thor is in love with him. There are so many things wrong with that, but the fact that he's not crying happy tears is the main one. He would have killed to hear Thor say those words to him, but now it's only a burden. It's causing the guilt he feels accompanying the pain in his spine.

If only he would have been smarter.

Loki rips out a piece of paper from one of his notebooks and scribbles a note on it for his parents to find.

He cannot believe he even allowed himself to do that. It was as if all of his rationality disappeared with the snap of the finger, and next thing he was on his back. Loki thought he had more sense than that!

He rereads it to himself, nodding and sniffling.

_Went to Natasha and Clint's. Be back by Christmas Eve._

_-Loki_

It's short and sweet, but he needs to keep it as vague as possible. They can guess their reasons for him leaving, but Thor will know why. He knows that Thor is not going to say anything either.

Maybe he will be too busy hating Loki for doing this.

He pulls on sweatpants and a hoodie before he grabs his duffle, reaching to grab his sneakers from their place next to his bed. As he bends down, he bears the even sharper pain he feels as proof of his recklessness and stupidity.

The trip to Clint and Natasha's apartment is long enough for Loki to stop himself from crying and clean himself up to a presentable condition that doesn't make him look like a bedraggled duckling. He knows that Natasha will probably recognize that he's been crying, but it's better than actually witnessing it.

He knocks on 266, a sleepy Clint answering the door not long afterward.

"Hey, uh, Loki," Clint says, his eyebrow cocked. "Um... come inside."

Natasha stands in a black robe, her arms crossed over her chest. "Loki, I wasn't expecting to see you."

Skipping the greetings and getting straight to the point, he asks, "Can I stay here for a few days?" He tries to keep the wariness out of his voice, but Natasha and Clint seem to notice it anyway, their expressions turning slightly worried.

"Of course," she replies. "Come and take a seat."

He elects to stand near the arm of the couch, leaning his weight against the wall behind him. If he can avoid sitting, he will because the pain in his ass is not one he wants to have to endure if he doesn't have to. The self-torture can continue in private.

"You don't owe me an explanation... yet," Natasha says. "You can give me the short version."

"There really is not one," he replies, narrowly catching himself before he grinds his teeth in irritation. He's more irritated with himself than anyone else. "I'm sure that you're aware of who I am here because of."

She stares at him for a moment, nodding slowly.

"I heard about Stark's stunt from Grimm," Clint says, running a hand over his already messy hair. He looks as if he's barely gotten any sleep. Loki stops himself from smirking, and it's not hard since he's not really in the mood to anyway.

"I'm guessing that it's not that," Natasha says. "I'm glad you came here. We'd be happy to have you."

"It's like a sleepover," Clint adds. "Last time we had one of those, you slept and yelled in the morning. Lame."

He asks to use the shower once Clint has disappeared through a doorway. He sits under the comparatively weaker spray and lets the aches in his body be soothed. He knew that it would be this uncomfortable, but he had no idea that it would be like this. It should be expected with... how large Thor is, and how virginal Loki was. No amount of his fingers could have prepared him.

He catches the marks in the mirror when he steps out of the shower, dropping the towel and taking in the purple palms on his hips. He doesn't try putting his own palms there, instead pressing the bruise cautiously and finding that it doesn't hurt. From a slightly morbid point of view, they look quite… pretty. It's as if Thor dipped his hands in paint and pressed them against Loki's skin or a colored tattoo to remind him of their moment of indiscretion.

If that's the purpose, to remind Loki of his… mistake, he thinks that it will do a fine job until it fades. There's no way to escape them and the memories they bring forth without cutting off his own skin.

Natasha's cooking eggs and bacon when he finishes dressing, and Loki's not surprised that she possesses the skill. She IS superwoman. "You okay?" she asks, setting a half-full plate down on the table.

He sits, wincing. "Yes, as good as I can get."

"We can talk about it," she says as she sits down beside him. "I think that we should."

He's not used to Natasha being so persistent in getting the information out of him, but he doesn't mind all that much. He thinks that she has an idea of what happened anyway but doesn't quite know the extent of the damage. "Thor and I had sex."

She takes a large gulp of orange juice, nodding as if it reaffirms her own guess. "Well, you could have given me that short version the first time."

"I know," he replies. "I woke up in his bed this morning. Next to him. We were both, er… nude."

"And let me guess, you left without waking him?" When he looks away in mortification, she sighs. "Loki... you know how much of a bad idea that was."

"I do in retrospect." He could have attempted to wake him up before he took off and only left a note for explanation. It would have been a lot more considerate, but Loki's never been the most considerate person, and he can't be blamed for wanting to avoid the terribly awkward and confusing confrontation that would have followed.

"You should call him," she says. "It might not be too-"

"I can't." He looks away, blinking the tears away. "Natasha, we're step-brothers. There is no resolution to this that will end up with us together. It's impossible."

She stands up, dusting her hands off. "No, stop it."

"Stop what?" he asks, finally touching the food in front of him. He doesn't understand what she's requesting of him.

"You're being pessimistic"—He gives her an incredulous look, and she shakes her head—"and I mean very pessimistic, even for you. This whole 'star-crossed lovers' charade isn't going to work, Loki. You two can make your relationship into whatever you want it without it blowing up in your faces. Don't tell me you've suddenly decided to stop being sneaky when trying to get what you want. As I recall, you had no problem disregarding us to pursue Victor."

She's being unfair. The two relationships are not comparable in the least, and Natasha knows this for a fact. She knows Victor and how different he and Thor are. It's only natural that he interacts with them differently. The things that he's done for Thor, he would never have done for Victor.

"They're not similar," Loki replies. "I—I'm in love with Thor."

"Then why are you giving up so easily?" Natasha takes his hand in hers and tries to look him in the eye, but he stares down at the kitchen tiles. "Why is it that you are so willing to forget that you're in love with this amazing boy?"

"Because, Natasha, I'm scared!" he shouts, pulling his hand away. He attempts to catch his breath, standing up from the chair. "I'm, I'm a coward. I do not take these kinds of risks expecting something remotely enjoyable waiting at the end. These things—they don't happen that way for me."

It feels like talking to the best friend he never had with how Natasha simply watches him with an unwavering gaze, no pity seeping into her eyes like it does with the occasional confidant he had. She doesn't outwardly pity him, and that's what he's desired for years and years. Almost as much as he's desired to find someone he can confide in and spend the night with.

"Loki, that's…" Natasha sighs, taking his hand and leading him to a balcony overlooking the street below. "Sit."

He does as commanded, gripping onto the metal arms as if they will somehow ground him in this chaos of his life. It hurts, but he finds that he could care less about his personal comfort.

"You have to stop this, Loki," she says. "This self-loathing that's going on inside of your head is not going to make you happy. You have to learn that you deserve everything you get, the good and the bad. I had to learn early, but it's never too late. You're only 16. I'm 17, and I still learn things everyday about myself. Clint's been there to help me along the way…. But Thor can do the same for you—has. He's been good for you. You're happy when you talk about him."

"I don't loathe myself," Loki replies, loosening his grip on the arms. Okay, he does not want to hurt himself, and Natasha's wrong. "I'm quite fond of the person I've become. I'm simply realistic. You cannot fault me from seeing the limitations in this world and what they result in. Saving myself from unnecessary emotional strife should not be considered such a bad thing."

"Emotional strife? What do you call this, Loki?"

"Talking."

Natasha doesn't fall for the bait, chuckling. "Smartass," she comments. "Your love for Thor is quite… dynamic with how things have been going lately, but that doesn't say you two won't click once you've got some hard ground under your feet. Your relationship has been a mess. Togetherness could solve many of your problems."

His phone vibrates in his pocket, and he doesn't make any move to answer it, knowing exactly who it is.

"You going to get that?" When he only shrugs, she dips a hand into his pocket and takes the phone without trouble. "Hello? Oh, Thor, it's Natasha. Loki's fine. He made it safely."

Loki feels the longing in his chest and stops himself from taking the phone from her with the knowledge that she would easily dodge out of the way.

"Yes, he's… We were talking about things when you called. I don't think—yes, I'll relay the message." In his periphery, he sees the look of disapproval she's giving him. "Thor, I can say that he's… apologetic. Yes. Goodbye."

"You lied."

"No, but you are, and you should know that… he cares," she replies, standing and handing him back the phone. "If you try to jump, be assured that you will probably only break your legs and end up surviving the fall."

He's kind of… messed up, but he's by no means suicidal. And if he were, jumping would not be the way he would perform the act. It's too lonely. If he's going to kill himself, he wants others to endure the spectacle because his suicide would be a selfish one. The act is supposedly selfish, but he disagrees—not inherently it is.

The chair makes his bottom half go numb about an hour after sitting there, and the pain in his ass is momentarily gone.

He tilts his head back and takes in the skyline, watching as the sky brightens when the sun reaches its apex before the sky starts its descent back into darkness.

Clint peaks his head out and silently observes Loki a few times, mumbling under his breath in a language that Loki does not know as he goes back to doing whatever Clint does. Loki's thankful for the solitude, and the chance to sit back and ponder his affairs without Clint attempting to offer his own input. The boy isn't that bad after all.

His forehead is on his knees, and he's trying to go over the possible reasons for Tony kissing him when Natasha comes back out, changed into jeans and a jacket. She's been out.

"I went to see Thor," she says, sitting down. "By some coincidence, he was leaving just as I reached the steps. He was dressed in his running gear, said that he was going to take a run around the coast. He let it slip that he planned to stop by since we were along the way, but he didn't need to after we talked."

Loki should be angry, but he isn't. He's more thankful that anything. "What did you talk about other than obvious?"

"I didn't give the poor boy any time to adjust since I jumped right into the conversation with 'Loki's extremely confused about what happens next because he had sex with you.' He immediately got this guilty look on his face, but I clarified that you were blaming yourself more than you were blaming him. You thought that it was a mistake, and that things weren't going to really change. He agreed that it was a mistake, but by the look in his eyes, he didn't really mean it. He's got really emotional eyes." She sighs. "You really made a mistake coming here Loki."

"Yeah, if you'd have just laid next to his gorgeous body and had amazing sex when he woke up, made breakfast together like the little adorable couple you are, none of this would have happened!" Clint exclaims as he pokes his head out. "You fucked up. Bad."

"I know, Barton," he says, biting his lip. "I know."

"Loki, I feel like there is something you're not telling me here." She takes his hand in hers. "Care to share?"

Loki knows that he should have told her sooner, but… "Thor said that he's in love with me," he replies. "He's been in love with me since Halloween, or at least that's when he felt the need to inform me in German. He added an 'unfortunately' in the middle, so I'm sure that somehow invalidates it."

"No, _ad_, Loki, that doesn't. You've been—you realize that you have been…. stringing him along? You could have done something long ago, but you only decide to do it with a little alcohol on your system. Do you not care how Thor feels? No wonder he's confused! He's got every right to be!" Natasha shouts.

"Tasha, god, cool it."

She looks at Clint, his words immediately taking effect as the fire leaves her eyes. "Loki, you have to fix this," she says. "I'm not going to push you as far as Stark would, but… there's a limit on this. This is your life. You can't just put it on a hold as it screws itself up more and more."

Barton makes a sound of agreement. "Yeah, Thor's definitely fucking confused. I'd be if I were him."

"Clint, you're always confused," Natasha says, smiling at him.

If Loki just does this, he can have what they have. It's so easy, but he can't. It's not in his nature to just disregard the consequences. Well… it depends on which consequences. The ones for this are the worst they've ever been, and if Loki continues to pretend, he can just avoid them. He can keep Thor from them…

"So tell me," she says, crossing her leg at the knee, "how was it?"

"Whelp, that's my cue to leave." Barton seems to have the right idea.

He raises both eyebrows and stares at her as if she's gone insane. Now, he would not expect Natasha of all people to ask something like that especially with how their conversations have been going as of late.

"Oh, come on, Loki. Don't pretend that you have no idea what I'm talking about." She scoots her chair across the ground, sliding closer to him in a way that reminds him a lot of Clint with the mischievous smile on her face. Natasha and childish are two things that cannot reconcile in his mind.

"Loki, you can talk to me about anything. I'm sure that you're aware that I'm not…"

He nods, staring down at the street. "Yes, I am," he replies, "but that's still…"

"Did you enjoy it?"

Loki is not going to directly answer this question and give her the satisfaction. "I was actually very drunk."

"Loki…"

"I don't remember much of anything other than the obvious which I have already told you," he replies. "Satisfactory?"

She grins. "You liked it. Actually, I amend my statement. You loved it."

"I have no other experience to compare it against."

"Don't pull that card on me, Laufeyson," Natasha says, standing. "It's 7:00, and you haven't been fed. Come."

He eats though his appetite is still nonexistent, knowing that the murderous looks that Clint and Natasha send him each time he pushes around his food are going to wear down on him fast.

They chat between themselves in a carefree manner that Loki is content with just observing, noticing the small differences between this Clint and Natasha and the ones he sees at school. It's only right that they trust each other so much to peel back some layers, but Loki feels honored that they do so in front of him. It is no accident. He has a feeling that Clint and Natasha don't do anything by accident.

He paces around the guest bedroom, his phone pressed inside his palm, and Clint and Natasha retire to their own room around 11:00. Sleep nags at his brain, but he can't find the will to stay still long enough to even attempt to. All of that sitting has made him anxious.

It's a miracle that the pain in his lower back comes back, causing him to have to sit down. He burns another three hours lying on his side with his phone in his hand, coming up with different scenarios in his head of what would happen if he called Thor.

Sleep only keeps him for a few hours, and he wakes up at 3:00, staring at the ceiling as he thinks of the other boy. It's straight out of a teenage romance movie, but that doesn't even provide enough incentive to go find something productive to do.

No, he does something stupid instead.

He listens to the sound of the dial tone for a few minutes before pressing 5, the phone ringing one and a half times before he answers.

There's silence filled by their breathing, and Loki almost cries in happiness at being this close to him. He's pathetic.

"Thor?" he asks, sounding so much younger than he does. Young Loki seems to make an appearance when he does stupid things.

"Yes, Loki," he replies, and he sounds so exasperated. If Loki's doing that to him-

"I regret it. Thor, I should have stayed-"

"Loki, calm down." Loki _is_ doing this to him.

This was a mistake.

"Wait, I shouldn't have-"

"Loki… go to sleep." He hangs up on him, but the command brings forth a drowsiness.

He manages to sleep for a few more hours before Clint wanders in and drags him out of the bed, Loki protesting that he could have just shaken him.

"What would be the fun in that?" he asks, shrugging his shoulders and dropping Loki's arm by the door.

Another shower where he spends most of the time seated to try to ease the tightness in his lower back. Yoga would ease it, but he does not have the mindset for it. He would probably end up making it worse.

"Sleep well?" Natasha asks.

He lifts his head off the table to stare blankly at her.

"Taking that as an absolutely."

Clint and Natasha stand at the stove, working in symbiosis, and Loki leans his head against the table as he tries to forget about how badly his back hurts and how badly he wishes to go and lie down. There's no way they will let him stay in bed all day, and he's actually thankful that they're keeping good to Natasha's promise of urging him into action.

"Can you get the door?" Natasha asks, sending a look over her shoulder.

He gets up with a sigh, wincing as he straightens his back out. He could have said no, but he does not want to see what happens when someone says no to Natasha. If it's something like the fight in the gym, Loki's fine with getting up even if his back could use a massage.

After the impromptu midnight call, he shouldn't be surprised to see _him_ there, but his heart still skips a beat nonetheless.

Breathing out, he tries to smile. "Thor."

"Loki," he says, "get your things. We're going home."

"Loki, who is—Thor, hey, what up," Clint says, putting a hand on Loki's shoulder that earns a glare from Thor. "Heard about your little activities. Had him walking funny, if you catch my drift. Still has a little tightness down below that he could use your hands-"

"Clint, please," Natasha says, shoving him away. "Hello, Thor. You decided to stop by after all. Come in."

Loki can't stop himself from jolting when Thor puts a hand on his shoulder and guides him. He's missed his touch, and it's only been two days.

"You're aware that Loki and I had a talk," she says, sitting down.

Loki tries to stand to the side of the couch, but Thor pulls him down onto his lap and opens his legs wide enough to Loki to fit between but not have to actually sit entirely on his ass, seeming to remember Clint's tidbit. When Thor gently pulls him backward to lean on his chest, he stops himself from sighing.

Now, Thor wrapping his hands around his hips and beginning to knead with his thumbs, that's not something that Loki is prepared for, so he does sigh aloud without shame.

"I could have used you yesterday," he murmurs, shutting his eyes.

"You would have had you stayed."

Loki opens his eyes, gritting his teeth. He's not going to get angry over the truth.

"You're aware of the talk that Loki and I had yesterday before I came and saw you," she says, "but you are unaware of the one that followed. There was quite a bit of headway, but I think that it's really up to Loki as to whether it has any effect." Natasha stands. "I'll leave you two… to talk."

He shuts his eyes and enjoys the silence of Thor working his back with firm hands, but that doesn't last very long. With a sigh, he pushes Thor's hands away and climbs to his feet. "I'll, uh… go get my things."

Thor lets him go without assistance though Loki feels his eyes on his back the entire way. The guilt is almost suffocating.

A different Loki would have argued with Thor about returning home, would have insisted that he go back when he wanted to, but Loki knows that Thor is extending an olive branch. It's only right that he at least try to fix this.

He finds that he does long to be back home with Thor even if he would have realized it a little later if Thor hadn't arrived. Homesickness has never been a problem for him since he never really was away from home before this new stage in his life. He should thank Thor for coming when he did. Loki's not too eager to find out what it does feel like.

Loki takes a moment to sit down as he slides his laptop back into his bag, looking up at the sound of footsteps.

Thor enters wordlessly and takes a seat next to Loki. He moves the bag from between them, and there's a long glance exchanged between them.

Loki shifts closer before staring down at his feet. This isn't awkward, just… stilted. "I am sorry," he says in a rush, almost too quick that he thinks Thor doesn't catch it until he turns to look at Loki.

It's the first time that Loki has actually apologized to a person with the standard wording and meant it. The last time was after being prompted by an instructor, and he glared at the girl the whole way through, but he means it this time. The confusion in his mind is fresh. It's going to take some getting used to if he's going to start this "apologizing" thing.

Thor grins and brushes his hand over Loki's. "This is something new," he says, "but I find that I like it. I fervently accept your apology, Loki. I hope that you accept my own for waiting so long to come retrieve you. I should have come after you upon waking, but your note…"

"I know, and I shouldn't have left," he replies. "I was… afraid. I mean, we had…" It should not be this hard to say the word "sex", but it feels like sandpaper in his throat. He simply can't.

"You're understood. I was not afraid afterward, but I worried about what you were feeling. I'm happy to see that it has turned into a 'was.' You're not fearful anymore. You're valiant Loki once again."

"Valiant?" He laughs. "I wouldn't call avoiding your feelings toward your step-brother until you both drunkenly have sex valiant." There he goes. "It's more cowardly than anything though I'm glad that some resolution has been reached."

"And what is this resolution?" Thor asks.

Loki inhales, summoning the courage he needs. "It's quite obvious that our relationship is not one of normal step-siblings and has passed the point of even feigning being like one. The natural progression is for us to confront these feelings with a rather hands on approach." He licks his lips absently, catching Thor's eyes as he does so. "I am in love with you, and you are in love with me."

Thor nods, grinning. "And people who are in love commit to each other, correct?" Loki nods. "Commitment of some type is then next in the progression."

He inhales at the implication. Thor wants to commit, and Loki finds that… he's not adverse to the idea at all. Commitment has never been his "cup of tea", but love hasn't either. This entire situation is different.

Loki looks into his eyes. "Know that I assent my agreement," he says, choosing his words carefully. "I assume that you have just given yours, so we're… in accordance here." Using this vocabulary seems to ease the romance of this. "True resolution has been made."

Thor laughs, and Loki glowers. "It was and it has," he replies. "Might I suggest that we take things... slowly?"

"Slowly? Slowly?" he repeats with increasing incredulity. "Slowly, Thor? Really?"

Thor rolls his eyes, and Loki realizes just how happy it makes him that he's taken up the habit himself. Sassy Thor does things to him, or rather, to his lower half. "For you own benefit, Loki."

"But slowly?" he repeats once more. "I have hand-shaped bruises on my hips that say otherwise to your 'slowly.'"

Thor turns to him, his eyes suddenly dark. "Loki..."

"Thor," he says, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice. He's overreacting.

"Loki, show me."

"It's not a big deal," he says, lifting his shirt anyway. "I've been told that I bruise easily."

Thor looks up at him and his hands still, only millimeters away from the bruises.

"Wha—oh, Thor, not in _that_ way," he says, trying to keep the coyness out of his voice. "I mean, it was kind of obvious that I was a..." he trails off rather awkwardly, hoping that Thor does get the point without him saying it outright. "Yes."

"Can I...?" He continues forward when Loki nods, Loki biting down on his lip to stop from moaning at the sensation of his hands. Hands should not be able to do that to a person. "You can put your shirt down," Thor says, pulling away. He looks at the door as if to check that they're alone, and Loki has to contain his laughter.

"Jealous?"

"Of course," he replies, pulling Loki close. "Though I do have quite the advantage. I am in love with you."

"And you know that I feel the same way."

"I _do _know."

"Careful, Thor," he says, lightly touching his nose. "Your arrogance is showing."

"If we're discussing visible things, I should point out the flush around your neck which I recall was very, very evident during our activities the other night." He trails a hand down Loki's neck and has the gall to chuckle when Loki obviously shivers. "Nice and pink."

"You were drunk!" Loki exclaims, trying to stop himself from flushing farther. "You don't remember any such thing!"

"I remember many things," he says, and the center of his eyes is more black than blue. An image flashes in front of his eyes that makes his neck warm up and heat pool down in his gut. "Such as the way you have an American accent when you've drunk too much, how your eyes show your emotions after an orgasm, or how soft, warm, wet your feel like on the inside."

Loki shuts his eyes as he's assaulted by a few more images and sensations from the other night, and he has to clench his fists to try to keep himself composed. The way Thor is talking is not conductive for this "taking it slow" thing they're supposed to try. Thor being Thor is not conductive for Loki's rational thought.

"After being inside of you, I don't think that I will ever be able to restrain myself around you again."

He bites his bottom lip, letting out a long stream of air.

"Please, Loki, don't do _that_. You have no idea what effect it has on me."

Loki looks up into his eyes. "I must ask how you are restraining yourself now," he says, hearing the lust in his own voice. "Elaborate?"

Thor chuckles. "Just barely..." And thankfully, he kisses him.

Loki reacts instantly, maneuvering his way onto Thor's lap with Thor's hands on his hips guiding him. He kisses him back with the restrained passion of the past few months and doesn't care if his true feelings slide through. Thor knows that Loki's in love with him, and he feels the same. If that's not something to make a man horny, what is?

Thor's hips roll into his, and Loki groans into his mouth. It's painful, but the pleasure outweighs the pain heavily.

He breaks away from the kiss to plant kisses along Thor's neck as his hands move down his sides to the hem of his shirt.

It's that moment that Thor tries to roll them over, but Loki responds with a grind of the hips, effectively stilling him.

"Let me"—he kisses him—"show you how much restraint I"—another kiss—"don't have." He pulls Thor's shirt over his head, examining his chest because there's no way he's ever going to not do this, before he throws it to the floor.

Thor smirks, but he kisses that smirk off of his face in seconds. Thor rolls his hips, and they both moan.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

Loki pulls away from Thor, turning to stare at Barton in the doorway. He's more annoyed than anything.

"As much as I am all for resolving UST," he says, lifting his arms, "you are not having sexy time up in here!"

Loki turns to look back at Thor, a silent plea to just ignore him and continue in his eyes.

"Slow," Thor says as he guides Loki to his feet. He leans over and pulls his shirt on, and Loki feels cheated. "Our apologies, Clint."

Loki makes it his mission to glare at Clint as they head toward the front door. He has to know the discomfort of having a very excited hard on in your pants, especially with the beauty that he spends the chunk of his time with. There's no way that he doesn't know that pain, and for him to make Loki suffer this, he shall not be forgiven so easily.

"Is my mother or your father home?" Loki asks as the cab pulls up to their house.

"No," Thor says, "is there something that you require…?"

"No." He smirks as he climbs the stairs, opening the door. "Mother? Odin?"

He gets no response, and that's enough precautionary measures for him. He undoes his zipper and pulls his hard-on out, spinning around the face Thor. Falling onto the steps, he strokes himself off enthusiastically and stares at Thor who stares back dumbstruck. It's also his fault for not ignoring Barton.

As he nears climax, he starts to moan as loud as he can, biting his lip and screaming, "Thor!" as he spills onto his hand and lap.

Thor stares for a few moments, blinking as if to get ahold of himself. "Loki-"

He brings a hand up to his mouth and licks down his palm, keeping eye contact the entire time. Like every teenage boy, curiosity has taken him here before, and it's an acquired taste that he neither likes nor dislikes. For the sake of hygiene, he prefers to forego the act more than always.

"Need a hand?" he asks, noticing the obvious situation in Thor's pants.

He looks away, clenching his jaw. "No, I can handle it myself," he says, his voice husky. "Your concept of slow is not… slow."

"Slowness is relative," he replies, standing up. "It appears that I need a shower. Resume talking about 'slow' later?"

Thor's restraint must be that of a saint because he doesn't do the obvious thing and join Loki in the shower. He does lock himself in his room doing what Loki can only guess—he thinks of offering assistance, but other things get in the way—and Loki doesn't see him for an hour.

Chancing upon the bags in his closet, he makes the decision to make a run to Brooklyn and give Steve his gift ahead of time. They have things to discuss anyway. The kiss… He can't imagine what Steve thinks is going on between him and Tony.

"Yes, Loki?" Thor answers, sounding irritated.

Loki opens the door to find Thor sitting at his desk in only a pair of red boxers. "I came to inform you that I am going to drop Steve's gift off, but if I had known that you were busy, I would have just le-"

"Loki." Thor tries to glare at him but the corners of his lips are quirked up. "Please."

"But you love me," he replies. He's going to love using that as an excuse for now on. "Anyway, I will be back."

"What do you mean?" Thor stands, and Loki sees the half-hardness bounce around in his underwear. He looks away to stop from giggling. "I am coming-"

"No, you're not. I have to talk to Steve as well." He sends Thor a look that makes him narrow his eyes and cross his arms. "I'll be fine."

"Your back."

"Is fine though it is kind of sore." His back gives a pang of pain as an afterthought. "It's only Steve. I kind of… owe him some sort of an explanation."

Thor sits down on his bed. "Tony Stark should be the one explaining himself. It was his doing."

"They're in the same situation as we were not too long ago." They make eye contact, and Loki smiles like a fool, but Thor does too. "Do not blame Tony for being so… Tony-like. You can blame him for choosing to do so."

The feeling of happiness doesn't dissolve on the ride to Brooklyn, and Loki stares out the cab window with a small smile on his face, taking in the sights of New York City. It's only slightly different than the rest of the city, more residential areas, but it has more old fashioned character than midtown.

He knocks on the door, Bucky opening it almost immediately. Loki's slightly taken aback at how... stern he looks, his jaw set hard and his eyes narrow and sharp. He looks predatory, and in a totally different way than Loki would even remotely like. "Bucky," he says, lowering his still raising fist. "I came to talk to-"

"Steve?" he asks, his brows rising in obvious irritation. "Well, who isn't?"

He stares at Bucky, trying to figure out what is bothering him so much. "Bucky, if this is about Stark and me then-"

Bucky holds up his hand, cutting him off. "It's James," he says, "and I don't care about who you're with as long as it is not Steve, got it? Now, you are going to leave because Steve is sick, and when Steve gets sick, I don't risk foreign people coming around and risking his health farther."

"I wasn't aware that I was foreign in that sense."

"There are lots of things you aren't aware of, kid," he replies, and with one word, he ages in front of Loki from suave boy to cold twenty-something. He's only 16. How is that even possible? "That's beside the point. You should leave because you are not seeing Steve anytime soon. Not while he is under my protection and care, and that is until I'm dead and decaying six feet under."

"Oh-kay," he replies, taking a few steps back from the door. "Tell Steve that I would like to explain what he saw when he's feeling better, okay?"

Something in Bucky's eyes changes. "What did Steve see? I'll... tell him."

Loki is not sure he's open for a ride on Bucky's emotional roller coaster, but he knows that there is no reason to not tell Bucky. Perhaps it is the Tony kiss thing bothering him, and this will show him Loki's innocence. "Tony kissed me because I called his bluff. He's in love with-"

"Steve, I know," Bucky says. "Go on."

He frowns but continues. "He was trying to hurt us both by making Steve and Thor think that there was something going on between us. There is not anything going on between Tony and I, and there never will be. He is free to loathe Tony, but I must admit my innocence."

"Innocence?" Bucky chuckles, an ugly sound. "I would not call fucking your step-brother innocent, but we all have different... perceptions of these things, don't we?"

He stares at Bucky in confusion... and maybe a little fear. He tries not to let it show on his face. "Yes, it seems that we do. Could you give this to Steve?"

Bucky stares at him as he takes the gift, his eyes completely icy. "Yes, I'll be sure to do that," he replies. "Have a safe journey home, Loki."

When he gets home, he doesn't let Thor know about Bucky's odd behavior, only telling him the part about Steve being sick. He would rather not have Thor go and wring Bucky's neck for being so ruthless.

"You're home a day early," Odin says at dinner. "I'm pleased."

Thor's arm on the back of his chair cancels out any feeling of anger toward Odin for his choice of words. "Yes, I am as well."

His mother smiles, but he sees her eyes flicker to Thor's arm for a moment, and there's a moment of panic before he sees the corner of her lips upturn. She simply thinks that they're brotherly bonding, and she's wrong, but that's better than any alternative.

His cellphone rings in his pocket, and he excuses himself from the table. Expecting an apologizing Steve, he instead gets another familiar voice.

"Um, Loki, hey."

He pulls the phone away from his ear, looking at the caller ID. It's definitely Harry Osborn, but this subdued person sounds nothing like the Harry he knows. "Yes, Harry, why are you calling?"

There's a sigh. "See… my dad's having this Christmas party, and he insists that I invite your family since he's oh so interested in you for some reason. He told me that I was supposed to have done this weeks ago since I 'should have known and made the logical conclusion based on his reaction to meeting you', so I have to call you and ask you to come." He sighs again. "Will you come?"

"Wait, I didn't even introduce myself when we met," he replies, thinking back to the meeting of the grim-faced man. "How does he know my name?"

"He asked after you guys left. You interested him. I think it's the resemblance to your uncle. Hey, heads up that he's coming too."

He purses his lips, eyes flickering to the dining room. "Thank you."

"So, you ask your folks?" There's an insistent note in his voice that makes Loki walk into the dining room with the phone pressed to his ear. He pities Harry for several reasons, but he has a feeling that Norman Osborn is a lot like his close friend Nal.

"Harry Osborn—I assume you both remember him—has invited us all to his father Norman's Christmas party…"

"Tomorrow at 8:00."

Loki grits his teeth. "-tomorrow and has asked me whether we can attend or not."

"I'm sorry to inform you, but tomorrow your mother and I have a Christmas party of our own to attend. You two are free to go to the Osborn's, in fact encouraged to." Odin smiles, and Loki offers him an fake smile in return. "Yes, of course you can go. If there are any more of these parties, I suggest you go as well. Socialization is good for one's soul."

"Dude, I heard, and that's great!" Harry shouts. "Dad, they're coming! Okay, Loki, see you tomorrow. Um, business casual or whatever is the dress code. Try to wear Christmas colors, and-"

Loki hits the end button, sitting back down at the table. His day has taken a turn for the worse.

"I assume Norman invited you personally?" Odin asks, leaning forward on his hands.

"Yes," he replies, and he starts to grind his teeth when he feels Thor's hand on his. He stops from looking down at it and drawing attention to them.

After dinner, he drags himself into his room with dread in each step. He is not, not looking forward to this charade. In fact, he had other plans for tomorrow such as trying to get Thor to speed up this "slow" thing, but he has to instead spend it in a room with Harry, presumably Peter, Nal, and Norman Osborn?

To his surprise, Thor slips into his bedroom after midnight in nothing but pajama bottoms, and Loki quickly divests himself of his underwear, trying to do so as discretely as possible. Thor climbs under the blanket and slides in close, and Loki bites the inside of his check in anticipation to Thor discovering his nude state.

"Loki."

"Hm?" he asks, looking up at Thor with what he hopes are innocent eyes.

"I saw you remove your undergarments," he says, looking slightly amused. "You are terrible at being tactful."

He scoffs. "What? I've managed to do some rather risqué yoga these past few months, and you didn't suspect a thing. You were more oblivious than I was, but I did notice your envious, lingering glances."

Thor stares at him before he frowns. "They call you 'Yoga boy.'"

Loki rolls his eyes. "But, you know that the show is all for you now. Does it ease your envious thoughts?"

"No, not very much." Thor sighs, and Loki watches the rise and fall of his inhuman chest. "You are worried for tomorrow."

If Thor is going to continue this ruination of the sexual mood, Loki thinks that his libido is going to take a nosedive for the worse. "I have no wish to spend my precious vacation with Harry Osborn and his father. I had other"—he pointedly looks down—"more important plans."

"Loki, if you're going to do this, I cannot sleep with you." Thor slides from beneath the covers. "I bid you goodnight."

His new mission is to convince Thor that going slow is not in the cards. There is no need. He may be 16, but Thor is only newly 18, and Loki has no need to move at such a pace. He's fine with jumping straight into the sex. In fact, he wants to. He has to or he's afraid for his dwindling sanity.

The fact that Thor decides to wake him by straddling him and shaking his shoulders has to be some sign that he is not entirely behind this "slow" thing either.

Loki sees that it's 8:50, and doesn't try to go back to sleep. Yet. Slipping out of bed, he showers and does the normal morning routine up to dressing. He slips back into his bedroom after breakfast and strips out of his pajamas, climbing underneath the covers and going to sleep in anticipation for what he knows it coming.

Thor uses the same tactic to wake Loki up again, and Loki takes full advantage of his position. He pulls Thor down into a kiss, which Thor tries to resist but ends up responding to in a matter of moments. Loki gets Thor's shirt off and starts on his belt buckle when Thor decides to remember their agreement.

"Get up. You cannot sleep your way out of this."

Loki falls back onto the pillows with a sigh. "I hate you."

Thor gets off of him. "Come on, Loki. Up."

He throws the blanket off of him, exposing his lack of clothes. "I need clothes."

Thor pulls Loki up by the arms.

Loki groans but heads for his closet anyway, letting out a yelp when Thor's hand swats his ass. "You can't do that!"

He dresses and goes down stairs to find Thor in a winter coat, Loki's draped across his arm. "Where are we going? It's noon."

"I know," Thor replies, sliding the coat onto Loki's arms. "We still have eight hours to take in the city's offerings. You complained about your day being wasted, but we can still do productive things."

"My idea involved less clothing and a grin on my face," he mumbles, sliding into the cab. He pointedly sits on the opposite end of the cab, crossing his arms and staring out the window as Thor talks to him and ignores the way Loki's treating him. It's both frustrating and endearing at the same time.

When they end up in line to get ice skates, Thor getting Loki's shoes without even asking the size and getting the size correct, Loki continues crossing his arms to show his distaste of wanting to do other things.

Thor pushes him into a seat and forcefully puts his skates on. "Come," he says, pulling him to the entrance of the ice.

Loki grabs the railing, feigning fright. Gods, this is going to be fun. "But I don't know how to," he says, trying his best to seem clueless.

Thor cocks a brow. "How do you not? Skating is quite the pastime back in-"

"I hate people," he replies, grinning. "You didn't think that I was unaware of how to ice skate, did you? You assumed, Thor. I thought assuming was bad."

He stares at Loki hard, but Loki remains the same. "I apologize."

"You should," he replies, "but not for this. You should apologize for how you've been acting lately. You're torturing me?"

"Torturing you?" Thor laughs in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

"'Slow', Thor," he replies. "Keep up. You keep saying that we should go slow, but what if I don't want slow?"

Thor reaches out to touch him, but he slides away, careful to keep his hands on the railing. "Loki…"

"Why not fast instead, Thor? Afraid you cannot keep up?" he asks, and he spins, pumping his legs and racing away from Thor with ease. He enjoys lying a bit too much, but it's not his fault that the opportunity was there. He had to take it.

He turns to skate backward, and he sees Thor skating toward him. "Isn't fast better, Thor?"

Thor speeds up, so he turns and does so.

Loki's inner need to show off proves detrimental when he does a figure eight around two kids, goading Thor throughout. He makes the mistake of thinking that Thor has given up, so he tries to skate around another person only to end up with Thor's arm around his waist. He stares up at him with a mischievous smile. "Told you fast is better."

"Your silver tongue is going to get you in trouble." Thor pulls him into a kiss, and Loki smiles into it, putting his hands around Thor's neck as he kisses him back.

"Get a room!" someone shouts.

Loki and Thor pull apart, and they hold each other's gaze for a few seconds before looking away.

Loki grins and bites his bottom lip, and Thor holds his hand as they skate, slower than before but fast enough for Loki. Gods, this is the best alternative to staying home and attempting to seduce Thor. This boy is going to be the end of Loki though.

He orders ice cream much to Thor's protest due to the fact that it's winter, but Loki rolls his eyes and selects a chocolate mint cone anyway. Of course another opportunity to mess with Thor arises, and he's slowly dragging his tongue down the cone and eating the melting ice cream as he stares Thor in the eye.

"Slowly does work though, doesn't it?" He takes another long lick. "Thor, you look a little…"

Thor sends him a dark look, and Loki tries his best to look innocent. "Silver tongue."

"You should call me that some more, Thor. I'd love to show you what else my tongue can do-" He's interrupted by Thor's lips against his, but he's never minded anything less. The stickiness from the ice cream should be more uncomfortable, but Loki only thinks that it helps. He pulls away and takes some ice cream into his mouth and does something another Loki would find absolutely disgusting. He eases it into Thor's mouth with his tongue.

"I think mint chocolate is a new favorite of mine," Thor says, doing something that should also be disgusting, licking a stripe from Loki's chin to his bottom lip. He kisses him again, and he tastes exactly like the ice cream. It's pleasing to know that it's Loki's doing. "I love you."

Loki smiles. "The feeling is more than a little mutual." He kisses him again.

"Get a room!" a voice shouts, sounding a lot like the one from earlier.

"Yeah, you horny teenagers!" Loki recognizes the voice instantly and pulls away from Thor.

"Luke, Robert," he greets, looking at the approaching boys. "Wasn't expecting to see you."

"We sure as hell weren't expecting to see you two either." Robert beams. "Especially in this… uh… position."

"You've got a little…" Luke makes a motion around his mouth before he and Robert succumb to laughter. "Can I say that I never thought this moment would happen after that failed time at the gym."

"Yeah, me neither."

The two of them stand still for a moment. Twin grins break out across their faces.

"Celebration!" Robert shouts, and the two of them grab Thor and Loki and pull them along. "Wait, Luke, I'll be back."

Thor wraps his arm around Loki's shoulder as they stand there with Luke and wait for Robert to return. Loki has a feeling that whatever Robert has gone off to do is not going to result in anything remotely normal.

He makes it back just as the beginning bells of an all too familiar Christmas song begin to play from the speakers.

There are a few squeals from around the rink, but Luke's grin and squeal are worse than them all.

"This is why your my bromate!" he shouts, and the two of them start to sing—in key of course—to "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and start to skate around each other and wave their hands.

He and Thor exchange a look before shrugging and taking each other's hand. Loki leans his head on Thor's shoulder as they skate around the rink and leave Robert and Luke to celebrate like the maniacs they are. The first time they cross them, there's a crowd of people around them clapping and cheering them on. It's as if the public is impervious to the insanity of his friends.

Jessica and Lindy show up after they begin to dance to "Christmas Tree" by Lady Gaga, and he and Thor leave now that they're in safe hands.

He dresses with the time after the party in mind, choosing a green sheer button down and a bowtie and pulling on a blazer to make it look appropriate. He wears tight trousers with the party in mind, knowing that opportunities to bend down in front of Thor will present themselves. The ache in his back is almost nonexistent at this point.

"How do I look?" he asks him, taking in his own dress. Thor's going to try his patience tonight.

Thor lets out a breath before he answers, and that lets Loki know that his mission has been accomplished. "Fine."

A grey-haired man opens the door, and Loki's happy to see that Harry isn't secretly in possession of his own AI and employs human servants. "Hello, Mr. Laufeyson and Mr. Odinson, I presume? Come right this way."

Harry's house looks a lot better without all of the Halloween decorations and orange lights. The guests are all a lot older and more appropriately dressed, and Loki doesn't recognize any of them. He didn't expect to.

"Hey, Loki!" Harry waves them over to what appears to one of the refreshment tables. "Hey, Thor. It's good to see you, point break."

"Hello, Harold, Peter."

"Haro-?"

Peter laughs, elbowing him. "I don't think he forgets the whole kissing Loki thing."

Thor tries to smile, but Loki sees the bottled hostility behind it.

"Loki, Thor!"

He turns to see Norman entering with Nal a few feet behind him.

Nal looks like Loki remembers, but the resemblance to Laufey is still jarring. The faux smile on his face does nothing to help either.

"Mr. Osborn," Thor greets, shaking his head.

"Hello, Mr. Osborn." Loki takes his hand as well, and almost curses at the sudden firm grip on his upper arm. Thor's hand is hard, unpleasantly so, and Loki knows exactly why. He could have prevented this, but… he has other things on his mind.

"You didn't warn me that he was coming," Thor hisses.

Loki removes his arm from Thor's grasp as covertly as he can. "I had no obligation to do so." He puts on a smile as Nal approaches. "Uncle."

"_Tjenare_," he replies, speaking Swedish. "Loki, it is quite great to see you here. Norman informed me that you were coming after I arrived, and I was delighted. It was my plan to visit you tomorrow, which I shall do, but it is great to spend more time with you. Your connection with the Osborns has been helpful. Come and talk to me."

He follows Nal, falling back into the obedient role frustratingly easily. "Yes, Harry informed me."

"Harold is quite the boy though he does not compare to you. Norman shares the same sentiment, but he does have a year of studies to mature. Enough of him. Tell me how your nose has healed. I heard of your episode. I find that no strenuous activity after 24 hours is enough to not get nose bleeds. Also, the car, what do you think of it?"

Thor vibrates in anger next to him, and Loki knows that he has to get him away from Nal soon.

"It's… fine," he replies. "I have not driven it. I do not have my American license."

"I was afraid of that. I will have you assigned to an instructor. As I told you, do not let Odin or Farbauti dictate your decisions. It is your car, and a gift from me. 16 is a man in many cultures far superior to that of America. You are very mature for your age as well as you, Thor. You are very mature as well."

He doesn't reply to Nal, and Loki thinks that there isn't anything positive for him to say.

"Why are you speaking to me in Swedish?" he asks, slipping back into English.

"I am calibrating your sharpness and response time," he replies, cocking his head and quirking his lips. "It's still superb, far better than some of the oldest members of the population. I will not let you become Americanized linguistically as well."

Thor snorts, rolling his eyes, and Loki jabs him in the side.

"You can leave," he whispers. "I'll be fine."

Thor looks down at him and over at Nal with a frown but leaves.

Nal sighs and drinks some of his champagne. "I see that you disregarded my advice."

Loki doesn't react, continuing to stare at him with an unwavering gaze.

"You should ask him to be much gentler with you. You were a virgin which I'm sure he was aware of."

He is not having this conversation with _him_ in this house. No, he's not ever having this conversation period. But somehow, he finds himself falling for the trap like Nal knew he would. "How do you know?"

"Your gait," he says, gesturing to Loki's feet. "The distance between your feet is 1.23 millimeters at rest now, and your footfalls are .9 milliseconds apart. I would not expect anyone else to notice, but it's obvious to anyone with experience in detecting footfalls. You have to be quite experienced when you have a father like mine who is quite keen on approaching the situation with a little ethanol running through his veins."

Hm, it seems the trait of acquiring liquid courage is hereditary. Loki hopes that he grows out of it with time because he does not want to end up like his grandfather. Any man who raises children like Nal and Laufey is a man to be used as an example, not an inspiration.

"I do hope that my previous observations are correct. You appear to be quite domestic."

"He wants to take things slow," Loki says.

Nal chuckles. "And slow is never satisfactory for a Laufeyson," he says. "I do appreciate his desire to protect you. It is almost… sweet."

He turns and stares at Nal as if he's lost his mind. "Sweet?"

"Nal, Loki," Norman says, walking up to them, "if you two would please join us?"

Loki walks in front of Nal, feeling a lot more conscious of the way he walks. He's thankful that his natural grace has not been effected, and he makes it into the room unscathed. It appears his natural grace also saves him from tripping at the sight of Thanny standing with the girl Marcia.

"Nal, Loki, this is Thanos Titan and Marcia Lang," Norman says. "Thanos and Marcia are both students at HYDRA and friends of Harry's. I am friends myself with the Titan family, but Thanos' parents were unable to attend tonight."

Thanny grins in his sweater vest, looking much more dapper than Loki remembers him. "Yes, it is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of another Laufeyson," Thanny says. "Loki and I have had the pleasure to meet on several occasions prior though our initial meeting was due to your son's annual Halloween festivities. I should thank Harry."

It's almost hilarious to see him so… proper and well-mannered, but it does not surprise Loki that he so easily conceals himself. It's impressive.

"Yes, Thanny, and I are quite familiar."

Nal looks between the two them, the corners of his mouth upturning. "That's the best news I have heard this week, and I received news that my father was electing to spend Christmas elsewhere." He chuckles. "Come. Let's socialize more."

Thor comes back into the room with a grin on his face that is quickly overturned at the sight of Thanny. Something that looks like pure hate flashes across his eyes, and Peter quickly steps in front of him as if knowing that something bad could happen.

Thanny continues grinning. "Thor, it's great to see you," he says, and the fakeness of his tone almost kills Loki. "You look quite… red."

Thor manages a smile. "Thanos, you're quite blue," he replies, and his eyes flicker to Loki for a moment, his smile wavering. "Gold as well."

"Yes, Loki and I share a love of gold, don't we?" He takes a step toward Loki, and Thor does the same.

Nal puts a hand on Loki's shoulder and guides him to the couch, sitting down so Loki is next to the arm. It's a small mercy that he knows is more for Nal's benefit than his.

Thor sits next to Peter and a red-haired man with a grim expression that matches the one on his face. Heh.

"This is Baron Strucker, Loki," Nal says. "He is former principal of HYDRA."

He inclines his head, and Loki returns the gesture, feeling as though the man hates him already.

"Now, Thanos, would you care to discuss HYDRA? I have been looking into enrolling Loki into the school due to it being so much more accessible, but your anecdotes would be appreciated."

Loki stills, trying not to show his shock. He cannot believe that his uncle thought that remotely appropriate for him to take Loki's educational future into his own hands. He has no intention to leave SHIELD. This entire party feels like a ploy for them to try to ambush Loki into switching to HYDRA. It's not even a case of allegiance. It's just that Loki has no desire to leave SHIELD. It's a nice school… he guesses.

Thanny grins from the other side of the Baron Strucker. "Yes, I would be charmed, and address me as Thanny. It's fine."

Marcia sighs from beside him, pinching the bridge of her nose. He has a feeling that she has to deal with this on a daily basis.

"Then I insist you call me Nal."

They need to "get a room."

"If you are unaware, I am the top of our class and have consistently remained so since elementary school. I will be valedictorian of our class, and my brother Hero who is absent today due to prior commitments will be valedictorian of his class. The Titan legacy dictates that nothing that is not the best is acceptable. I have taken this to heart, and it has led me to where I am today. Marcia will tell you that I am seen as the model student for HYDRA and my career past high school will reflect well on the school as it has with past alumni. Norman himself is a HYDRA alumni, but it is unfortunately that Harry attends SHIELD."

Harry snorts. "SHIELD's fine, Thanny. You're just jealous."

"Jealous of what?" It's meant to sound joking, but Loki hears the hostility. "My own brother considered transferring to SHIELD due to their illusive 'immersion team', but other than that, it has nothing special to offer like HYDRA does. Talking about my brother, Hero does send his regards, Loki."

He does not allow himself to flush.

"As I was saying, Nal, Loki would be an asset for our school, and the school would be great for his education, especially with him needing to prepare for taking on such a large job. I'm sure that SHIELD has had their slate of child prodigies such as Richards and Stark, but they do not train for such jobs like I will hold or the one that Loki will hold after you hand him over the company."

"What company?" Loki hears himself asking.

Everyone turns to him as if he's missing something.

Nal purses his lips. "Nothing important to you yet," he replies. "You should ask your mother. I would love to see her response to such a query that you should already know the answer to. Yes, Thanny, I do see that as one of SHIELD's shortcomings as well…"

He tunes out after that, half-listening to Nal and Thanny stroke each other's egos. He makes eye contact with Thor when they begin talking about Hero a second time, and he sees the ice in his eyes. He doesn't look away, knowing that Nal is definitely watching them, but he tries to convey how much he regrets it.

The ego stroking continues at the dinner table, Nal and Thanny seated next to Loki and across from him respectively. Thor sits beside him, and Loki does not hesitate to shift his chair closer to him as soon as they sit down.

"Marcia's number two in our class, but it's due to my superior intellect instead of her shortcomings…"

Loki chews his pasta, desiring to lean on his elbow and stare down at his lap, but he knows that Nal would not hesitate to tell him to correct his posture. He grows more and more anxious as they converse, and he starts to move his hands around on his lap to diffuse the anxiety.

His hand accidentally brushes Thor's knee, and he feels that Thor freezes at exactly the moment he does. Casting a glance around to see if anyone is looking, he sets his hand back down on Thor's knee, slowly inching it upward.

Thor shifts in his seat, and Loki stares straight ahead as if nothing is wrong.

Thanny's eyes shift to him for a second but shift back to Nal as he nods along to what he is saying.

Loki moves his hand up a few more inches, only a hand width away from his crotch. A tendril of thrill travels down his spine, and he continues upward until he reaches the top of Thor's thigh.

"Loki, what do you think?"

He doesn't give Thanny the satisfaction of freezing. "I think that nuclear fusion is a good source of energy."

Thanny scoffs. "You're biased due to your friendship with Tony Stark. I think that…"

Loki moves his hand over slightly until it rests on top of his crotch, and it takes all of his willpower not to smirk.

Thor shifts a bit in his seat, but it looks like there's nothing suspicious about it. He moves his hand onto Loki's knee, and Loki has an idea where this is headed. Gods, is he okay with it.

"Loki, tell me your opinion in all of this? NYU should not be a part of such messing about."

He knows that Tony would tear his head off right about now. "It's not messing about, considering Reed Richards is one of the top nuclear scientists in the world, and he isn't even certified by any college. Bruce Banner is quite educated as well."

"Bruce Banner is a psychopath," Thanny says, "which brings me to my next point…"

He slowly dips his hand under Thor's waistband, biting his bottom lip as his hand comes to grip him loosely. It's going to be hard considering Thor's not so, er, small… hammer, but Loki's been told that he has big hands. He can make this work. He will.

Thor's hand slips into his pocket, and Loki thinks that his strategy is definitely the better one in the case they do get caught.

"…unconscious."

"Are you serious?" Thanny frowns. "Loki, I would have beat the shit out of Banner."

Maria snickers, and Thanny appears unaffected by the looks the adults at the table are giving him.

"He should have never hurt you. Are you mentally well after that?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he replies. He begins to stroke, rubbing his thumb around the tip and smearing the wetness all along Thor.

Thor's free hand clenches on the table surface, and as someone drops something on the ground, he rips a hand-sized hole in Loki's pocket. He can always get new ones. It is worth it.

"It was simply a nosebleed," Nal replies. "Victor von Doom…"

He bites the inside of his cheek to stop from crying out as Thor takes him in hand and begins to stroke firmly. It's just his hand, but it's Thor's hand.

"Yes, I'm in contact with him, or I have been recently." Thanny turns his gaze on Loki. "Victor seemed apologetic where you're concerned. With that, make it what you want."

"Our relationship is complicated," he replies, Thor's finger pressing into slit. He blinks a few extra times and squeezes Thor as revenge. "Do you know when he will return?"

"Oh, yes, I'm unsure of that," Thanny says. "HYDRA has caught his eye."

"Good riddance," Peter says from a few seats down. "What a creep."

"'Creep?'" Thanny asks. "What did he do to earn that?"

"It's nothing," Loki says, his voice wavering on the second word. Thor's fingers ghost over the undersize in teasing strokes, and he's getting close. Too close. "Trifles really."

"Dad, can I be excused from the table?"

"Oh, yes. All of those who wish may be excused."

At that, Loki removes his hand from Thor's pants, and Thor does the same. "I have to use the restroom," he says, and he flees with his last string of dignity intact. He thankfully finds a bathroom in no time and slips inside, shutting the door and going to the sink to brace himself. He's going to wait for Thor because he's not finishing this himself, and he fully intends to finish what he started.

There's a knock on the door and Loki goes to open it, expecting Thor, but instead finds Thanny. He slips inside before Loki can protest, and the way he towers over him leaves a strange feeling in his chest.

Loki puts a few feet between them, but Thanny crosses it in steps.

"I know what you were doing," he mumurs, his breathe hot on Loki's neck. "I know what he was doing to you, and oh… does it piss me off, Loki. He's getting to touch you and-" Thanny exhales. "I fucking hate the atoms he's made of even if we've already exchanged a few. Fuck them. Hero's afraid of him, and I hate that. I hate him. I hate Thor, Loki. You love him, don't you? You're going to fuck him, let him fuck you."

Loki shuts his eyes and gulps, trying to calm his rapid pulse. This is nothing, just Thanny being Thanny. He's not going to let his strange possessiveness get to him. It doesn't matter.

"I want to fuck you, Loki. I would fuck you if you let me." He touches the side of his face. "And only if you let me. If anyone tries anything with you, Loki, you better fucking tell me because I'll rip their spine out of their mouth and feed them their insides if they hurt you. Bruce Banner is on my list."

"Bruce, isn't-"

Thanny touches a finger to his lip. "Shh, Loki. Shut those pretty little lips of yours." He steps away and puts space between them. Thankfully. "I promise I won't tell, but please cum for me."

When he leaves the bathroom, Loki finds that he's strangely confused and not angry at all. He should be with how Thanny's acting, but he's more… terrified than anything. Thanny's absolutely terrifying, and Loki's never felt terrified of someone who isn't his blood in a very long time.

There isn't a knock before Thor enters, he just does, and Loki realizes that should have been the first sign that it wasn't Thor.

Thor grabs him and kisses him hard before pushing him into the wall. He lifts him by the waist and wastes no time before he starts to grind his hips into Loki's.

Loki bites his bottom lip and tries to muffle his moans, but he finds that his mind is too overwhelmed to do much other than roll his hips and say Thor's name. He does have the thought to bite Thor to muffle his cry as he cums, so he does.

He pants and realizes that Thor hasn't cum yet. This is an opportunity that Loki cannot pass up.

"Wait, don't… yet," he says, holding Thor's gaze for a moment. He shoves him away enough for room to comfortably fall to his knees and goes to his zipper, undoing the front of his pants with ease. There's a tendril of thrill as he goes into the opening of Thor's pants to prepare himself to go to a new place. Licking his lips, he inhales and surges forward to take him into his mouth.

Loki's never done this, but he knows to sheath his teeth as he takes him down as far as he can, and that's pretty far considering his inexperience. Somehow he knows that this _is_ Thor's taste, the mix of salt and soap that the rest of him tastes like. It's a taste that Loki would recognize anywhere, and it's one that he'll never forget.

Thor's hands come into his hair, and Loki knows that he's restraining himself from pumping into Loki's mouth.

He pulls back to the tip, swirling his tongue around the circumference before pushing it into the slit. There's barely enough time for him to prepare to swallow, some falling onto his cheek as Thor climaxes.

Loki grins as he stands, wiping the remnants away with the back of his hand.

Thor kisses him hard as if trying to taste himself. "You bit me," he says as he tilts his neck and examines the mark in the mirror.

Loki realizes that he has to spend the rest of his night in these underwear before he gets the idea. He takes his pants off and removes the boxers, throwing them in the trashcan. "What, they're ruined?" he replies as Thor gives him a look.

So 'slow,' hm?" Loki smirks, coming up behind Thor to lay his chin on his shoulder. "The bite mark looks nice."

Thor touches it again, chuckling. "Perhaps I should get it as a tattoo," he replies.

Loki leaves the bathroom first, slipping out when he sees that the hall is clear.

Marcia appears out of thin air, and Loki almost jumps back at the sight of her. "Walk with me," she says, and he falls into step beside her. "You know, you have balls for doing that in front of Than. He's obviously insane, and anyone with sensibility wouldn't push him. You and your friends are almost as insane as him. I mean, Thor punched Hero in the face. Anyone with any sanity would have skipped town, but here you are. I must admit that it is kind of entertaining to watch Than try to claim someone else's mate, but this is the first time that he's ever gone through such great lengths since me of course."

"You? You two are…?"

"Oh, not now. He's still under the delusion that he will find someone else to marry after I keep rejecting him, but I know that in the end we will end up together whether I like it or he likes it. He's just… right for me, and I am the only woman in the world capable of raising his children while keeping him around. He likes the chase, and you provide it. No one rejects Thanos Titan, but you did. It's interesting but not surprising since you are so insane."

He should feel insulted that she keeps calling him that, but the matter-of-fact tone really makes it obvious that she is making an observation. She's insane herself if she willingly hangs around Thanny, so it seems that insanity knows other insanity.

"I didn't really… reject him," he replies. "I liked Hero better and met him first. It didn't help that he was so rude to him. Also, he tried to kiss me even after I told him no. He's…"

"Determined," she finishes. "People he hooks up with end up as his friends in some way or another. There are his three best friends who he has no sexual interest in, but everyone else has had some taste of the Titan." She chuckles. "You should know that he calls himself that. He believes it too."

Loki believes it as well. "Thank you?"

"Yes, thank me. I've just given you more help than you realize," she says. "Thanny's not giving up anytime soon, and you and Thor are just getting into a relationship. You need all of the help you can get."

"Loki, you're back," Nal says, walking away from a conversation with some man. "I see that you and Marcia are also acquainted."

"Well, he made out with Thanny's brother, and Hero and I are pretty good friends," she says, and Loki's unsure of whether to gasp or laugh at the unsettled look on Nal's face. "It makes for something in common."

When he and Thor get home later that night after a stilted goodbye with Nal, Loki doesn't attempt to change Thor's mind anymore. His mind is more occupied with the colossal amount of information he's been supplied in such a short amount of time, and Thanny Titan. The slightly worried look Thor gives him is erased with a kiss that he doesn't enjoy as much as he should or could. Thank you, Harry Osborn.

He imagines Thor to be like one of those children that run through the house and scream for everyone to get up on Christmas morning, but he isn't. He's one of those people who yanks your blanket off before shaking you awake and leaving you there to scramble for some stability.

Groggily, he falls into his chair at the dinner table and pays no attention to the conversation going on between his mother, Odin, and Thor. He doesn't even find himself drawn to the food on his plate.

But it is not funny enough to warrant picture taking when he falls asleep on the table, his head leaned on his arm and inches away from his food. He doesn't know how it happens, but he finds himself yelling at his mother in a mixture of Swedish and English as he crawls to his feet and scoops a passing Fenrir into his arms.

"Sleepy head!" she says, still snapping away. She's wearing a ridiculous Santa Claus hat that jingles as she chases him up the stairs. "Come on, is prins! Don't be such a Grinch!"

"Stop being so American!" he shouts, slamming the door and falling onto his bed. "No offense," he says to Fenrir who whines in response.

Christmas is just another day, so he should be allowed to sleep the day away. He has no trouble drifting off, just one staying asleep.

"Loki, get up!" Thor shakes him, and he bats his hands away. "Why are you so tired?"

"Too much social interaction can drain a person," he mumbles. He opens his eyes and sees that Thor is beaming at him. "What?"

He shifts and realizes that there are buttons along his front. He wore a t shirt to sleep last night, and he did not get dressed this morning. Looking down, he shrieks at the presence of a red… onesie on his body. He hates onesies and other constrictive clothing of the same type. This is a cruel joke.

"Loki, don't you just look adorable?" his mother asks, raising her camera at the doorway. "Thor put it on you for me. Thank him!"

He starts to undo the buttons. "You know I hate them!"

"Aw, Loki, that's why I got them." His mother is sadistic. "You take yourself-"

"Don't you dare say it!"

He slept 3/4s of the day away, but he finds that he's still exhausted. As if his tiredness can't get any worse, his uncle arrives, and Loki is momentarily barred from sneaking off and taking a nap.

"Nice to see you again, Loki," he says, and the look he gives Loki almost makes him paranoid that he's still somehow wearing the onesie. A cautionary glance downward, and he isn't. "You look sleep deprived. Have other activities been interfering in your standard sleep schedule?"

It takes his sleep addled brain a moment to catch up. "Oh. No, no, I—Yesterday was quite draining for me. I am not a fan of Christmas anyway."

Nal hands them all gifts, but Loki doesn't make any motion to open it, setting the bag aside. When he hands him another with an air of distaste, he opens it immediately.

_From Grandfather_

_To Loki,_

_I hear that you are a fan of the finer side of life unlike your uncle. America's alcohol laws are archaic._

He stares down at the bottle and sees the post-it.

_Finest bottle of Absinthe in my collection. Worth more than a 747 and tastes like a Brazilian virgin in August._

"He's crude," Nal says, rolling his eyes. So that's where Loki gets it. He doesn't recall his father doing so, but he has a feeling that his grandfather does often. "An alcoholic who wastes too much money on flavored water."

Loki remembers the gifts in his closet and turns, knowing that Nal will follow him without being prompted. He can't help but smirk as he pulls out stack of books bound together with a ribbon and hands them to his uncle, digging his nails into his palms to stifle the peals of laughter.

Nal undoes the ribbon and scans the titles with an impassive face. "_Masks of Sanity, The Emptied Soul, In Broad Daylight, __Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work__, Trapped in the Mirror_." Nal looks up at him, his lips quirking. "A reading list for a potential psychopathic narcissist? This is one of the more thoughtful gifts I have received over the years. You know me well, Loki."

Loki drops his gifts to the others under the tree when he and Nal return downstairs. He falls onto the ground in front of the couch, Nal sitting down beside him.

His mother sits on the other side of him. "We should open gifts… as a family," she says, and it has to be the holiday cheer making her say that. She hates Nal, and she's including him in this? Yes, it has to be that. "Also, Loki, I'll be charmed to hold onto that Absinthe for you. This is America, and you are 16."

Loki opens his mouth to argue when Nal gives him a smug look that makes him shut it and roll his eyes.

"Farbauti, that would be the best course of action. My father does travel too much to pay attention to realize that not everyone lives on an island of hedonists. Loki, open mine first," he says.

He opens a small box to find a pair of keys.

"They're to the manor, and are not a gift in the truest essence. They belong to you," Nal says. "Continue."

He pulls out history title after history title each in an array of languages, and he finds that he is unaware of how to even read in some of them.

"This Summer, you and I are to depart on a brief travel of the world. Your grandfather insists on meeting with you, and I have managed to suppress his attempts until then. It's almost a family affair though I will be surprised if he stays much longer than a day or so. He likes to bask in the culture instead of observe."

Loki thinks of a younger version of himself being much more excited about spending time with his paternal family. He instead feels dread because it means that he has to prepare in more ways than the normal person. He knows he's expected to actually learn to speak each of those languages and do it well.

As if sensing his anxiety, his mother sets a gift in his hand and goes to open his to her.

She opens the jewelry box and grins, pulling out the charm. "I don't know whether to think it's beautiful or feel sad that it's a heart of ice." She pulls her shirt sleeve back, exposing the charm bracelet. "I have eight charms now."

He can admit his satisfaction that she still wears the bracelet after all of the years, a gift from his eight year old self, and he has every intention to keep buying her charms that encapsulate his feelings of how their relationship went during the year. Age 12, he bought her a silver frowning face which got across his pre-pubescent angst loud and clear. This year a diamond heart for the plethora of love that he's been forced to witness.

Clothes, clothes, and more clothes is what Loki gets for the next few gifts. Even Thor gives him clothes, all red or gray, and Loki realizes just how much Thor likes it when he dresses up. His mother buys him a slew of jeans that look like they'll fit him more than perfectly, and oh does Loki plans to utilize them. Too bad she has no idea for whom.

Loki the huge fan of passive aggression he is, grins at Odin's surprised reaction to _Mein Kampf _and _Napoleon on Napoleon._

Nal nods his head in approval, but Thor and his mother send him quizzical looks.

Loki opens the lid of Thor's gift unsure of what to expect, but there was no way he was expecting _this_. He's almost too afraid to touch it and only stares at the book, shocked that Thor paid attention to the books that lined his shelves and their authors and at the fact that Thor has somehow acquired _this_ book.

"Hm, Thor, you have literary taste like no other," Nal says. "Loki, handle it care-"

"I know," he interrupts, glaring back at him. He slowly lifts the covered book out of the back, careful not to mess with the plastic covering. _Tamerlane and Other Poems_.

Loki sets the book down with care and goes to Thor. He automatically brings his hands to the sides of his face and almost leans in. Biting his lip, he looks down in realization at what he was about to do. He's going to thank him, but he can't do it the way he desires at the moment.

"Thor, thank you, really," he says. "I am in disbelief."

Thor touches his wrist, pulling Loki's hands away from his face. "I want you to be happy," he replies, and Loki knows what else he's talking about.

"I feel the same," Loki replies with a grin. He picks up the bow wrapped envelope and puts it in Thor's hands. "Open it."

The sharp intake of breath Thor does makes Loki grins wider. "Loki," he says, staring down at the tickets with wide eyes. "Loki."

"I bought you two because I know how much you love other's company-"

"I'm taking you, Loki. Don't suddenly go daft," he says, looking up at him. He cups the side of Loki's face and grins, his eyes suddenly dark. "I-"

"I know," Loki finishes. "Me too."

Thor drops his hand, trailing down Loki's arm. "Later."

All the tiredness leaves Loki's body at once, and he finds himself wanting it to be "later" now. He sits through dinner with the anticipation barely kept at bay below the surface.

Nal sends him knowing looks, but he doesn't verbally acknowledge it, not wishing to make a fool of Loki for once.

Thor makes eye contact with him every so often, his eyes still carrying that same darkness, which makes it only worse.

Nal stops and pulls him to the side as he makes his way to the front door. "I am unsure if you are aware, but Thor is as inexperienced as you are," he says, holding his gaze. "I do hope that you build your experiences together and strengthen your relationship. God Jul, Loki."

He stares after him after he exits the front door.

So Thor was a… virgin, too?

Well, that does not change much, but it does make this "problem" a lot more unsolvable and permanent. He already loved him an impossibly large amount. Knowing that he turned down all of those offers he must have gotten through the years by boy and girl alike only cements how inhuman and perfect Thor is.

It also makes any of the burning desire to debauch Thor abate for the night.

He knocks on Thor's door and makes no motion to enter when the door opens. "Will you take a walk with me?"

Thor cocks an eyebrow but nods.

Loki's life has transformed into a romcom set in New York City, he thinks as they walk through the streetlamp lit night hand in hand. He's the bashful protagonist who is just realizing that they are actually in love with the central love interest.

"It's proving to be very hard to pretend that we're only step-brothers," Loki says. "I almost kissed you in front of our parents."

"You are not alone," he replies. "I barely restrained myself. Simply knowing what it's like to touch you proves torturous, which surprises me that you decided a walk was the better option."

"I still wish to thank you properly, but… I would rather talk to you at the moment." Loki looks down at the interlinked hands. "This is quite romantic."

"I thought romance was not 'your thing.'"

"It isn't," he says, leaning his head on Thor's shoulder, "but I know that it is yours."

Thor chuckles, the sound vibrating through his arm. "You know me so well."

"It's my job to." Loki turns and grabs the lapels of Thor's jacket, and when they make eye contact, he knows what's about to happen. He gulps down the nervousness. "I am your-"

He touches a finger to Loki's lips, effectively silencing him. "Slow," he says.

Loki doesn't push him for whatever reason and lets it slide, not even attempting to finish his statement as much as he wants to. Nal's words about Thor being inexperienced echo distantly in his mind, and he thinks that he should listen to Thor, let him set the pace. It's so strange to think that Thor is the one in this who needs time.

When they step in the door, he says, "I'm tired," and it's a lie, but he doesn't let it be known. Escaping back to his room alone is not how he expected this to turn out.

From any normal perspective, he's Thor's boyfriend as elementary as it sounds. They're mutually committed to each other, and they're not married or engaged, so boyfriends it is. If that doesn't fit into the picture of "taking it slow", Loki has no idea what they are to each other then. Maybe that's why Susan and Reed don't put a label on things.

Labels probably come with time, especially with their relationship and the need to move at a slower pace.

Trying not to wallow the day away, he finds that he's in need for distraction, and what better way to do that than go and tackle easier problems. He grabs Stark's gift and dresses for the cold, not paying much attention to Thor other than a customary hello when he exits the living room and encounters him coming down the stairs.

Thor looks at him for a moment before going into the kitchen. His voice disrupts the silence around him, and Loki almost trips in the middle of putting on his left boot. "We should talk about yesterday."

"I have errands to run," he says, slipping on his other boot. He glances up and sees that Thor is walking in his direction. "I'll see you later."

"Loki-"

The door cuts Thor off, and Loki doesn't take any chances, waving down a cab and rattling off Tony's address as fast as he can. He doesn't chance looking back to see if Thor is following him as to not rouse suspicion as to where he is going.

Preparing oneself to visit Tony Stark is an effort on a normal day, but the last time they really conversed, Tony kissed him. Loki has an idea why—he's terrified of Steve discovering his feelings—but that doesn't make it any less dreadful.

James opens the door, staring at Loki in surprise. "Was expecting you the least of Tony's, um... Definitely a surprise. Come on in."

He steps into the heavily decorated hallway, noting the warmth that the house was lacking the last time he was there. There is holiday music drifting in from the other room and the smell of chocolate is heavy in the air. "I express the same sentiment."

James nods before grabbing him by the forearm and pulling him into one of the doorways, a parlor with a small Christmas tree in the center. "Look, Loki," he says, "Tony—he... he was pretty messed up when we came. See, we spend the holidays together every year, have since we were toddlers and his pops was too busy with the company to pick up the phone and say his season's greetings. I think he spent an entire day down in the wine cellar sipping the Conti from the 18th century while he lamented his existence and all of that other Tony-like shit. He was... fragile, a lot like after his mom passed."

Loki blinks a few times, running the information through his mind. "And presently?"

"He's okay, but I have to tell you to be... gentle. Don't try to make him feel any worse about whatever happened between you two. He's been whining about how much you probably hate him the entire vacation. He'll be happy to see you. Can you just-?"

"Rhodey, who was at the-?" Tony stops in the doorway, brow furrowing. "Oh, wasn't expecting it to be you."

James lifts his eyebrows at him, reiterating his message. "Yeah, I wasn't either. Come on. I'll introduce you to the family."

Loki follows James, Tony only a step behind him, and he feels slightly apprehensive around him. Not because of his fragility, but because Loki's unsure of what he's going to do next, kiss him or try to punch him.

"Mom, this is Loki," James says, gesturing to the woman sitting in the chair reading. "Loki, this is-"

"Roberta Rhodes. Call me Ms. Rhodes," she says, grinning a dazzling smile at him. He can feel the maternal warmth coming from her in droves, wondering if she is the source of the newfound warmth in Stark Manor. "You one of Tone's friends?"

He smirks at the nickname, pointedly looking at Tony. "Um..."

"I see you got me a gift," Tony says, interrupting as if he doesn't want to know the answer to that question.

"Actually, yes," he says, handing him the box. "It's something that I know you showed interest in and-"

Tony tears open the package, staring down at the video game for a few moments. "Dude. Dude," he repeats. He looks up at Loki, eyes wide. "Dude."

"If you say 'dude' again, I'll smother you in your sleep," a girl says, entering the room. Loki notes the resemblance between her and James and guesses that she's his sister. "Oh, who's this?"

"Jeanette, he's Loki," James replies, smirking. "He's gay."

"Jim," Ms. Rhodes says as she frowns at him. "Don't assume things about your sister."

"But you know she was thinking it," he replies.

Jeanette flips her hair behind her back and sits down next to James, shoving him. "Shut up, Jim. Nice to meet one of Tony's rare friends."

James glares at her, and she shrugs, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

"I'm guessing it's out of the question to kiss you," Stark says, grinning albeit a little hesitantly.

James snorts from his place on the couch. "If you do, I might let Jean smother you."

"Wait, I got you something too," he says, going to the tree and picking up an alarmingly big and surprisingly well-wrapped package. He hefts it into Loki's arms. "Open it."

He stares at the golden helmet, weighing it in each of his hands before holding it a few inches above his head. There is no way he is going to put this on his head. He's not wearing a helmet with horns this big because he has no wish to get caught in the top of doorways or to get gawked at more than he already does on the streets. Even in the "privacy" of Stark's home, he knows that there is a chance that Tony has JARVIS waiting for a moment to gain the leverage material of a photo of him with that ridiculous thing on.

"What... is this, Stark?" he asks.

"See, you're horny? Horns?" He lifts up a mug of hot chocolate and stares at an unamused Loki, seemingly disappointed that he's not getting quite the reaction of laughter he expected. Loki sees the exact moment the anger flashes over Tony's eyes. "Might want to ask Thor to take care of that."

Loki doesn't give him the satisfaction of getting angry. Stark's simply mad that Loki saw through his attempt to deflect all of the attention on his highly visible love for Steve by making a show of his "love" for Steve. Smoke and mirrors are not enough to fool Loki.

"Have you tried to see Rogers?" he asks after accessing Stark's mood and deciding that he doesn't care if he's not comfortable discussing the topic.

"Yeah, Bucky tried some fucking ninja moves on me. I think he's losing his fucking mind. Not fit to care for Steve if you ask me."

Loki looks at him from the side as Stark sips from his hot chocolate, noting the bitterness in his eyes. "He claims that Steve is sick. You don't seem to believe him."

Tony slams his mug down on the table, Ms. Rhodes frowning at him. "I'll clean it up, gosh." When he gets a glare from James, he murmurs an apology. "He's always like this with Steve. He thinks he's the only one fit to take care of him. His 'claim' that I'll expose Steve to my outside microbes doesn't fly anymore when I show him that I have a containment suit on hand. He's such an ass."

"Tone," Ms. Rhodes says.

"Sorry, sorry," he replies, holding his hands up defensively. "Really, I am."

"I don't believe you, Tone," she says, "but I accept anyway. I blame those eyes of yours. You're too cute for any of our own good."

He tilts his mug toward her. "You and I both know it."

"I'm sure he's relatively fine," Loki replies.

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better. Wait, I'll give you Thor's gift too. Doubt he's coming by anytime soon." Tony grabs another present, one that is much smaller but just as heavy as Loki's. "If I ask you to wear the helmet out of here, would that be pushing it?"

"You 'pushed it' when you gave me the helmet in the first place, Stark." He opens the door, turning bodily toward Stark. "Beyond any rational thought or reason, I do not have the inclination to hate you. Even after all of the drama that you have thrust into my life, I find that hating you would not be productive for any sense of normality."

Tony takes a sip from his mug. "You're saying that you only still like me because I forced my way into your life?" He chuckles. "Eat your heart out, Steve. Forcing my way on people does work out in the end."

He walks down the steps. "Merry Christmas, Stark."

"Yeah, uh… _God Jul_."

Loki turns and cocks an eyebrow at Tony but doesn't say anything. His Swedish is… good.

"You went to see Tony Stark," Thor says as Loki drops the box into his arms. "I wonder what gag gift he got for me."

He doesn't hesitate to put his box in a corner until he finds somewhere else for it to be.

"It's a… helmet," Thor says as holds up a silver winged helmet. "Strange."

Loki cocks his head to the side for a moment, and he grabs his laptop and does the dreaded search of his name. He's done it before, always rolling his eyes at the foreseen abundance of Norse mythology links, and now, he's not surprised at all to see a painting of his "god alter ego" wearing a golden helmet with horns. Stark thinks he's so clever.

"Stark has a sudden affinity for Norse mythology," Loki says, shutting his laptop. "I guess that's a replica of Thor's helmet, and my own is a replica of Loki's. How incredibly coincidental."

He almost gasps when Thor puts his helmet on, looking too godly for Loki's sanity.

"Hm, it's not that heavy," Thor says as he takes it off. He furrows his brow. "Is there-?"

"No, nothing," Loki hurriedly replies. He does not have a sudden fetish for Thor dressed in god regalia. No. "Nope. I'm fine."

"You sound as if you're trying to convince yourself more than me," he says, a grin slowly blooming on his face. "It sounds like you suddenly have the same affinity as Stark. Would you like me to put the helmet back on?"

"No! I mean…" He stares at Thor wide-eyed, trying to calm his rapid pulse. "Thor, I am fine. I have no such fetish-"

Thor beams.

"Have I ever told you how much I hated you?" Loki drags a hand down his face before resting his forehead in his hand. There's a problem growing in his pants, and this does not fit into the picture Thor's been trying to paint.

It turns out that Loki's perception of said picture is wrong because "slow" somehow includes Thor approaching him with sexual intent stated in his movements. Thor pushes him onto his back and kisses him along the clavicle. "Yes, I recall that you have," he says as he makes his way down Loki's body.

Loki tilts his head back and lets his eyes fall shut as Thor's hands start on his belt buckle. He lets out a gasp at the pressure of Thor's hand and shifts impatiently as Thor takes his time in reaching his hands into Loki's pants, making Loki grow harder and harder.

"Thor, please!" he says, opening his eyes to see him smirking.

"Boys?"

Their chances of accomplishing anything more than a short kiss are effectively erased with how many activities that their parents drag them to. Loki finds that taking care of himself doesn't compare to Thor's touch, and it makes his showers a lot more frustrating than enjoyable. He sees the way that Thor is on edge himself, and it only makes sitting next to him at breakfast painful to the point where he eats as fast as he can to escape.

Saturday night, their parents leave them alone in favor for a romantic night out, and Loki's too exasperated from the forced social interaction of the week to think much farther than getting out of the house as fast as he can. It's not until he's already bundled in outwear and refilling Fenrir's water bowl does he realize that he _and_ Thor are alone.

He catches him on the way out of the shower and gratefully ogles at his dripping torso, licking his lips before he makes eye contact with him. "I—we should go do something."

Thor sadly keeps his towel on after Loki follows him into his room and does not make any motion to remove it. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Um…" He looks up from a particularly interesting droplet of water just above Thor's naval.

Thor cocks an eyebrow. "Are you?"

He's drawn again by the contours. "Yeah, if that's what you want it to be," he replies, and his voice sounds dreamy. He blames Thor's chest.

"I accept. I will meet you downstairs after you're ready." He turns away from Loki. "Wear the red sweater I gifted you with a black bowtie. It's my favorite shade of red."

A whine escapes Loki's mouth before he can stop it. "Okay…" He leaves Thor's gorgeous, wet body and follows his instructions, trying hard not to think of the missed opportunity back there. When he doesn't need it, his self-control makes an appearance.

He rocks back and forth on his heels as he watches Thor adjust the cuffs of his shirt. A man should not be able to look so amazing in a sweater.

It should occur to Loki that Thor should not be the one giving the cab driver the directions, but most of his rational thought is on the back burner in favor for all of his self-control coming to take its place for the time being. He cannot allow himself to seduce Thor in public. It's more of a dignity thing than anything else.

Thor grabs his hand and pulls him into a Latin built restaurant, and Loki immediately notices the abundance of duos and candlelit tables. When he goes up to the hostess and says that he has a reservation, Loki realizes that he's the oblivious one now.

"And I'm the sneaky one?" he asks as he follows Thor. "You planned this."

Thor pulls out his chair. "Correct, I did," he says, "though you almost ruined my plans. I assume you were about to leave without telling me."

He almost feels guilty, but he shrugs. "Well… I wanted to do something. It never occurred to me that we were… alone. I haven't been thinking clearly as of late."

"Your libido clouds your mind." Thor cocks an eyebrow. "I must admit that it has had some effect on me…"

"Some? You clench the sides of your chair when I sit down next to you," he replies. "Attempting to persuade me via nudity earlier was very… 'me' of you."

"You're rubbing off on me," Thor says, and he quickly realizes the double entendre. "Oh, I didn't-"

"Shut up, Thor."

He cannot blame anyone but Thor for how easily it is for him to slip into an attempt at seduction as he eats, holding Thor's gaze as he takes deliberately long drinks or drags his fork over his lips. It's not fair that he gets to look that amazing, and Loki has to sit on the other side of the table and only get to look at him.

"Any hidden plans after this?" Loki asks, licking his lips slowly.

Thor drags his finger across his crémeux and brings it up to his mouth, taking a long suck that goes straight to Loki's- "No," he replies. "Do you?"

He starts to lean forward to but hears their names in time.

Raven and Dr. McCoy approach their table, Raven dressed in a long blue dress that matches Dr. McCoy's tie. It doesn't surprise him that their romantically involved, but he does feel crushed on Steve's behalf. It was a far shot, but Steve definitely has no chance now.

"Wow, was not expecting to see you two here," she says. She looks at them for a moment. "Did I interrupt or…?"

"Raven, that's why I said we should just leave them be," Dr. McCoy says, looking pink. Loki has a feeling that he has a feeling about what the nature of their outing is. "I doubt they want to talk to two teachers."

"You know, Charles is often wrong, but most of the time he is actually right even when it looks like he isn't," she says, staring at Loki. She knows. "It's just… my brother's pretty amazing, isn't he? We'll leave you two alone to finish your date. C'mon, Hank, we've got a date of our own to finish."

"She called it a date," Thor says, taking Loki's hand outside.

"She knows, Thor," he replies, "but I doubt there's any reason for her to tell. It's not as if she came to the conclusion because she saw us together. Charles has been hinting that I should make a move for months-" He stops at the look Thor gives him. "In fact, he told me that I was emotionally confused the day of the catastrophe with Victor. He knew that I was in love with you before I did."

Loki blinks a few times. "Gods, I'm _that_ in love with you," he mumbles.

The event horizon was crossed long ago, and he's been in love with Thor for longer than he previously thought. This means so much more than Loki estimated. If this goes bad—worse than it did before, he will not exit as unscathed as he did.

There's no way he can imagine his life without being able to reach out and touch Thor with Thor knowing what the touch means: that Loki loves him much more than he should. At least not while he still has over six months left until Thor can possibly leave, and those six months will only turn out to be some of the most mentally taxing Loki has ever experienced. He's become like the bane of his existence, those co-dependent individuals who burn not to be in a relationship.

Loki takes a step away from Thor and stares at him with worry in his eyes. "Thor, maybe we should take things…" He cannot believe he's the one saying this. "…slowly."

Thor kisses his forehead, and Loki looks down at the ground in guilt. "I understand," he says, and he slings his arm over Loki's shoulder, urging him back into motion.

Slow works for Loki, albeit a little adjustment is required. That is if Loki is okay with shying away from any physical contact with him in case it escalates into something not quite as "slow." Thor seems fine with it, a little too fine, and Loki finds himself getting angrier with Thor as the moments they spend together pass.

New Year's Eve is when Loki snaps, and he only has himself to blame.

Thor brushes his hand over Loki's shoulders when he takes a seat on the couch, completely innocent and not-sexually-fueled, and Loki stands up and leaves without an explanation, ending up at Stark's front door.

"Wow, I'm two for two," Tony says as Loki walks through the door. He shuts the door and turns to Loki, pointing at him. "Are you here to yell at me?"

"No, Stark, I'm here to get away from Thor," he replies. "I cannot be in the same room with him for another minute."

"Oh, post-sex jitter, huh?"

"No!" Loki shouts. "It's not, Stark! If I were, I would not be angry, would I? I wouldn't be here either."

"Ouch, that's painful," Tony says. "I could actually be helpful with the whole post-sex confusion, but I'm guessing that Natasha was the better choice."

"Stark-"

"No, come on, and join me in the living room." Tony flops down in an armchair, turning to Loki with a look on his face that makes him groan. "Tell me about your problems."

Loki is not going to play "therapist" with Stark of all people. "No, tell me what you plan to do for this… holiday. I know that it's customary for you Americans to throw parties and drink yourselves to oblivion to celebrate another orbit of the sun."

"Yeah, about that…" Tony stands. "Johnny Storm's throwing that. He always handles the New Year's party. I throw the formal one, Osborn Halloween. Starts at 9:00, so an hour and 23 minutes to kill. Have you ever wanted to-"

"If this is some sexual proposition, Stark, I will murder you."

"No, gee—well, that's out of the cards then—I was going to say that you and I should go visit Bruce. He's 'back in town' so to speak, and I bet the bro hasn't talked to any friends in a while." It seems Stark does think about others. "He could use our superior company to his aunt's."

He should say no, knows that Thor is going to be furious, but he and Stark end up outside of 722 anyway. He lets Stark do the knocking after he whines about Bruce liking Loki better because he likes the color green and some unfair advantage. He's about to yell at Stark when the door opens to a dark-haired woman with her hands on her hips.

"Bruce, two of your friends are here!" She beckons them in. "Tony, haven't seen you in a while. How are you?"

"Good, Ms. B. This is-"

"Loki," he says, glaring at Stark. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Mm, English accent," she says. "Pretty too."

Bruce stops a few feet away from them, looking extremely surprised. "L-Loki?"

"Gee, what am I chopped liver?"

"Hello, Tony." He stops a few steps away from Loki. "I—sorry. I am so very sorry, you cannot fathom how many times I have entertained the fantasy of creating a wormhole to that day and just telling myself to go home early. Wow, you look okay though. Are you?"

"Fine," he replies, finding that he missed Bruce. It comes to him easily. "' We make decisions that are rather unsavory in retrospect, but they are not mistakes.' Bruce, you can only prevent it from happening again."

Tony and Bruce turn to stare at him, looking startled.

"Hey, wait, you just sounded like—your uncle Nal visited me a few days afterward. Can I just say that you just sounded a lot like him and please never do that again?" Bruce grins, shaking his head. "He's-"

"Awesomely creepy," Tony finishes. "Smart as hell, but completely cray. Did he actually do that whole invite you to a private island thing?"

Bruce scratches the back of his neck. "Uh, yes, but I declined. Secluded places with people I barely know is not a good mixture. The subway is manageable, but remote island? Nope, I'm fine here."

"Oh yeah, Loki and Thor finally got together!"

Loki sends Tony a glare, not hesitating to shove him. "What is wrong with you?"

Tony trips onto the ground. "What? Bruce needs to be informed for his return! Can't have you making googly eyes with him out of the loop."

Loki's not sure of how he expected Bruce to react, but Bruce's slight smile is better than anything he would have. "Oh, um… congratulations." Bruce looks down at his bare feet. "I know he hates me, but… tell him that I really wish I could take it back. I know he had to do what was necessary, and I respect that though I do feel kind of offended that he almost killed me."

"That's natural, sci-bro," Tony says. "Since we won't be able to get totally filled in today, know that we're coming back tomorrow. We gots to go to Storm's New Year's bash. Wait, Bruce, you wanna come?"

Bruce's eyes flicker to Loki for a moment, and he shakes his head. "No, I don't think that would be a good idea, but thank you." He lifts his hand as if to touch Loki's shoulder but drops it. "I guess I'll see you then."

"Wanna talk about awkward?" Tony says as the get into his car. "Bruce is totally confused about you. He probably thinks you have PTSD or some crap like that. Tomorrow we'll tell him that you don't because we're not having him be all awkward all the time. He's awkward enough with the whole nerd thing."

"If you intend to go around informing everyone of Thor and I's relationship, er… change, I will not hesitate to continue shoving you until you eventually don't get back up."

Tony makes a face. "Don't know what that means, but it sounds painful."

Susan and Reed are leaving the building as Tony and Loki enter, Reed frowning, and Loki has a niggling that it's because of the party going on upstairs. It's only a few minutes after 9:00, but it's never too early for a party to get out of control. He's proved right when they board the elevator and hear music through the metal doors as they wait for them to open.

"Lok-master!" a few people shout, Ben Grimm one of them, and they pat him on the shoulder as he goes to join the main party. There are those kinds of people here then, brainless hulks.

He's more relieved than anything when he finds that the people he associates with are all together sitting in a section of chairs in the corner of the room. He sits down next to Sharon at the edge of the sofa, noting Steve and Bucky's absence.

"Didn't expect to see you here?" He looks up and sees Natasha grinning. "You hate parties."

"I do when I'm sober," he replies, and she frowns. "It's nothing unsolvable. Tell me how your holiday was."

Natasha still has that knowing look on her face but does as asked, and Loki nods along, half-listening to what she is saying. He blames his disinterest on his mood, and he knows that she understands. When she asks the same of him, he gives her a rough run of events of the past week, excluding the confrontations with Thor or that strange encounter with Thanny.

"Hey, Susan and Reed's peoples!" Johnny says as he comes over with a girl draped on his arm. "I expect you bitches to be dancing out there, 'kay? Last party with me and my homies here, so the last best one. Sue better continue the tradition."

"Sure," Pepper says, waving her hand in dismissal. "Goodbye, Johnny."

"Cold, Potts. You wound my hot heart."

He lays his head back and watches as everyone around him finds some happiness in the festivities. He couldn't be more miserable.

Loki stands up and goes to find the nearest alcoholic substance, knowing that Natasha is trailing behind him. It should bother him, but he doesn't really care. He easily slips over the bar and examines the rows of bottles, reaching up to pluck one when someone grabs his arm.

"Nope," Robert says. "I've been instructed to keep you away from the alcohol."

He's tempted to try anyway, but he walks away, easily plucking an unopened bottle from the hands of some boy. He goes back to their group and sits down, and Natasha sits down beside him in Sharon's empty seat, silently watching him as she leans on her arm.

"You're going to be an alcoholic."

"It's hereditary." As he goes to unscrew the cap, the bottle is plucked from his hands. Grinning, he says, "Great."

It's no surprise that Thor is said "plucker." "Natasha's right," he says.

"I know, I agreed," he replies, rolling his eyes. "It's nice that your friends are so eager to listen to you."

"They care about you as well, Loki."

He laughs, eyes briefly flickering away. "Who doesn't?"

Thor chuckles, shaking his head. "Loki, do not do this."

"Do what?" He stands and walks to the windows. "Pretend as though I am not sexually attracted to you?"

Thor walks up beside him, and he's close enough that Loki can feel his body heat. "You requested that we take things slowly."

"It's not even a matter of 'slowly' or 'quickly', Thor!" he shouts. "It's a matter of will I live to regret this or not!"

James turns to look at them, cocking an eyebrow.

Thor grabs his arm and pulls him through a set of doors and out onto a balcony. "Loki, what must I do to convince you that I mean not to hurt you?"

"I know you don't, Thor, but meaning doesn't change what could happen! You don't know the future."

"And you somehow do?"

"Seven minutes till countdown!"

Loki holds his gaze for a few moments before looking away. "I wish I could hate you."

"I resent that you feel that way," he replies, his teeth gritted.

They stare at each other until someone calls out, "Six minutes till countdown," from inside, and they meet halfway in a kiss, Loki wrapping his arms around Thor's neck.

Thor lifts him from the ground and pulls his legs around his waist, cupping Loki's ass for leverage.

They stumble up a flight of stairs and onto a rooftop, Loki's hands exploring Thor's body with fervor.

Loki's never understood why people kept furniture in a place that they will barely ever use, but he's thankful for Mr. and Mrs. Storm for being two of those people when Thor sets him down on a canopy bed. He opens his eyes and realizes that, thankfully, they are alone up here.

Thor bites at his neck, and Loki's eyes fall shut again as he soaks in the sensations assaulting his body at once. Thor's hands are hot against his skin, and the heat from his body is soaking into Loki's fast and making him feel hotter and hotter. Thor breaks away from their kiss to pull his shirt off, but he doesn't complain.

Loki sits up and undoes Thor's pants as Thor undoes his with quick movements. It's somehow not fast enough that Loki's pants are around his ankles and Thor's nudging at his entrance, impossibly wet and warm and huge. He clenches at the fabric as Thor pushes inside, shutting his eyes and inhaling sharply at the mixture of pain and pleasure.

"Three minutes till countdown!"

Thor looks down at him, eyes dark. "I despise how confused you make me feel," he says, his voice husky. Just the sound of it makes Loki want him.

Loki suppresses a moan at the first thrust. "I hate—uh—I hate that I will never be capable of loving someone as much as I love—Yes, Thor!"

Thor almost looks predatory as he moves above Loki, relentless as he pushes deep inside of him. "As much as you love who?" He groans, shutting his eyes briefly. "Say it, Loki."

A jolt of pleasure that almost makes him go numb shoots through his body, and Loki can barely form words. "I—Thor, I'm-" He shuts his eyes, feeling the moisture collecting in the corners. "Gods, I am so in love with..."

He hears the tears in his voice, and he tries to ignore the burning in his eyes in favor for a variant down below. There's no time for crying.

"I care for you, Loki." Thor slows down and takes Loki's face in his hands, kissing him. "I will never ever hurt you again," he says, staring into his eyes. "Your pain is my own, and I am no masochist."

Loki blinks up at Thor. He's not going to cry over this in front of Thor and especially not when they're in such a compromising position. "Thor, just… please..." He closes his eyes for a moment to gather his wits. "Can you continue?"

"One minute!"

Thor starts to thrust into him hard, his eyes narrowed as if Loki is forcing him to do something he doesn't want to. He wants this as much as Loki does though Loki wishes to do it sans talking. He says that he loves Loki. If he loves him, he can give him this.

"52!"

He knows that he's hurting Thor, but he has to protect himself like he always has.

"46!"

Thor brushes the spot inside of him, and Loki is breathless.

"39!"

He's being a coward. It would be so easy to just realize that the risk of getting hurt here is worth it. He's… he's in love with Thor, and Thor is in love with him.

"32!"

Thor cares about him. Thor wants to protect him.

"28!"

Loki bites his bottom lip as the pressure in his gut builds.

"25!"

What is wrong with him? Has he suddenly forgotten that his happiness matters the most? There's an opportunity here. If he does not take it, he is a fool.

"19!"

Loki may do foolish things, but he is no fool.

"14!"

Thor pumps once more, hitting the spot inside Loki that makes his muscles give out and his vision blank for a few seconds of blissful nothingness. He feels the warm-wet on his stomach as he climaxes between their bodies.

"7!"

Loki cries out as Thor spills warm and foreign deep inside of him, and an aftershock causes his senses to again go blank.

"4!"

Slow. Fast. Normal. None of it matters. Loki is in love with Thor. Thor is in love with Loki. There are no perimeters on that.

"2!"

"1! Happy New Year's!"

The fireworks are loud in his ears, and the screams from around him are just as loud, but none of it can distract him from what matters right now.

"Thor, I don't wish—I love that I don't hate you." He puts his hands on the sides of his face, staring him straight in the eye. "I love that you love me. I just… I'm so in love with you."

He brushes a finger over Loki's bottom lip. "Happy New Year's, Loki," he says, and he punctuates it with a kiss that is definitely the best New Year's kiss given around the world. "I-"

"Whoa!"

They both look up and see Clint standing at the stairs. This time, Thor does not make any motion to move.

"Why is it always me?!"

Thor suddenly smiles, brushing his fingers along the side of Loki's face. "_'Ich bin in dich verliebt."_

Loki immediately knows what he's saying, and…

There's no "leider."


	13. Chapter 13

Bucky Barnes: Delirious Fiend?!

Ringing in his first New Year in America is his most favorable experience yet. The ensuing hours of having Thor pressed against his side as they tried their best to act as if they hadn't just been pressed skin to skin are better than the last "morning after." Loki has no intention to ever run away from Thor's arms again.

He enjoys the next morning in bed basking in the afterglow of emotions from their encounter. If this is what it's going to be like afterward, Loki doesn't mind at all.

His mother doesn't seem to mind either though she gives him a strange look as he takes his seat at the table with more enthusiasm than necessary. Thankfully, she continues setting out the silverware in favor for asking him what he's so happy about.

"Good morning, Loki." Thor's hand brushes over his neck as he takes his seat beside him. "Good morning, Farbauti."

Loki takes a sip of his orange juice in an attempt to hide the grin. "Mm, bonjour, Thor," he replies. "Sleep well?"

"I did though my waking hours were more favorable." Their eyes meet, and Loki has to remind himself that his mother is sitting on the other side of the table. "I assume that the day will be spent the same as last night?"

It's a bold assumption, one that should make him question Thor of who he thinks Loki is, but it's one that's likely true. This is their last day of vacation, and Loki wants to spend it in the most pleasurable way possible. With the new additional activity in their relationship, he knows what fits that bill.

"Of course," he replies.

He lets Thor and his mother converse as he eats silently, nodding along when he agrees with something said. The dynamic between the three of them is more favorable than the one with Odin included. The man's presence is a damper.

The front door shuts when his back is turned toward the counter, and Loki isn't startled when he feels Thor's sudden presence behind him. With his mother gone, there are no chances for interruptions, and they have free reign to do as they like.

Thor kisses the curve of his neck, instantly sending a shiver down Loki's spine. His laugh is a low rumble that reverberates into Loki's chest. "Excited, hm?"

Loki bites his lip when Thor's hands touch the bare skin at his hips. The bruises were fading before yesterday, but now they're fresh and painless. Even if they were painful, Loki doesn't think that he would stop him. "Only for you."

His hand moves to Loki's stomach, and he rolls his hips without any warning. The gasp he lets out makes Loki echo the sound.

Loki can feel him, hard and almost intimidatingly big. It's a miracle that he managed to take him those two times before and walk the next day. The Laufeyson genes are amazing, and oh does he thank his father.

When Thor's fingers dip beneath Loki's waistband, his phone vibrates in his pocket. His fingers don't still, and Loki grabs the phone and puts it in front of him, barely stopping from dropping it.

It's a text message from Tony Stark, and of course he forgot that they have plans today to go visit a person who Thor is not too fond of. It's why he hasn't told him Bruce's message and risked his wrath over going to see him without informing him.

Loki tilts his screen forward so only he can see the message. '_'Member we goin' to Bruce's. Get here like now!1! P.S. Don't tell Thor :S_''

Tony knows Thor well too. Loki has no intention of telling him.

"Uh, Thor, wait."

Thor stills behind him. "Loki, what's wrong?"

Loki turns around. "Stark and I have plans today, but it slipped my mind," he replies. "He's in need of emotional council over his romantic problems with Steve, and it's my duty to be the friend that he needs in Steve's absence."

Thor doesn't make any indication that he knows that Loki's lying. He's lying big time, but his intentions are nothing but pure. "Oh, okay," he says as he takes a step backward. "I hope you have a good time with his… romantic problems."

He tries not to let the guilt get to him as he gets ready, but it's hard to send Thor a reassuring smile as he leaves. Thor's none the wiser to Loki's actual plans, and it's sad that Loki has to do this. He _has_ to.

Jarvis lets him in, and Loki meets Tony on his way down the stairs.

"Good, you came," Tony says as Loki follows him down a hallway. He presses a button and a door slides, revealing that it is in fact an elevator. "You haven't decided that you hated me yet."

Loki steps in beside Tony and watches as he fumbles with the buttons on his shirt. "'Yet' is the keyword, Stark. I think that I am far too gone to see the detrimental effect you are having on my sensibilities." He steps out into the garage and follows Stark down the row of cars. "A past version of Loki would never have shaken your hand back in Ancient History."

"Then he can stay his tight ass in the past." They stop at Tony's usual crimson car, and Loki circles over to the passenger seat. "BTW, don't tell Thor I said that. I don't think he'd be okay with me commenting on the state of a younger you's ass. Wait—that came out creepily. Pretend I didn't say anything about your ass, but wait—I gotta ask: how bad does it hurt?"

He gives Stark a look of disbelief as they emerge on the New York streets. "What?"

"Don't play dumb. I know that you two totally went off and fucked at Storm's party. It's why Clint was so cagey. He's traumatized." Stark is silent as he navigates through the traffic. "Did it… hurt?"

"What—shouldn't you know?" Loki turns and watches the East River. "You are Tony Stark, sex aficionado, correct?"

"Yeah, but… I haven't ever been…" He makes a hand motion that makes Loki roll his eyes. "Did it?"

Loki answers, ignoring his better judgment. "Afterward."

They pull up to Bruce's building, and Loki stops Stark before he can get out. "Can I possibly go alone?"

"What? Why?"

"You know exactly why, Stark." Loki turns to look at him. "I only need to have a conversation with him. We're not engaging in any illicit activities, and I will not provoke him into any rampages."

"Okay, I'll go stop by Steve's to see if Barnes is still holding him hostage, but"—he points a finger in Loki's face—"I am coming back as soon as I'm finished. Thor is going to have my head." Stark puts his forehead on the steering wheel and groans.

Loki shuts the door. "Good luck with fixing one of your messes, Stark," he says. "And be sure to give Steve my greetings."

"Yeah, whatever. Be safe!"

Bruce's aunt shows him into Bruce's bedroom where he is sat on the ground in a lotus pose. His bare feet complete the atmosphere of serenity that projects out from him.

After Bruce's eyes open, Loki sees the neon for a fleeting second, chemical green before Bruce blinks the color away. He stares at him, a smile slowly appearing on his face. Loki's seeing things.

"Hey," Bruce says as he stands up. He's graceful in a way that contrasts with the Bruce that Loki is used to. "You came."

"I bought you a gift," Loki says, and he sets the book in Bruce's hands as normally as possible with the anxiety in his body. It should not feel this strange being in the same room as him, but Loki's body gives a slight tense when Bruce makes a motion to take it from his hands. "I saw it in a book store..."

Bruce grins as he takes in the cover. "Wow, Loki... It seems we both had nuclear radiation in mind then." He falls down his haunches and reaches inside of a bin beneath his desk, gently handing the wrapped package to Loki. "I attended a lecture at MIT a week ago, and I took them as detailed as I could."

Bruce _did_ pay attention during his and Loki's conversations about the effect on nuclear radiation on animals though he did forget the fact that Loki sympathizes with the animals. His handwriting is surprisingly neat on the unlined paper, and they are some of the most detailed notes that Loki's ever seen: headings, subheading, and numbers.

He stops on the last page and sees a note written in handwriting that is not as concentrated.

_'I am not one to believe in Hammurabi's Code, but this does make up for the bloody nose, right?_

_-Bruce B._'

"Thank you," he says, looking up at Bruce. "Really, it's great."

"No, thank you. I mean..." Bruce holds up the book. "This is probably one of a kind. It's even got the handwritten notes in it. This is almost impossible to come by with how the government tried so hard to keep them out of our hands." He sounds bitter, but Loki doesn't ask why. "It's absolutely perfect."

Loki sits down on the bed and looks around at the various posters on Bruce's wall. Most of them are diagrams of elementary particles, but there are a few portraits of scientists. It's all so... Bruce.

Bruce sits down beside him, putting his hands under his thighs. Good, he's not the only one feeling anxious. "Look, Loki, I apologize, and I know that it doesn't change anything, but I really need you to know that I am so, so sorry that I hurt you. I didn't mean to let it involve you, but I just—I wasn't really there, and I couldn't do anything."

It's first instinct to call Bruce out on his excuses, but Loki knows better than to take his words at face value. There is something that he's ignorant of.

"It's not an excuse to hurt people, but it's the closest thing to one," Bruce says, He stands up and begins to pace back and forth in front of Loki, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

Loki grips the bedspread.

"They—the doctors claim that the abuse did it," he says, "and they're probably right, but... they don't know the full story to make such a conclusion. I mean, concrete proof is what you extrapolate from, not hearsay. He—I—-There's supposed to be more than just me up there, and after what happened, I'm sure that there are definitely at least two of us. Me and 'him,' and he's the one who handles the emotions. Can't say that he's been doing so good, can I?"

Loki only stares at Bruce evenly as Bruce smiles sardonically. There's no expression that can convey the mixture of confusion, forgiveness, and curiosity that he's feeling. Staying neutral also prevents any incidents.

"The meditation helps but... not all the time. When there are people like Victor von Doom walking around, even the most enlightened of us can, uh, morph into something bad. I just turn into something worse than most do, and it's... frightening to lose control like that."

"I happen to enjoy watching you turn into a psychopathic, murderous, almost-inhuman, killing machine." Tony steps through the doorway, his hands in his pockets. He has a faraway look in his eyes. Steve's still sick then,

"Tony," Bruce says, "you're... here."

"Duh, Brucey, told you I would. Tony Stark keeps his word. You of all peeps should know this." As if remembering something, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small and wrapped object. "Oh, yeah, Merry X-mas."

It's a green flash drive, startlingly similar to the color that Loki saw earlier.

"I had that nuclear experiment from down in New Mexi downloaded to that for you to watch. Had to sneak through some government firewalls, but it was a piece of cake for Jarv."

"Oh, thanks, Tony." Bruce sets it down on his crowded desk and picks up a wrapped package. "Here, I hope you-"

"I'll love it, Bruce, jeez." Tony sits down next to Loki a little closer than necessary. "Rogers is still out of commission, so I'm not counting on him coming tomorrow. Will pay a visit after school."

He and Tony leave when the sun starts to go down.

It's when Loki's buckling his seat belt that Tony finally decides to address the conversation he walked into.

"I thought you weren't going to talk about anything that could lead him on a rampage!" he shouts as he pulls away from the curb dangerously fast. "Talking about his insanity is not one of those safe topics, Loki."

"He wanted to share it with me, Stark. I was not going to stop him from doing so. And it was a very enlightening experience for me." He doesn't try to fix his messy hair from the wind. "The awkwardness you pointed out is eradicated. How did it actually go with Steve?"

Tony glances at him. "Bucky's still a psychopath. Nothing new."

He doesn't press the topic and takes in the sunset over the horizon, the sounds of Frank Sinatra playing in the background. It's the closest that Tony is getting to Steve with how Barnes has been acting, and Loki can't help but pity the boy.

"Thor?" He shuts the door behind him and sits the lecture notes on a table inside the living room as he passes.

"I'm in here!"

He grabs an apple out of the dish as he passes, noting the absence of his mother and Odin. Loki follows his voice into the den where he finds Thor watching a rugby match. He recognizes the tension in his body even before Thor speaks.

Thor leans his head backward to look at Loki. "How did you enjoy your… outing?"

He takes a bite from his apple. "Fine," he replies after he swallows. He feels like there's… something wrong. It's the feeling in his stomach that Loki has just walked into an argument. "Why?"

Thor turns to look at him, and his eyes seem tired, too tired for his age and usual energy. "What did you do?" he asks.

Loki should be happy at Thor's interest, but it's only making the dread worse. "Things," he says. "Thor, is there something that I did that I should be aware of?"

"Loki," he says, "I know that you lied. You went to see Banner… again."

He gulps down the apple and schools his features into indifference. He did not do anything bad. He's innocent. "I… yes, I did, but Stark went with me. I went to his house first, so it's technically not lying-"

"I wish for you to not lie to me at all!" he shouts, Loki wincing. "What if something had happened, Loki?"

"Nothing did!" he shouts back. "And I can do what I want, Thor! You can't control me!"

"It's not always a matter of control, Loki." Thor runs his hands through his hair. "It's a matter of—I cannot lose you or get near that place again. Your lying in situations like these can have a terrible consequence, and your lying… hurts me. Why do you not trust me?"

Loki takes another bite of his apple. "Because I knew that you would react like this," he says. "I know that you… worry about me, and I didn't need for you to spend your day fretting whether I would return in one piece. I've made it thus far in life without your help. I don't need it now."

He turns to leave, but Thor closes the distance between them in seconds and spins him around and holds him in place. He looks down at Thor's hands on his arms and sees the dropped apple on the ground. This should be scary, but he knows the look on Thor's eyes, and it's not anger. It's fear.

"Loki, why can't you just trust me to handle these things myself?" he asks. "You want independence for yourself, but you shield me from the truth at every chance. Is it that I have displayed how untrustworthy I am?"

"No, Thor, I don't think your untrustworthy. I've entrusted you with my life, my feelings, my…" _Heart_ goes unspoken. "I… bend the truth, not because I don't trust you. I do it because I don't want you hurt."

Thor opens his mouth to reply, but Loki continues.

"You don't trust me around Bruce, but he is my friend. I don't want you to do something drastic because you think Bruce is going to hurt me," he says. "Bruce is different now, but I cannot put you two in a situation where one of you could get hurt. Especially you, Thor."

He laughs, actually laughs, and Loki cannot believe he is reacting this way. "Me, get hurt by Bruce Banner?" He chuckles. "Loki, your worries are simply that: worries. There is no chance for Bruce Banner even in his enraged state to cause me bodily harm. My knuckles were cut from lashing out on a wall, not hitting Banner. Your words are most comical."

Loki yanks his arms out of Thor's grasp. "This is the last time to be arrogant!" he shouts. "And when were you going to tell me that? Why did you punch a wall?"

"I was angry I was not given the opportunity to finish the job," Thor says, and a chill runs up Loki's spine at the honesty in his eyes. "I apologize for my primal need to defend what I see as mine."

He wills himself not to get aroused by being claimed like that, but his body ignores his will as usual. "I… Thor, you can never say this to anyone else, you realize that?" He shakes his head. "I am not running away because I am insane, and you are… you. My feelings have made me lose any survival instinct."

"Thor, Loki, we're home!"

Any chance of resolving the tension between them is lost with Odin and his mother's entrance. After dinner, he realizes that any chance of them getting time alone is zero as Thor and Odin sit in the den and discuss topics Loki has no interest in.

He's dressing the next morning when he gets a phone call. Expecting it to be Stark, he answers it without looking at the caller ID, a mistake. "Stark?"

"No, Loki, it's, uh, Steve."

Loki drops his blazer in surprise. He's hasn't been more relieved to hear someone's voice in a while. "St-Steve, wow, I'm—how can I help you?"

Thor pokes his head in the door, watching Loki.

"I wanted to know if you could possibly pick me up for school. I mean… I don't have my usual ride, and… Buck left already. I don't really want to go alone, so…"

"No, Steve, it's fine." He purposely looks at Thor. "We can stop by and pick you up. We'll be there soon, Steve. It's nice to talking to you. It feels as though I haven't done so in ages."

Steve laughs on the other end, but he sounds unsure. "Uh, thank you, Loki. I'll be in front of my building waiting."

Thor doesn't ask, just complies with Loki's requests without questioning. "I'm happy he's alright," Thor finally says. "It has been quite a while since hearing from Rogers."

"I think Stark will be elated," he says. "Wait here."

He finds not Steve standing in front of the apartment building but a tall blond dressed a lot like him, a bag slung over his shoulder and his hands shoved in his pockets. There is no 5'4" frail boy in sight, but somehow, there is no cause to worry.

"Steve?" he asks hesitantly. If this tall blond stranger is him, he finds that he'll only be half-surprised.

The boy looks up from the ground and brightens. "Hey, uh, Loki, hi," Steve says, taking a step forward, and yes, it's definitely him with the perfect posture and stiff body language. "You're… here."

"Loki, have you-?" Thor stops talking, eyes widening. "Steven? Wow, you've grown quite a lot."

Loki takes a moment to absorb all of the new Steve, his long legs STILL clad in khaki show off the muscle beneath, and his arms are… How do one's arms get so large in two weeks? For a sick person, he did manage to gain a lot of mass, and it was all muscle from the looks of it.

"Yes, I, uh… had a growth spurt," he replies, cheeks reddening. "Buck always said that it would come late, and it looks like he was right." He looks down at his watch. "We should get going."

He tries not to stare at Steve, but Steve stares out the cab window anyway, so he doesn't feel as bad as he roams his body with his eyes. It's… a nice body, really nice if Loki's being honest, and he was already glad to have Steve as a friend before. Now, it looks like there's another addition to their friendship.

Loki blushes when he sees Thor give him a quizzical look that quickly turns into a glare in Steve's direction. Thor's hand moves to his thigh, and Loki catches Steve watching.

Steve turns to look out the window again, flush travelling up his neck. "Uh… I see that you were telling the truth about not being with Tony then."

"Bucky relayed the message then," Loki says, a little bit surprised. "Did you get my gift? You have a vinyl player, right?"

"Yes I do, and thank you." Steve pulls his bag down. "I got you something too. I forgot that most people don't have vinyl players, so I hope you don't mind." He sets a white vinyl record in Loki's hands.

"Then I will have to get one," he replies, grinning at him. He realizes just what the record is and doesn't hide his surprise. It's _Sinatra & Strings_, an album that Loki is quite a fan of. "Steve, this is signed."

"I know. I actually have a few signed ones. My grandpa was a big fan of him and left them to my dad. I got them, but I think that you could use a signed LP yourself. Thor, I don't know much about what you and Tony are listening to all the time, but I heard that you liked this guy…" He reaches a long arm over Loki and hands the record to Thor. "Music always sounds better on LPs. It's more authentic."

Loki happens to glance at the artist name, and his mind immediately matches it to music played on a certain occasion.

Thor meets his eyes and smirks. "Thank you, Steven. I will be sure to utilize it in this medium."

That's a promise for things to come, and Loki is unsure of whether to thank Steve or yell at him for making him want to use that now. Loki promised himself after New Year's Eve that he was going to not have sex with Thor every time he got the urge to, and that kind of music is played in the background when one is having sex. One does not listen to it for many other reasons.

"You should stop at our house after school, so I can give you your gift, Steve."

Steve hesitates but nods. "Um, sure. I'll just have to check with Buck."

Loki's tempted to ask about Bucky's sudden change in temperament, but Thor is here, and he's completely ignorant to Bucky's treatment of Loki. He has to keep it that way if he wants Bucky to continue living, and he knows that Steve with his new body will try his best to ensure that as well.

The looks that Steve receives are a mixture of awe and confusion as they seem to put it together that the person actually is Steve since he acts, walks, and talks like him.

Rick stops a few feet away from his locker at the sight of Steve standing in front of it and his eyes widen. "Um, excuse me, you're standing in front of my locker."

Steve instantly moves out of the way. "I apologize, Rick."

"Steve, whoa, what have you been eating?" he exclaims. "You grew a foot!"

Steve actually did since he is now Loki's height. Well, that's going to be weird for a while.

Loki turns and sees Bruce and Tony approaching on the opposite end of the hall and takes a step toward Steve, putting a hand on his shoulder for emotional support. He and Stark haven't seen each other since that night, and Loki has a feeling that they have never been absent from each other's lives that long before. He's also sure that Steve is still angry at Tony.

"Bruce, Tony," he greets.

"Hey, Loki!" Bruce is pulled into a hug by Rick.

Tony pulls off his sunglasses and squints. "Who's the tall blond and muscle-y standing next to you?" He slows down as he nears them. "Hey, introduce us-"

Steve's shoulder tenses.

"Steve?" It's quite comical how wide his eyes are. "W-what happened to you? What did Bucky do to you?"

"Loki, can we please go to Calculus? I don't have time to be ogled at."

"But Steve-"

Loki doesn't push Steve and lets him go ahead of him, taking large strides that Loki would actually have to try to keep up with. He has a feeling that this situation will resolve itself without much of his intervention.

Dr. McCoy doesn't look up when they enter. "Hello, Loki, St-" He looks up and instantly stops talking. "How, uh—how were your holidays?"

He snorts as he sits down, shaking his head at the way Steve is looking at McCoy. He seems to be aware of his change in physique and what that means… sexually. This, this is not good.

"Good, doctor," Steve replies, walking up to his desk. He starts to talk in a low murmur that Loki can't hear, bracing his arms on the front of the desk and leaning toward a flustered looking McCoy. Steve and Raven as romantic competition? No, not good.

Loki gives Steve a look of disapproval as he takes his seat to which Steve responds with a, "What?" as if he doesn't know.

Bruce's presence during Chemistry is pleasant even if the other students seem to keep their distance. Bruce doesn't seem bothered, launching into conversation with Loki about the book he gifted him. The looks he's getting from a few other students make Loki angry enough to not hesitate to send a glare back in their direction.

"You don't have to do that." Bruce says as they change back into their clothes. Coach McKenzie didn't seem fazed at all by Bruce's presence though Emma was wearing a stringy swimsuit that seemed to catch his attention.

Loki pauses as he puts his shirt on and turns to Bruce. He's been careful to keep his back facing Thor to prevent a public incident of any kind. "I don't," he replies. "I want to."

The tension between Steve and Tony creates an almost unbearable Ancient History for Loki, and he listens to their hostile banter with a sigh, hoping that the situation resolves itself soon. Stark's remarks about Steve showing off his muscles to the girls are doing nothing to help, and Loki can't help but take Steve's side in all of this.

"Well, Super Steve, it's not my fault that I don't have mega muscles to flex for the ladies!"

Loki feels his heart beat double time at the sight of Thor, and he stares down at the ground as he makes his way to the boy. They meet halfway, and Loki looks up at him, breathless at how beautiful he still looks. It's as if Loki has just met him again.

"How was class?" Thor asks as he puts his arm around Loki's shoulder. Loki leans into it more than he did before because the fear of Thor knowing is totally absent.

"Great, save for the fact that Tony and Steve are at each other's throats," he replies as they watch their backs a few paces ahead, the space between larger than it has ever been. "I fear for our sanity."

Thor chuckles, and his hand drops from Loki's shoulder and to his lower back. "I feared for my sanity the moment I met you," he says as they walk into the cafeteria.

Loki rolls his eyes, meeting Bruce's from across the cafeteria. He feels the hand on his lower back tense and tries to keep the reassuring smile on his face. "You do not have to be so… wary of Bruce." He turns and looks at Thor. "He's in control of himself now."

"'Now?'" Thor exhales. "I cannot tell you what to do, Loki, as much as I desire to, but you must know that I will not ever allow him to hurt you again. If he so much as gives you a cross look, Robert will not be there to stop me this time."

It scares him that one look could end up with someone dead, and Loki feels slightly uneasy at the table with Bruce and Thor. Bruce is unaware of the threat hanging over his head, and it's for the best. If he knew how Thor felt, it could end up as it did before. He can only hope that Bruce's spiritual enlightenment lasts and Thor's threat is left undone.

His hand naturally comes to rest on Thor's knee, and he continues to look at Natasha as he absently taps his fingers. This will not lead to where it did Christmas Eve, but Loki still feels the thrill of being so close to Thor's crotch as he did before.

Thor doesn't seem to notice as his own arm rests over the back of Loki's chair, and he nods along in response to Natasha and Clint's words. When Loki's hand slips higher on his thigh is when he reacts, his other hand coming to rest atop Loki's as if warning him.

Steve sits down heavily, and he's grinding his teeth loud enough that Loki can hear it.

He doesn't hesitate to tap Steve's shoulder and give him a look. "Don't," he says. "It's a bad habit."

Steve looks sheepish for a moment. "I—sorry. I was just… Tony, he-"

"We know, Steve," Natasha says. "I don't think there's much need to explain. Stark is not being agreeable, is he?"

Loki marvels at the way he can feel Steve's muscles ripple under his skin as he drums his fingers, and it's hard to believe that this… man is the same Steve he knew a few weeks ago. There's actual muscle instead of skin and bone.

He realizes that Steve is staring at him and pulls his hand away from a murmured apology. "It's—Steve, you underwent quite the transformation," he explains. "I am still in disbelief myself."

"I understand disbelief, but Tony's being… rude. He keeps claiming that I've changed, and I have, only physically!" Steve bangs his fist on the table, rattling everyone's trays. "Sorry. I don't know my own strength sometimes. Buck's been helping me with it, but…"

"Steven, you should join Luke, Robert, and I at the gym," Thor says. "We would be joyed to have another weight-lifting partner." He smiles. "Loki is not a fan of the weights."

He does not mean to let out the offended sound he makes. "Uh! It's not my fault that I prefer flexibility over brute strength! I am lithe, and I have no intention to put on any weight or lift any weights at any near time," he replies. "And my flexibility makes up for my lack of inhuman physical strength." Loki turns and smirks, biting his bottom lip. "If you would care for a demonstration, I would be pleased to give it."

Thor's eyes shift down to Loki's lips, and his arm falls to Loki's lower back, fingers brushing the sliver of skin exposed and sending shivers up Loki's spine. "You have _our_ full attention."

It is in no way Loki's fault that his eyes fall to Thor's crotch and widen when they see that there is the start of a situation that Loki would be happy to resolve. Thor should not make innuendoes when he knows that Loki loves it when he says things like that.

"Um… guys, we're kind of in school."

Loki realizes that they're being watched by the other occupants of their table and turns away from Thor.

"This is never, not going to be a little weird."

"Hey, guys, I'm sitting at your table for now on." Harry sits down beside Natasha. "Parker's a fucking bitch."

Peter and Harry kissing is something that Loki will not forget anytime soon. They're absolutely pathetic with their use of girls as pawns, and Loki doesn't have much sympathy for either of them.

"What did he do?" Bruce asks as he leans on his arm. He doesn't seem to care.

"Him and Mary Jane are dating now like official boyfriend-girlfriend status," he replies. "Doesn't matter. BTW, Bruce, glad you're back. You still insane?"

Bruce shrugs. "I don't think so."

"Good. You're cool even if you do happen to freak out every few years."

Loki sees Thor's jaw tense in his periphery but resists the urge to try to comfort him with a hand on the knee. Harry is one person who cannot know of the depth of their relationship, and with his presence, Loki has to be careful to keep it as brotherly and platonic as possible. This is going to be a great test for his self-control.

Tony joins them with only five minutes left. "Fuck are you doing here, Osborn?"

"Parker's being a bitch."

"Isn't he always?" He makes a face. "Wait, sorry, Steve, that was rude. I don't want to call people names, right?"

Steve clenches and unclenches his fists. "Okay, Tony."

The two of them ignore each other in Psychology while Loki barely stops himself from touching Thor each time he looks at him and realizes that Thor is his. The mixture of sexual and angry tension at the table makes Loki eager to escape to his next class, and he breathes a sigh of relief when he sits down in his seat, arriving before the others.

Charles walks in with his mug of tea and sends a wave in Loki's direction.

Loki goes to him after he remembers the screenplay in his locker.

"Oh, hello, Loki," he says. "How was your holiday?"

"Fine as I'm assuming yours was." He puts on a confrontational stance. "I want to talk to you about our screenplay."

"What about it?" He looks down at his watch in a way that makes Loki want to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yes, many things. There were marks everywhere."

Charles sets his mug down on the stage. "I fail to see the problem there," he says, and the bell rings. "If you would take your seat that would be great."

Loki does as instructed. The only reason he doesn't argue with Charles is because he respects the man, but he makes up for it in other ways. Throughout the lesson about monologues, Loki is sure to give him a glare each time he looks in his direction.

"What's wrong?" Thor asks as Loki sits down.

He notices that Scott is sitting next to Bobby and Jean is sitting in front of him. Victims of Stark's drunken karaoke. "Professor Xavier suddenly hates me," he replies, "nothing important."

Thor looks like he wants to say something, but thankfully leaves it at that. He does insist on walking Loki to his next class, and Loki lets him, soaking in the feeling of Thor's hand on his lower back gently urging him forward. To Loki's disappointment, he doesn't give him a kiss goodbye.

Gwen gushes about formal and the fun she had. She caught wind of the kiss Tony bestowed upon him and asks if there is something she should know. Loki's glad to ease her frown with a reply of, "To put it frankly, hell no," and clears up that there is nothing going on between the two of them.

When there's a knock at the door and Steve pops his head in, Gwen's eyes seem to light up, and she cocks her head to the side the same way she did for Loki.

"Loki, I didn't want to go down to the gym to meet Thor, so I came here," he says as he steps inside. He's so different yet the same. "Bucky said it was alright if I came, so…"

"Oh, of course, Steve, it's fine," Loki replies. "Come take a seat."

Steve notices the look Gwen is giving him and blushes. "Hello, Gwen."

"Hey, Steve," she says as she leans forward, blinking slowly. "You look… great."

He's unable to stand the secondhand embarrassment Steve is directing at him for long and eases Steve into conversation about music, effectively ending Gwen's attempts at flirtation. Steve is off limits as far as Loki is concerned. Knowing what he knows about the extent of Tony's love, he feels as if he has a duty to try to keep Steve single.

It slips Loki's mind that Steve's presence disables all possibility of the two of them finishing what was started earlier. He tries his best not to sulk as Steve and Thor sit in the basement and talk about sports, something Loki has little to no interest in.

Fenrir takes a liking to Steve, and Loki's tempted to call him a traitor, but he can't resist the dog's eyes when he comes to sit near his legs. He ends up petting him, murmuring about how he should ignore Thor and Steve because "they're mean for talking about stupid sports."

One of them brings up running, and the next thing Loki knows it that Steve and Thor are standing out in the 35 degree evening and stretching in sweat clothes, Fenrir circling Thor's legs in anticipation. Steve attempts to get him to come once last time, Loki rejecting the offer immediately, before they are disappearing around the corner.

In his lament, he calls Natasha and relays to her his woes of not being intimate.

"You lasted up until that point, Loki," she replies. "You can wait a day or so."

He lifts his head up and glances at his crotch, whining as he realizes that he's going to have to take care of this himself. "But I shouldn't have to."

"You can't demand sex from Thor."

"I can," he replies, and he sighs. "But you're right. I won't. Why does he have to be so beautiful, Natasha? It's as if the gods want to torture me after I've had a bite of the forbidden fruit by hanging it just out of arms reach."

"Then wait until it gets closer."

"But I don't have legs." He feels proud of himself for such a metaphor. "I am stuck in this place, and the forbidden fruit can be handed to me by the only other person on the planet: Thor."

Natasha laughs. "Stop being so dramatic, Loki. You'll last. I'll see you tomorrow."

Loki sticks a hand inside his pants taking an experimental stroke, and it's just not the same.

The front door shuts downstairs.

He adjusts himself in his pants and goes halfway down the stairs to see that the two of them are standing there sweaty. Fenrir looks up at Loki as if sensing him, but he thankfully doesn't betray his presence. He loves that dog.

Steve pulls his shirt over his head, revealing a chest that should not belong to the name Steve Rogers. It's just—how?

Loki bites the inside of his cheek as Thor reaches down and pulls his own shirt off, and he almost throws himself down the stairs into the boys arms as he realizes that he's not going to be able to last much longer without touching him.

Thor happens to look up just as he's finishing pulling it off. He looks over at Steve and back at him. His eyes narrow, and Loki starts to turn to go up the stairs and keep the last of his dignity. "Loki."

He stops and curses his need to stare at beautiful bodies.

Steve looks confused until he glances down at his shirtlessness and blushes. "Oh, I… Sorry, Loki, I didn't mean to-"

"No, no, Steve, it's completely fine," he replies a little too quickly. Thor's eyes narrow more, and Loki just keeps putting his foot in his mouth. "I mean, you were running, and you—you're hot."

Steve stills, and Thor tenses, the muscles in his chest flexing. There is an absence of blood in the rest of Loki's body.

"I… your temperature of course. I don't mean your beauty though you are quite attractive." He inhales sharply when Thor's chest flexes even more. "Just not to me. Now, Thor, wow, he's…" Loki's eyes widen, and he bites his bottom lip and actually moans. "Ungh."

Steve's eyes widen. "I'll… be somewhere… else," he says as he makes his escape downstairs.

"I should take his advice…"

"Loki."

"Okay, okay," he says, sliding along the wall as he does down the stairs. He needs to put space between him and Thor as soon as possible.

Thor does not get the message and takes a step toward him. "Steve is having a hard time adjusting to his body, Loki, and your… ogling of it does not do much to help him."

Having this conversation while Thor's shirt off it not going to lead to anything rational. "First, I know which is why I made sure Gwen stopped flirting with him. Second, I was not ogling_ Steve_." He finally looks up at his face. "I can see that he's very fit, but I am in no way attracted to _him_."

He completely misses the point and grins. "Good," Thor says, and he touches Loki's shoulder before he walks away as if nothing is wrong.

Natasha's right about Loki lasting, but that does not make it any harder for him to be in the same room with Thor and keep his composure. Every touch is filled with fire that Loki so eagerly wishes to be extinguished through the use of physical contact. Talking to Thor and keeping the conversation from devolving into a festival of innuendoes is actually impossible.

After school, Thor informs him that he and Steve are going for a run again, and he invites Loki, having the gall to look disappointed when Loki declines.

Calmly, Loki says, "I would prefer not to get a hard-on in public because I happen to see you shirtless," and Thor looks confused as he leaves.

Nal graces him with a phone call as Loki sulks around the kitchen and waits for Thor and Steve to return. It's a short, one-sided call that's comprised of Nal telling Loki to wait outside for a car to come pick him up and to, "wear something suitable for bicycling." With that, he hangs up on Loki, and Loki is left grasping for some explanation as to why he has to dress for riding a bike.

He listens nonetheless. The cold air and his spandex clothes are not compatible at all, and Loki wraps his arms around himself as he waits for this mysterious person.

A bright orange Ferrari pulls up, and Loki instantly knows that this is who Nal wanted him to wait for. The man parks effortlessly, climbing out in his leather jacket and jeans and looking like he's not affected by the cold at all. He does a once over of Loki, and Loki doesn't hide the fact that he is judging him. "So you're the Loki Nal has been gushing about."

"The one and only."

He smirks. "John Blaze. Come on, Ice, and let me teach you about the rules of the road."

Loki's never been inside of a Ferrari. He marvels at the beauty of the car, but that only lasts a few minutes because the man slaps Loki in the arm and tells him to pay attention to the cars around him.

"See that cab right there? The guy that's driving it has no fucking idea what he's doing," he says. "Asshats like him should not be driving. Now, it's my duty as a concerned citizen of these beautiful United States to make sure that you don't end up like that shithead. People don't fucking pay attention!" He hits the steering wheel as another car cuts him off. "Fucking idiots!"

This is the man that Nal wants to teach him how to drive? Really?

Loki follows John out of the car and realizes that they're going to Central Park. They're on the opposite side that he and Thor went to, but Loki recognizes this scenery of benches and trees in the middle of the chaotic city. "I thought you were teaching me how to drive," Loki says as he follows him along the path.

John glances back at Loki. "I am," he replies, and he stops in front of a bike. "I'm sure that you're familiar with how to ride a bike, so..." He hands Loki a helmet and gestures to the bike. "Ride it."

Loki would laugh at his suggestion, but he sees the seriousness on his face. He actually wants him to ride a bike? This doesn't make much sense to Loki even if he's not too familiar with the steps taken to earn one's license. He gets onto the bike and turns to look at him. "May I ask why I have to ride a bike?"

"If you can't ride a bike, what makes you think you can drive a car?" he asks as he gives Loki a look as if he's just asked a stupid question. "Go on. Go!"

Loki grits his teeth as he pedals the bike, steering around pedestrians and keeping to the path. By the time he makes it back to John, he's fuming in anger. He's hot, and it's only 30 degrees outside!

John glances at his watch and taps his foot. "Well, that was a bit slow, but I think you can shed a few seconds. Then, I'll show you how to operate a moving vehicle. For the time being, do it again."

"'A bit slow?'" Loki asks. "How long?"

"Two minutes, 23 seconds."

"That's slow?"

"Yes, if you can ride a bike fairly well. A minute for that path should be the Marvinimum." John shrugs. "Ice, we're not arguing about this. Go. Again."

He goes again and makes sure to ride faster this time. He gets back to John quicker than last time and smirks.

"Two minutes and two seconds."

John doesn't get to tell him to go again because Loki instantly does. He is going to get a minute today, and John will eat his words about Loki going slow. Laufeysons do not do 'slow!'

He does the path much faster than before, and he feels the burn in his calves when he returns to John. He looks at him expectantly.

"Fifty-"

"Aha!" Loki shouts. "Under one-"

"You're missing the point of this, Ice," John says. "You're supposed to not give two fucks about me saying you're a damn granny. You should be worried about driving well, and you failed! You probably knocked some poor person down 'cause you wanted to get under a minute. No driving for you today!"

He pulls the helmet off and shoves it into his arms. "I didn't even ask to learn how to drive!" he shouts as he turns to walk away. He's willing to find his own way home if it means that he doesn't have to spend another second with John. It makes sense that Nal seems to like him enough to entrust Loki's learning into his hands.

"The fuck are you going, Ice?" John somehow catches up to him, and he grabs at Loki's wrist when Loki ignores him. His touch is like white flame, and it sends a shock up Loki's arm at how hot it is in contrast to the air around him. Even the elevated temperature from physical exertion doesn't compare.

Loki rubs at his wrist. "Gods, you're—you're hot!"

"Not interested, kid." John crosses his arms and smirks. "And I know your uncle well. Not barking up that tree."

He rolls his eyes and stares at the red mark on his wrist. "What is wrong with you?"

"A lot," he replies. "Now, you're not going anywhere, and you're going to listen to me. You are a lot like your uncle, you know that? You're both a bunch of cold-hearted crazies with fucking egos the size of the damn Chrysler. Come on, Ice, walk with me."

He crosses his arms and falls into step beside John.

"Since you failed that, it's time for the next exercise. How about we try another? It involves leg, and god knows you have a lot of it." John goes to his car and shrugs off his jacket and pulls of his pants, revealing that he's wearing something similar to Loki's clothes, albeit less tight. "We'll run, and I'll see how you handle these people on your own two feet."

Loki begrudgingly nods and begins to stretch, John staring at him like he's insane. "What? I don't want to pull anything."

He shakes his head and turns away from Loki.

Loki handles the people well, and he navigates the perimeter of the park with little problems. Loki actually has to keep up with John instead of the other way around, and it's annoying the way he sends smirks in Loki's direction and asks him, "You gettin' tired?" every few feet. He only gets tired when they near the place where he and Thor frequented, and as they get nearer and nearer to their bench, Loki gets more and tired.

He's looking the opposite direction when he almost collides with him, and Loki catches himself before he falls. It wouldn't have mattered because he catches Loki's waist.

Loki looks up to thank the mystery man when he realizes that he knows the touch almost as well as he knows his own. He can't help the smile that graces his mouth at the sight of that familiar face.

"Loki," Thor says as he removes his hand from around his waist. He runs a hand down Loki's arm before dropping it to his side. "I cannot say that I was expecting to see you here."

Steve nods in agreement, and his eyes go to John. "I don't think that I have met you..."

"John Blaze," John says, taking Steve's hand and shaking it.

"Steve Rogers."

"Ice, who's this?" he asks.

Thor looks at John, looking back to Loki. Instantly, the confusion flashes across his eyes, and he's constructing his own conclusions, all of which involve Loki doing something ridiculously stupid and uncharacteristic of what he would actually do.

"John, this is Thor Odinson," Loki says, his eyes looking between the two of them.

"Oh, I know that name. Odin... Yeah, I know him." John nods. "You look like him."

"I thought you did not want to come running," Thor says, and he's definitely still suspicious.

Loki shakes his head. "You thought right," he replies, "but my charming uncle thinks it best that I learn how to drive from John. Running is a part of the process to learn how to drive well unlike certain 'asshats' on the road."

"You should appreciate it."

"I hate running," Loki says.

"If you hadn't failed to bike ride properly, we wouldn't be standing here, would we?" John smirks in a patronizing way that makes Loki's fists clench. "You can thank your need to go fast for that."

Thor cocks an eyebrow. "Hm, Loki is quite the fan of going fast."

Steve clears his throat, a flush creeping up his neck.

"But I thought you liked it fast, Thor," he says as he looks down between their bodies. "I mean, I don't recall you attempting to slow down. I wasn't going to complain. You know how fast I like it. Very, very fast."

"Well, Mr. Fast, no time for talking to your boyfriend," John murmurs, leaning in toward Loki's ear. "We have a run to finish."

Thor's eyes flicker to John, reeking of irritation. "Loki, do you want to-"

"Thor," Steve says warningly. The new physique helps the intimidation factor. "We have our own run to finish."

He looks like he wants to protest, but he takes a step back.

Loki wishes that he didn't have a need to succeed and prove others wrong because he wants to abandon John in favor for "going fast" with Thor. But he needs to finish this run and show him that he's more than qualified to be behind the wheel.

He doesn't allow himself to look back when they begin running because his resolve is not strong enough to withstand the sight of Thor's ass.

"Ice, I've gotta say you are so damn like Nal," John says, "minus the need to be a fucking tool every second of the damn day. Take it as a compliment."

Loki is more than a little disappointed to see that Thor has not arrived when he gets back home. Even if Thor were there, Loki thinks that he would not have been able to show him how fast he truly liked it. He falls into bed and to sleep within moments.

He wakes up with a familiar weight on his back and quickly realizes that it's Thor's arm. He groans in frustration that he missed an opportunity because he was too deep in sleep to feel Thor get in the bed next to him. His morning wood begs to be satisfied, so he uses Thor for something useful: inspiration.

4:30, the clock reads, and his sexual needs are making him lose sleep! How is this possible for him? He's never needed sex this much.

He thinks of Thor touching him, his large hands roaming over Loki's body and taking him all in, and the sounds that escape his mouth when his head is thrown back and he's begging for Loki to do something. Just as he climaxes, Thor stirs next to him, and his eyes open.

Loki pulls his hand out of his boxers, and the snap of his waistband informs Thor of what he was doing. He gets out of the bed and divests himself of his clothes.

Thor's eyes follow him, and Loki tries to ignore the feeling of his eyes.

It's immature to blame Thor for such a thing that he's probably oblivious to, but Loki doesn't make any effort to get back into bed with Thor. He takes a shower—alone of course—and dresses. It's admittedly cruel how he stands there with his towel around his waist and waits for Thor to leave the room, Thor sending him a curious look at being kicked out.

Natasha agrees. "You're passive aggressive," she says. "Thor is not a mind reader, Loki. He's expressed this before."

He takes his seat next to Bruce as Natasha lingers there to hear his reply. "He is obliviousness is only his fault. He's shown how observant he can be when he tries. He's not trying, so he will be treated accordingly."

"This isn't going to end well," Bruce says. "Passive aggression is bad for one's temperament."

He playfully slaps Bruce across the arm, and Edward Brock stares at him in terror before scrambling to his seat. They act as if Bruce is a time bomb. "Be quiet, Mr. Peace and Serenity."

Tony and Steve speak in hushed tones during History, Dr. Lactus stopping various times throughout the lesson to glare at them. Eventually, Steve moves to sit on the other side of look, kneading his temples in frustration. Loki offers him a comforting hand and glares at Stark.

Stark leaves class without waiting for them, and Steve huffs, apologizing to Loki on Tony's behalf. Their relationship is so much of a mess that Loki is unsure of whether it will ever return to the way it was before Steve's growth spurt and Tony's kissing of Loki.

"Loki." He turns to see Erik standing behind him, grinning with a wrapped something in his hands. "Do you have a moment?"

He nods and lets himself be pulled to the side. "You shouldn't have," he comments with amusement. "I have a feeling that you have just started something."

"You cannot blame me for being generous, can you?" he replies, flashing a charming smile. "I was in a bookstore with Charles, and I was reminded of you. I didn't get you a Christmas gift, so consider this one though it is a week late." He sets it into Loki's hands. "You have never read this, so here is your opportunity."

Loki nods and weighs the book in his hands. "Thank you, Erik," he says. "I will see you tomorrow."

He's unsure of what the book is, but he is eager to find out. Erik paid enough attention to know what books Loki's read and not, and he's a bit flattered. He rejoins Thor and Steve, the three of them beginning to walk toward the cafeteria. "You did not have to wait."

"No, it's fine," Steve says.

Thor's eyes are narrowed dangerously, and this is what Loki knew was going to happen. "What did Professor Lensherr purchase for you?"

He stops outside of the lunchroom doors, nodding a greeting to where Natasha, Bruce, and Clint stand. He slides the book out of the wrapping paper, and a laugh escapes his mouth at the book. Everyone that he associates with has suddenly become too clever for their own good, buying Loki things with a hidden meaning in mind.

"_Lolita_," Natasha says. She looks between Thor and Loki until her eyes settle on Loki. "Funny."

"Funny, Tash?" Clint wrinkles his nose. "More like 'pedophilic' and 'creepy.' _Lolita _is about a pedo with serious issues. Serious!"

"Then, why did he buy that for you?" Bruce asks. He was absent for that entire fiasco with Erik.

Loki throws the wrapping paper into the nearest trash can. "I suppose I can relate to the story."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," Clint says, nodding. "But wait, weren't you lying about that though? To cover up the fact that you-"

"Clint, shut up," Natasha says. "Come on. Let's go get lunch."

Loki stares back at Thor. He realizes the implication of his words, and it is not pretty at all. He shouldn't have said anything at all, or he should have just waited to open it somewhere else. After the situation with Erik, it's pretty incriminating to receive a book about _that_.

"Yes, Loki, were you truly lying about _that_, or was it something else you were lying about?" Thor asks.

"I didn't mean is in that way," he replies, pushing open the cafeteria doors. "Raven and Charles joke that mine and Erik's relationship is like _Lolita_, but you're aware that they both know that I only want you."

He grabs Loki by the arm and spins him, bearing down on him. "I am also aware of your talent for spinning tales with your silver tongue."

Loki shakes his head and goes toward the lunch line, Thor following him with his hand still on his arm. "You think I'm lying about Erik," he says, angrily throwing food onto his plate. "If I were, why would it matter to you?"

"Because you are my-" He cuts himself off mid-shout, realizing that there are people staring at them.

"I'm your what?" Loki pulls his arm from Thor's hand and continues forward. "Step-brother?"

"No, Loki, I was not going to say that," he replies, speaking Swedish. "You know that you are my boyfriend."

"Well, I was unaware of such a fact, and you can't blame me the way our relationship operates. I thought that I was your step-brother who you happened to use as a human sextoy when you felt the inkling!"

An image from the other night briefly flashes in front of his eyes, leaving him confused for a few moments. He looks down and sees the he's holding a banana in way obviously mimicking what he'd like to do to the boy next to him. He sets the banana on his tray and tries to keep his mind focused on the argument happening.

He doesn't wait for him and heads straight for the table and drops his plate down but continues to stand.

"That's untrue, Loki. I've told you many times that I am deeply in love with you."

He rolls his eyes, and a past Thor echoes the same words in Loki's mind. Another image. "I'm a liar myself, Thor," he says, realizing how clammy his hands have become. "You know how easily it comes to me, right? You are Mr. Perfect, so it would not surprise me that you do it oh so much better."

"Even I cannot outspin the god of lies." Thor's eyes are more black than blue, Loki realizes.

"Witty." Loki crosses his arms, taking a step forward. He only then realizes that this is an argument about nothing in particular, and there is clearly an endgame for both of them that copies the last time they argued. "Is this where I'm supposed to surge forward and kiss you to resolve the sexual tension?"

Thor's eyes flicker to Loki's lips, and Loki is sure that something questionable is about to occur when Tony Stark makes his appearance.

"Ooh, lovers spat!" Tony sits down obnoxiously as if that's a "thing." "I heard you two yelling all the way over there, and wow, do you two have colorful languages. I mean, my knowledge of Swedish is pretty basic, and I kind of skipped to the fun parts, but I'm sure that I heard some variant of the term sextoy, but that could have also been hunter or something…"

Stark snorts, but it's different than the times he used to do it before making some playful yet condescending remark. There's a viciousness to it that makes Loki dread whatever is about to come out of his mouth. "Sextoy, hm? When I was kissing him, the thought crossed my kind that those lips, nice pouty lips would be excellent for dick-"

"Stark, watch your tongue. Loki is my-"

Tony stands up, a cocky smile on his face. "Brother or boyfriend. Brother-friend?"

Natasha stands up, mirroring Tony, and holds her hands out and makes a sitting motion. "Tony, just sit down. There isn't any need-"

"Natasha, Stark is not your responsibility," Thor says as he sits with a sigh. "I will let him air his frustrations, but he will not slander Loki. He has nothing to do with Tony's personal vendetta. Stark, I expect you to leave Loki out of your romantic woes from this moment on."

"Yeah, whatever you say," he replies. "Only listening because you can beat me to a pulp."

Loki sits down in his seat, shifting his seat closer to Tony as he pointedly looks at Thor. "So, where did you chase Steve off to?" Loki asks, leaning on his hand.

Tony tenses. "He, uh, opted to sit with the Carters for some reason," he says, suddenly enraptured by his food. "He'll be back."

Harry comes and sits down, oblivious to why Loki is sitting with so much space between him and Thor, and cocks an eyebrow. "What happened there?" he asks, pointing to them.

"You don't want to know," Clint says, and Loki laughs at the sorrowful look on his face. Walking in on them was not _that_ bad. "Really, Osbro, you don't."

Harry leaves it at that and begins conversation with Bruce as everyone else sits silently eating. He changes the subject to Peter and Mary Jane just as lunch ends, and everyone is more than happy to get up from the table.

Ignoring Thor is the best course of action if Loki wishes to not jump him in school, so he does just that. He acts as if the boy isn't there even if his heart is pounding against his chest and all of his blood is pooled low in his gut from being near him.

One calling out of their parents' names and no reply, and Loki is pinned against the wall.

"'Sextoy?'" Thor says, his hand gripping Loki through his pants painfully hard. "I would never think something so crass of you." He stops short of Loki's lips and his hand dips inside his boxers. "Though the idea is not off-putting whatsoever."

Loki grips Thor's shoulders hard as his thumb rubs the tip. It feels as though he's been given a piece of heaven when Thor finally wraps a hand around him. "Please," he says, and he has no idea what he's asking for.

Thor wraps Loki's legs around his waist and begins to grind into him, sending jolts of pleasure up Loki's spine. He's so hard that Loki can feel it through the hard fabric of his jeans in all of its wonder, and Loki cannot waste something like that by not giving it the treatment it deserves.

He unwinds his legs and pushes Thor toward the steps, dropping to his knees and undoing his jeans as fast as he can. He steps out of his own pants and throws them somewhere else. The need is starting to overwhelm him. He slides back onto Thor's lap and begin to roll his hips, throwing his head back at the feeling of contact through the layers of their underwear.

As he reaches the edge, he surges forward and captures Thor's mouth in a hard kiss that's going to make his lips swollen for sure. He needs to touch him as much as he can, and as he cums in time with Thor, he presses as much as himself into him as possible.

It doesn't end there though. Thank the Gods, no.

They make their way up the stairs, dropping articles of clothing along the way as they try not to break their kiss. They come to a rest in Thor's room, and Loki ends up nude on his back, assaulted by a variety of sensations: the soft blanket, the warm air, Thor's even warmer lips, his firm hands.

His toes curl, and he bites his bottom lip raw as he tries—and fails—to contain his moans. Being touched should not be this overwhelming.

Thor trails kisses up his stomach and sucks on Loki's neck, a mixture of pain and pleasure. He blinks up at Loki, and the storm in his eyes makes Loki grab at the blanket for an anchor. "Tell me how fast you want it," he says as he slides inside of Loki.

He tries to keep his breathing even with the knowledge that Thor is _inside_ of him. He can only nod a response as he grips at Thor's shoulders and adjusts to the overwhelming feeling below.

The first thrust and Loki is falling apart. His words aren't even needed; Thor starts to speed up his pace with only a glance at Loki's face. He puts his hands on Loki's hips, and after that, Loki loses all control he has left as Thor pounds deep into him with intention written on his face.

Loki screams when he cums, and his vision blanks as he tries to get ahold of himself. The feeling of Thor cumming deep inside of him causes another jolt to go through his body, and he's left numb for a few moments.

Thor grabs him and kisses him hard, only pulling away when they're both out of breath again.

Loki tucks a lock of hair behind his ear. "If you ever make me wait that long again, I think I will go insane."

"But you already are," he replies, "and I am on my way there."

A major problem with their relationship is the fact that they live with their parents who are married to each other. Yes, they're step-brothers, so getting caught in bed with each other is not an option. It makes the post-coital cuddle impossible.

Loki showers while Thor picks up the stray clothing. If this is the arrangement it takes for them to be able to be together, Loki's willing to settle.

"Loki, what's that on your neck?" his mother asks as he helps her with dinner. Her lips are pursed, but he sees the mischievous curve of her right eyebrow. She knows what it is.

He stops himself from reaching up and touching the fresh mark. "Nothing, Mother."

"Is there someone I should meet?" She smirks at him, and he has to roll his eyes at that. "If this boy is leaving marks on you so openly, I think I have a right to meet him face to face."

"Mother, please…" He wishes he could gush to her about how in love he is, but he cannot. "Can we change the subject?"

"Of course not. Loki, tell me this: do you trust him?"

Thor enters the kitchen in his periphery and takes a seat on one of the stools.

His mother runs a hand over his shoulder before dropping it to her side. "I promise you that I will kill him if he hurts you, Is Prins. I cannot stand to see you give your heart to someone, but only because I fear for what will happen if something goes wrong."

Imagining his mother attempting to murder Thor is an image that he cannot construct at the moment. She's unaware of the fact that this boy is sitting only feet away, and if she knew, she would not be saying these things. It's unfair to her that she's so ignorant.

"I do not think that will be a problem, Mother."

She sighs and turns off the stove. "Are you in love with him?"

Thor stares at Loki, his face impassive.

"Yes," he replies, "I am."

"Well, then I hate him." She grins at the disbelieving look on his face. "I only hate him because he has that power over you. Otherwise, I love him too because you are happy, and seeing you happy has always been one of my wishes. Now, Loki, you have always looked good in scarves. You will be wearing one for the next few days until that fades. I know you hate it when people talk…"

He did not know that his happiness was that obvious, but he hasn't moped around for a while. It isn't that strange that she notices considering his moods. This is kind of a… good thing.

John shows up at noon, and with great regret, Loki goes with him to continue his strange way of teaching. This time, they end up biking around the perimeter of the coast as John shouts different rules of the road to Loki. Loki barely manages to express his understanding and avoid colliding with runners and other bikers. Of those he nearly collides with, Loki is disappointed to find Thor not among them.

When he gets home, Loki falls facedown onto the couch and groans as the aches on his body begin to fade. He only wishes to appease his uncle and learn to drive, not how to avoid hitting a teenage girl texting and not paying attention to where she's going or a man too busy shouting at his cell phone like Barton.

He turns the TV on to _Batman: The Animated Series_, and mindlessly watches Batman fight the Joker. If he didn't know Stark, he would say that he made a good Batman on Halloween.

Thor walks in front of the TV, and he gets onto the couch, on top of Loki. There's so much other space left, but no, he has to lie on top of him!

"I'm tired," Loki mumbles as he adjusts to the weight on his back. In this spandex, Thor's skin is rubbing him in a way that's going to lead to a problem. "Why do you have to lay on top of me?"

Thor shifts upward, and wow does Loki feel _that_. There's no way he couldn't. "Why not? And I just got back from a run with Fen. Your excuses are invalid."

"You're a god though. You never get tired." Well, technically, that's not true. He did get tired yesterday, but he recovered quicker than Loki did. "Thor-" He stops when he feels his hand slip inside the front of his pants.

"Sh," Thor whispers, his breath ghosting over Loki's ear. With his other hand, he lifts Loki up from the couch enough to fully take him in hand. "You have to be quiet."

Loki turns away from the TV and buries his face in the couch. He bites the inside of his cheek to stifle his moans. The sounds of Batman punching the Joker are not loud enough to cover them. "Be fast."

Thor's hand slips around to his ass, and Loki opens his eyes to stare at the TV in anticipation. "Only for you," he says as his fingers slide inside.

He buries his face back into the cushions and grips at the sides of the couch in need of grounding. His pants ghost over his cock as Thor pulls them down, and Loki stops from touching himself by some miracle. As if the gods have a sense of humor, Thor pushes into Loki at the same time that the Joker is stabbed, Loki and the Joker letting out a silent scream.

Watching _Batman_ while getting pounded into the couch was not what Loki planned to do today, but he's not complaining at all.

At the sound of a door opening down the hallway, Loki elbows Thor in the chest to get him off. This is one of the stupidest ideas he's ever gone along with, and this is exactly why. He hisses at the pain of Thor getting removed so roughly, but he doesn't stop to comfort himself, shoving Thor off of the couch and onto the ground. He pulls his pants up just as he hears the footsteps get closer, and Thor does the same.

Odin stops at the archway to peer in. "Rough housing, hm?" he asks, looking from Thor's position on the ground to Loki's on the couch. "Just like true brothers it seems. My brother and I often engaged in such tussles when we could not resolve our differences verbally. Thor, I must warn you to be careful not to damage Loki's delicate bones, and be wary of his tricks. Loki is quite tricky."

Loki doesn't respond to Odin's comment, but Thor only nods.

"You two continue. Do be careful not to break anything."

Thor erupts into laughter after Odin disappears, holding his stomach.

Loki glares at him. "That was not funny. What were you even-?"

"Father?" Thor shouts. There's no response, and the next thing, Thor is pushing Loki onto his stomach. "We can finish if we're quiet."

"This is a stupid ide-" He breaks off at the feeling of being filled again.

"Quiet."

He feels the pressure building low in his gut, and his mind supplies him with enough thinking power for one rational thought. "Wait—Thor, I'm going to—the couch."

Thor turns him onto his back, wasting no time before reentering him. "Problem solved," he says, his voice hoarse. "Now, you can cum."

It's not a command, but Loki does as told anyway, Thor seeming to sense his oncoming moan and covering his mouth with one hand. He clenches down hard on Thor before his muscles still, and Thor thrusts once and cums with Loki's name on his lips.

"For once I'm stuck without a punchline," the Joker says, and Loki doesn't know why, but he begins to giggle at the absurdity of this situation.

Thor's head lulls back, and Loki watches his Adam's apple bob. "Please, stop laughing unless you want to ruin the couch," he replies, reminding Loki that he's still inside of him.

Loki stops laughing long enough for Thor to fall on the couch beside him, but he begins again. "What were you even thinking? What if we got caught?"

Thor shrugs. "With you in spandex in front of me, thinking was not a priority."

Stark shows up later that night with a bag slung over his shoulder, looking as if he's been into his wine cellar for a few hours. "Steve hates me," he says, dropping down onto the stairs.

Loki runs a hand through his moist hair. "You're being dramatic."

"I know," he says, "but I need company."

He could turn Stark away to his "bro from another mother" James, but Loki doesn't think that Stark would even stick around long enough after being told no for him to do so. If Stark happens to detonate a nuclear bomb while drunk, Loki does not wish to be responsible. "Fine, you can stay, but try not to be as annoying as you usually are."

Fenrir comes up to sniff Tony's legs, and Tony scrambles up the steps and falls down in fright. "Didn't tell me you had a dog!"

"We have a dog."

Stark slurs through a story about his failed attempt to tell Steve that he loves him as he drinks the glass of water Loki gives him to sober up. "I didn't mean to kiss him, Loki! I just—have you seen those lips?"

He looks up and sees Thor entering the kitchen. Thor cocks an eyebrow at Stark's back.

"Mhm, I have."

"When he backed away and accused me of trying to use him, I told him that I didn't even like his new body! Because I don't! The old one was fine if you ask me. He was small, small enough to fit-"

"Hello, Tony," Thor says, thankfully interrupting him. "I was not expecting to see you today."

"'Sup, Thor. This Steve is an asshole for sure. Old Steve would have kissed me no problem. Fuck Barnes for doing whatever he did to make Steve grow like that."

Loki absently grabs a banana but makes eye contact with Thor and thinks better of it. He grabs an apple instead. "Barnes did not induce his growth spurt, Tony. You're a man of science. How do you not know this?"

Tony throws his hands up in the air. "You're on his side!"

"I am," he replies. "I am also trying to be rational here."

"Fuck you and your rationality. Wait"—he points at Thor—"you can fuck him and his rationality. Steve is who I want to fuck, but looks like that's out the window. He's such a dickhole, a cute as hell dickhole."

Tony's sober enough by the time his mother comes home that he's no longer calling Steve names but lamenting the fact that their friendship is falling apart. This is remedied by his insistence of watching action movies with no romance subplots though Tony manages to compare Indiana Jones' heroics to something that Steve would do.

Thor not-so-subtly traces circles on Loki's thigh until Odin comes and joins them in the den, pulling his hand back to his side with a clearing of the throat. He makes eye contact with Loki, and Loki smirks at how blown his pupils are.

Odin stops in front of Loki's door and looks at his and Tony's position on the bed, Loki cross-legged while Tony leans on his elbow and looks at him. He makes a noise in the back of his throat, and Loki's mother makes her appearance after he leaves.

She stands there and leans against the doorframe. "He's not him, is he?" she asks.

Loki realizes what she's referring to and shakes his head profusely. "No, he is definitely not," he replies.

"Good."

Tony rolls over onto his back and sighs. "Your mom's happy I'm not your loverboy. I'm more offended than I should be," he replies. "Do you ever wonder… what it'd be like if we were to-?"

"No, I don't," he interrupts. He makes sure to put a good amount of space between him and Stark. "If you try anything, I will rip your penis off of your body before feeding it to you for breakfast."

"Okay, okay, wasn't going to anyway!"

Loki wakes up with his chest pressed against Stark's back and falls out of the bed in shock, Stark laughing as he stomps off to the bathroom. He sends him to go bother Thor when he gets dressed, ignoring his pleas to stay and "enjoy the show."

He and Tony are in the kitchen looking at pictures of Jon Kortajarena that Tony carries around on his phone for some reason when Luke and Robert arrive. He realizes that it's Sunday, a gym day, and informs Stark of why they're there when he asks.

"Oh, I'm coming then!" he says.

"Ew, what is he doing here?" Robert says in a whiny voice, bending down to run a hand over Fenrir's head.

Thor comes down the stairs, and he's still putting his shirt on.

"Show off!" Luke shouts as Robert makes two thumbs down.

Loki smirks because _that_ is his.

Thor playfully knocks Luke's and Robert's heads together. "Loki, are you coming?"

"Well-"

"Yes, we're both coming," Stark says. "Can't miss out on a chance to miss the gun show."

"Stark," Robert says, "are you…?"

"-gay?" Luke finishes.

Tony blinks at them as if they've asked something stupid. With his behavior, it is a valid question. "Yes… problem?"

They exchange a look before shrugging. "Nope, no problems."

"Yeah, just don't kiss Chef again, 'kay?" Luke warns. "Then there will be problems."

Thor wordlessly goes to get the door when the bell rings, and Loki cranes his head over Luke and Robert's heads to see who it is. When he sees the immaculately styled hair and khakis, Loki inwardly groans at the "clusterfuck" that he knows has just formed.

"Rogers!"

The glass slips out of Tony's hand, but Robert catches it before it can hit the counter.

Steve stops at the doorway when he catches sight of Tony. His signature flush appears in seconds. "Uh… hello, Loki, Luke, Robert." He nods his head. "Tony."

Luke and Robert exchange a look, slapping at each other and mumbling about something called "lurve."

"We should go," Loki says. "Tony and I will get changed, and we can go then."

Thor nods in agreement, and his eyes communicate that he realizes what a "clusterfuck" this is too.

"This is a sham!" Tony shouts as Loki pulls on a t-shirt. "He never greets me last!"

"You did attempt to kiss him," Loki replies, grabbing his bag. "Come, Stark. We mustn't keep our men waiting."

He makes a sound of disbelief, but he follows anyway.

Loki is a bit surprised to see a group of men standing at the door of his usual room. They light up at the sight of him, cheering, "Yoga Boy is here!" He drops his hand from the handle and turns to face them, wondering why they're all standing there.

They all watch Loki. There are ten of them, Loki counts.

Malcolm steps forward. "Hey, you're back." he says. "We're all here because... we kind of counted on you coming. See… we're all pretty fit guys here, but we want to get flexible.."

Tony snickers behind him. "Totally."

"We want you to teach all of us your yoga ways."

"Well…"

"Come, on, please?"

Thor, Luke, Robert, and Steve come up to the side of the group, watching the exchange.

"Come on, Loki. You're a Norse god," Tony says, "Remember your horns!"

"Tony Stark, right?" Jean-Paul grins. "Funny and cute."

"Thanks," Tony replies as he beams, and Steve rolls his eyes.

Loki feels strange with extremely good-looking men standing with their eyes on him expectantly, but he happens to make eye contact with Thor, and he feels all of his anxieties disappear.

"Fine."

Tony gleefully stands next to Loki as Loki rolls out his mat. "Oh, god, this is perfect!" Tony exclaims. "Steve won't be able to resist my body!"

Steve is standing on the other side of the glass with his arms crossed, looking extremely disapproving of all of this.

Malcolm takes care of the music, turning on a remix of "Raise Your Weapon."

"If you just pay attention, I'm sure that it will be fairly easy to follow," Loki says, cupping his hands around his mouth. Here goes nothing. He starts with the Mountain pose, letting his eyes fall shut as he calms himself to the best of his ability.

Tony turns the Chaturanga pose into something that looks like him humping the ground, and a few others seem to take his cue instead of Loki's, them all rolling their hips as they shift into the upward facing dog. Tony 's eyes are fixed on Steve, and damn does he know how to make his intentions obvious.

By the fourth Sun Salutation B, everyone is into the swing of things, Jean-Paul the best out of all of them.

A remix of "SexyBack" begins to play, reminding Loki of one of his past shows for Thor. With a grin at his antics, he presses down into the next pose, glancing to make sure that everyone is keeping up.

Against Loki's better judgment, he helps Stark when he claims that he needs someone to press him down into the Wide Stance Forward Bend A pose. He walks around behind him and bends over Tony's back, trying to ignore the sensation of Tony's ass pressed against his crotch.

Everyone else partners up, seeming to think that this is a part of the session, and it looks like this is a scene from a porno waiting to happen. He can't even explain to them that he's just trying to help Stark, so he simply lets them help each other press deeper into the pose.

"Wait, Loki, harder," Tony says. "You've gotta press harder."

Loki grits his teeth and adjusts his position, pressing himself harder into Stark as he pushes his shoulders down more. "Is this hard enough?" he asks as someone wolf-whistles.

"Nope," he replies. "A little harder."

As he presses Stark deeper into the pose, Stark lets out a suggestive groan. Loki turns his head and notices that Thor's head is propped up and his arms are frozen midair where he's bench pressing, staring at the two of them.

Robert and Luke flail their arms as they seemingly try to explain, but Thor hefts the definitely enormous amount of weight back onto the rack as if it's a feather. He goes to Steve where he's squatting and shouts something at him, Steve turning to see their position. He drops the weights, and Thor grabs him, dragging him in their direction.

"Stark, what have you done?" he hisses as the two of them come into the room. He stands up and stares at them, an explanation on the tip of his tongue. "I-"

Thor holds up a dismissal hand. "We shall join you in your yoga session," he replies. He puts a hand on Steve's shoulder. "He will be my partner."

Loki watches as Thor instructs Steve into the pose, Steve hesitantly bending over as his face turns pink. He can't form words as Thor gets behind him—pressing his crotch to Steve's ass!—and bends over Steve's back, his hands coming to push on Steve's shoulder. Thor has the nerve to look up at Loki and smirk.

Two can play at this game, and Thor should know by now that Loki. Never. Loses.

"Get up," he whispers into Tony's ear.

"What—why-?"

"You got us into this mess, so you're going to comply," he says, smiling when Tony does as told. "Follow my direction." He gets onto his back, pulling his knees up to the sides of his face, and he holds onto his ankles. "Press the back of my thighs."

Tony does so rather awkwardly, complaining that he's prone to get an erection at any moment.

"It's not my issue," he replies. "Harder."

The partners around him do the same, and Steve does so too, staring at the ceiling as if he wants the gods to help him. Thor pointedly looks at Loki as he moves his hands a bit low on Steve's thighs, and Loki grits his teeth.

"I'm sorry," Tony says, glancing away. "Please, please, can we stop. I'm going to get one, dude. You're evil, but not this evil. Just please-"

He shoves Stark away in irritation, standing up. "Everyone, you can all go back your own mats because we are going to move on to some more singular poses." He smirks. "If you can manage the pose, do so, but please"—he glances at Thor—"don't strain yourself."

He goes through a short sequence of poses, building up the difficulty until he gets to the one he really wants to do. He falls back into a bridge, slowly pulling his legs up over his head so he is in a handstand. There's a chorus of gasps as he lets his legs fall apart into a split.

"Remember that boner thing…" Stark starts.

Loki sets his feet back into the ground in front of him, exhaling in the Wide Stance Forward Bend. He stands, smirking at the looks of disbelief he's getting from those who couldn't do it.

"We'll be going back to partner poses, but if… Jean-Paul could come and help me demonstrate, that would be excellent." He openly watches his body as he walks to him. "If you would lower into a pose kind of like the Matrix pose…"

Jean-Paul bends back, and Loki goes to hook a leg around his waist.

"Wait, Loki." Thor walks to him, Loki lowering his leg onto the ground. "I am stronger than he is. In the event that he cannot catch you, it would be wise to instead use me."

Loki cocks his head to the side. "Are you flexible enough?"

Thor leans in toward him. "I can be."

Not one to let Thor get the last laugh, he strips his shirt off. "I'm hot," he explains.

"Damn right you are," someone says.

Thor's eyes dart to find the person, but Loki touches his shoulder and grabs his attention.

"I think I should change it up since you are so very strong," he says. He turns and presses his ass to Thor's crotch, biting his bottom lip as he feels the partial hard-on in his pants. "Enjoying the show?"

He doesn't wait for his answer, bending forward into the Stretched Posture. He separates his legs and slowly raises them above his until he's in a handstand. Now, the fun part. He tilts his pelvis forward until he's pressed crotch to crotch with Thor, and he wraps his legs around Thor's hips.

The years and years of building his core pay off as he uses his leverage around Thor's waist to pull himself up, Thor's hands coming around his hips. He reaches back and grabs Thor's forearms, steadying himself at this angle. "Hold me," he says.

He can feel Thor's hard-on pressed against his ass, and it sends a shiver of thrill through his body.

Thor's hands drift lower, but Loki's still stable in his position. Slowly, he pulls Loki to his chest until Loki's back is flush against him. "If we do not get away from here, there's going to be a public incident," he says against his neck.

"We're not done though," he replies. "Lean backward."

Thor does. "Why are you torturing me?"

Loki feels for Thor's hands, moving them to his forearms. "You did volunteer," he says as he unwinds his legs and wraps his arms around Thor's sides. Inhaling, he pushes himself up into a handstand slowly, marveling at how still Thor is below him.

"What the fuck did we walk into?"

Exhaling, he lets his legs fall into a split.

"Whoa, this is straight outta Sean Cody!"

"Do I want to know what that is, Tony?"

Slowly, Loki lets his legs fall forward, shifting his weight back into his legs and landing on his feet.

Thor stands up straight behind him. "Gods, why must you be so beautiful?"

Loki turns to answer, but his mouth is captured in a hard kiss. Automatically, his arms come to wrap around Thor's neck, and it's not long before they're rutting up against each other.

"Hey, um, maybe we should get out of her-"

"Maybe?" Luke grabs Thor's shoulder and pulls him away. "We are! Damn, dude, we're in public!"

Thor takes the warning and drags Loki out of the room, the two of them ending up in some empty room with the door locked. He lifts Loki by the waist and pins him to the wall, not wasting any time before he starts to grind their hips together.

When he cums, Loki muffles his scream using Thor's shoulder, and Thor uses Loki's chest as a silencer. In retrospect, having impromptu sex is not exactly a good decision if one has to walk afterward. Loki tries not to cringe at the warm-wet in his underwear, but he fails.

"Sometimes, I hate you," Loki says as he tries to walk as normally as he can.

Thor laughs behind him, seemingly unaffected by the fact that there is cum in his pants.

"You guys actually had sex in public!" Robert exclaims. He wipes a fake tear. "You've come so far, and I'm just so, so proud that you can't keep your hands off of each other."

Tony and Steve end up arguing at lunch, but Robert and Luke stop them and make them apologize to each other. Steve is ever so polite while Tony murmurs a terrible excuse for an apology, Robert flicking him in the ear when he goes off on a tangent. It works in the end because Tony offers Steve a ride home, and Steve accepts.

Monday, Steve only sits with them for the first half of lunch before he kindly asks Thor to come with him to do something athletics-related, but it's some progress.

Tony watches Steve's ass and sighs. "Why is it like everyone's getting fucked but me?" Tony asks.

Barton almost chokes on his water. "The hell are you talking about, Stark? We all know you fucked Emma Frost at that party. It was known by everyone the next morning."

Tony looks confused. "I didn't have sex with that hussy! Didn't you hear my rendition of 'Don't Trust Me' I sang to her? I got a standing ovation."

"Actually, you stormed out, Stark. Everyone was standing anyway," Natasha says.

He attempts to say he's never had sex with any girl, and that does not go over well with Clint.

"If you're implying what I think you're implying, Barton, then I have this much to say to you." Tony points at him before cupping his hands around his mouth. "I AM NOT A WHORE!"

"Dear god, Stark," Natasha says, scrubbing her hand over her face. "_Boje moi_."

Loki chances a look around and sees that everyone is just glancing at him, most of them not looking surprised at all just bored. When Stark plays the "Stark" card, playing victim, Loki sighs at his foolishness.

"Stark, no one forces you to go out with these girls," Natasha says, and Loki's so glad to have her voice of reason. "You go out with them _because_ you want people to think you're sleeping with them. Now, think about that."

"I still don't see how this is my fault. They want to go out with me, so I say yes. It's the way of life."

"And that is why you're a whore."

"But a whore implies that I do stuff with them!" Tony exclaims. "I don't even want-" he cuts himself off and shakes his head. "I'm actually gay," he whispers.

Clint snorts and shakes his head.

"And that's just the root of the issue, isn't it?" Natasha asks.

He says some "witty" thing before leaving, and Loki and Natasha only share an exasperated look.

Taking care of Tony's romantic woes falls to Loki, and he finds himself privy to Tony's thoughts throughout the week when John is not dragging him off to some activity involving Loki getting shouted road rules at and Loki straining to hear him. His relationship with Steve is steadily getting better though he does say things to the boy that make Loki want to shake him for his stupidity.

Go-kart racing is the focus of the week, and after letting the fact slip to Tony over a phone call, he feels the need to inform all of their friends the next day at lunch and declare "the need for a SHIELD family outing." John doesn't even protest when he sees them sitting on the steps with Loki, and simply says, "This could be interesting."

He knows that this is going to be the wrong kind of interesting when Luke and Robert get into a slap fight as an employee explains the safety rules.

"Could you please?" Loki hisses, Bruce cocking an eyebrow at him. It's not as easy as everyone else to stay calm as Mr. Peace and Serenity does.

"Okay, jeez, calm yourself."

Robert leans into Luke's ear and not-so-quietly whispers, "I think him and Thor haven't fucked in a while."

Luke nods in agreement, and Loki clenches his fists in frustration and resists the urge to inform them that they're wrong, turning to pay attention before John yells at him.

"Pay attention!" John shouts after Loki is side swept _by_ Tony, not the other way around. "If that was a real car-"

"'I could be dead!'" he shouts." I know!"

Natasha pulls up beside him grinning. "If it matters, I think you'll make a good driver."

John pulls up behind him and begins to drive forward, pushing Loki's go-kart forward as well. "Stop talking to the pedestrian! You're holding up traffic."

He pushes down on the gas as hard as he can and zooms away from John and Natasha, turning around to give him a look.

"Speed limit!"

Loki ends up behind an arguing Tony and Steve, Steve telling Tony to stop trying to run into Clint's cart and Tony telling him to lighten up. "Could you please move?" he asks, hitting his forehead against the steering wheel.

"Look, Tony, if you'd just listen, this never would have happened!" Steve shouts. He pulls his go-kart to the side and gets out, going to Tony's and pulling him out of his. "Will you ever listen to me?"

"Will you ever listen to me?" Tony counters. "I love you, Steve!"

Everyone goes silent around them, Clint shouting, "Woo!" after a few moments.

"Why do I even bother?" Steve asks, and he leaves Tony standing there dumbstruck.

"Don't stop in the middle of the road, Ice!"

Loki grits his teeth and drives around Tony, resenting everyone and everything at the same time. He's about to snap when he catches a glimpse of blond hair in his periphery, and he falls back into his normal persona.

"Care to race, Loki?" Thor asks, grinning.

Loki smirks. "I'll win!" he shouts.

He plays dirty because he can, and he knows that it pisses John off with him screaming, "Street racing is illegal" every time Loki passes him. When Thor manages to catch up to him after Loki using Natasha as a way to slow him down, he turns to him and pointedly bites his bottom lip.

"One more lap!" Clint shouts.

Loki's absolutely sure that he's going to win then he glances over his shoulder and sees that somehow Thor has taken his shirt off. He isn't paying attention and ends up crashing into the back of Harry's go-kart where he and Bruce are parked side by side and talking.

"Car accident, wee-woo," Harry says, and he starts to make annoying siren noises.

Thor beams as he passes Loki, Clint declaring him the winner.

"You played dirty!"

"So did you," he replies as he slides his shirt back on.

"I'm the god of mischief!" Loki says, and for some reason, that's so hilarious to everyone because they erupt into laughter.

"Ice, please, don't. That's something that your uncle would say after a few drinks," John says. "Also, you failed. You were distracted."

Tony slinks up to him, frowning. "Ha ha," he says, making an L with his finger. "Loser."

Thor is not the saint that everyone thinks he is, that's for sure. He barely waits two minutes after that get home before he uses his new status of winner to try to seduce Loki.

Loki rolls his eyes at his position in the doorway, stripping off his sweater. "I would rather not," he says, and his mind supplies his with an image of a dejected Stark as if his unarousal wasn't enough. "You also cheated."

Thor isn't deterred by Loki's moodiness. Instead, he takes it as a signal to push Loki onto his back and straddle him. "You cannot take it as you dish it out?"

Now that manages to offend him. "What—I can take it!" He's instantly silenced when Thor grinds down. "I can take it," he says, staring Thor in the eye. "Hard."

It's a new record how fast they get undressed, and it's because of the air of competition surrounding them. This is going to be a no-win contest, but Loki will somehow win.

He doesn't moan as loud as he wants to when Thor enters him, and he clenches down on Thor in an attempt to draw a moan out of him. He succeeds in getting a silent moan, but Loki wants more than that.

"'Cheaters never win' is the worst lie ever told," Thor says, lifting Loki's leg to rest on his shoulder. When he thrusts the next time, he ghosts over that spot inside Loki that makes him see stars, and he chuckles when Loki moans loudly. He doesn't laugh when Loki clenches down again.

His phone starts to vibrate on his pillow, and he's all too tempted to just ignore it. He reaches for it anyway and sees that it's Tony. If it were anyone else, he'd ignore it, but he can't if it's him. He'll just have to be as casual as possible.

"Hello, Stark?" he asks, and he tries to keep his breathing as even as possible. He knows that Tony is probably talking to him through Jarvis, and he would rather not have him be bombarded by his… sex sounds.

"Why does Steve keep rejecting my attempts to show my love?" Tony says, jumping right to the point. "You know that I'm hopelessly in love with him. Hell, you sussed it out by yourself. Steve, the oh so observant person he is should be able to see it then too!"

Loki barely can make a "mhm" noise as Thor thrusts into him, his hands trembling as he holds the cellphone to his ear. He would rather not talk about this now, but he doesn't want Stark to go do something stupid instead of talking it out.

"I think he's in denial about his gayness."

Loki pulls the phone away from his air so he can exhale. "Why?" he manages to ask.

Thor, the cruel person he is, licks a stripe down Loki's sternum.

"We've done _things_ that straight guys don't do, and don't pull that 'experimenting' card on me. No straight man does _that_…"

Thor begins to suck on the opposite side of Loki's neck from last time as if he wants Loki to have zero chance of escaping the memory of him. He punctuates the mark with a particularly hard toe-curling thrust, and Loki cuts his cheek from biting down so hard.

"And I thought that you were a better person that this, getting fucked while I'm talking to you."

Hm, he wasn't so silent then. "Stark-"

"You're trying to sound as casual as possible, but there's no way that you would be this enthusiastic if Thor weren't nine inches deep into your-" Loki hits the end button, allowing all of his repressed moans to come out at once.

Loki wins when Thor cums first, Loki following a few seconds behind him. "I won this time," he says as they lay panting. "You lost."

"I disagree, but"—Thor brushes his fingers across the mark on Loki's neck—"whatever pleases you."

Whatever Thor says, Loki did win, and he sends him a smirk anytime they encounter each other in the hallway.

Tony's absence at lunch is noted, and Steve sends a glance toward the door every few minutes.

When Tony does make his appearance, he's running into the cafeteria with a gigantic bouquet of red roses. "Steve, I'm in love with you!" he shouts, and he does the unthinkable, grabbing Steve's head and kissing him ferociously.

When Tony pulls away, Steve only stares at him, but there's emotion in his eyes, many: hurt, anxiety, hope, annoyance. "Tony, didn't you already do this yesterday?" he asks, turning around to pick at his lunch.

"Steve, what are—I love you, Steve, as in I want to spend the rest of my life on Earth with you," he replies. "I'm in love with you, Steve Rogers! What do I have to do to make you understand? I want to make-out with you, pinch your nipples until they're rock hard and you're squirming, slap that incredible ass of yours until it's red and you're begging me to fuck-"

"You're not even gay," Steve says. "Just… please, can I eat my lunch in peace?"

Tony stands there and stares at Steve's back before nodding to himself like he finally has the answer. "Yes! Yes, I've got it!" he exclaims, throwing the bouquet of flowers to a passing Janet. "I'll show you, Steve. You'll understand…"

After Tony departs, Barton claps his hands together. "Well, now that's over, shall we move on to the next exhibit of human behavior-"

"Clint, please," Natasha says. "Save it for a better time. Eat."

Loki doesn't believe in teachers being out to get students, but Charles Xavier is out to get Loki. The looks he gives him are full of bitter contempt, and he calls on Loki at every chance he gets even if Reed is frantically raising his hand and Loki has his down. Loki answers—the correct one—and Charles tears it down, pointing out where it is wrong, and it's all semantics.

"What'd you do to him?" Bruce asks. "It's as if you stole his best friend."

He glances at where Charles is tapping his pen and staring at Loki and realizes what he did wrong. He actually thinks that he and Erik—that's absolutely laughable. Charles can have Erik. They belong together, and Loki does not wish to get in the way of that.

He lingers after class and goes up to Charles. "There is nothing, nor will there ever be anything going on between Erik and I," he says. "I have a boyfriend of my own whom I am sure you're aware of, and Erik is the last person I desire. I hope that you two are doing well with your own relationship."

He feels accomplished at taking Charles by surprise as he sits down in Earth Science.

Saturday, Loki and John finally get into a car with the intention of Loki learning how to drive though he is only in the passenger seat. They drive around the city as John tells him the actual rules of the road that are applicable to car driving, and Loki listens.

Thor comes back from his run with Steve, and Loki is content with the slow kissing only. When Thor sneaks into his bed later that night, he doesn't feel the need to touch Thor more than he already is. This has to be some new level of their relationship where Loki doesn't want to always fuck him. He still does, but he's okay with only touching him in a nonsexual way.

There's a sound, and Loki wakes up, Thor already standing up beside the bed with alert eyes. He sends him a questioning look, and Thor edges toward the door, pressing his ear to the surface before opening it to...

Tony and Steve standing there in his hallway uninvited at 3:57 in the morning. Great.

Fenrir pokes his head in between their legs, looking pitiful. Traitor.

"Our majestic steed of safety," Thor comments. "What are you doing here?"

"Yes, what are you doing here?" Loki pulls the hem of his t-shirt down as he stands up. "How did you get in?"

"Basic lock-picking," Tony says, holding up a device. "Anyway, get dressed because we need you both to help us. BTW, congrats on reaching this point in your relationship. Staying the night, hm."

Loki rolls his eyes as Stark disappears into the hallway, Thor following after him. "What is so important that I have to get up this early?" he asks as he pulls on his jeans.

"Bucky didn't come home last night."

At that, Loki shuts his mouth and doesn't say anything more out of fear that he may say something incredibly insensitive to whatever Steve is feeling right now. Steve's always been sensitive to his feelings, so it's the least Loki can do.

They leave as quietly as they can and go to get a waiting Natasha and Clint. The stop by Bruce's to pick him up, and as Tony goes up to retrieve him, Thor mumbles about his presence being unneeded. Natasha stares at him coolly and says, "He's a good detective," effectively shutting him up.

They all split up around Steve and Bucky's apartment, and Loki is not surprised to discover that it looks as if it's from the 30's. The two of them have an unhealthy association with the era, but he doesn't say anything as he sorts through a file cabinet for some clue.

"So, Steve, do you wanna maybe talk about how Bucky's been acting?" Clint asks, taking a seat on the couch beside Steve.

Loki sits down in on the arm of the armchair Thor sits in, ignoring the sharp look Steve gives him. It's just furniture.

"Yeah, Steve, what the fuck has been up with Barnes? I came to see you, right, and he went ninja on me!" Tony stands up from where he's looking under a table. "He's cray, isn't he?"

"No, Tony, Bucky's just… I think he's going through a rough time. He's been acting strangely for the past few weeks, but it's nothing about him being insane. It's probably the people he's been hanging out with. He leaves as soon as he gets home from school, and-"

"Aha!" Natasha appears from behind the other couch, a red bag in her hand. Loki recognizes the symbol on the side, and so does Tony.

"The fuck? Barnes got some fetish for Soviets?" Tony asks. "What the hell is that?"

"Yes, Natasha, can I-?"

"It's empty," she says, opening the bag and turning it over. "But I know where we're going next."

The place that Natasha instructs Stark to drive to is something out of a horror movie about drug-addled prostitutes and secret murder rings ran by wealthy cannibals. The man that stands at the door is impressive, and as they walk up to him, Loki can't help but notice the hammer and sickle pin on the lapel of his blazer.

Thor's grip on his arm is tight, but Loki does not mind at all with how the few people that linger outside are looking at their group.

"Name?" he asks.

"Stark," Tony says, but as he steps forward, the man doesn't move. "Tony Stark."

"No entry," he says. "Your name is not on the list."

Natasha steps up to him and the height difference should make him scared for her, but it only emphasizes how incredible her power is. "Romanova," she says, and everyone save for Clint looks at her in confusion.

The man steps aside without question, and Natasha beckons for them to follow. That was definitely curious.

"I thought your last name was Romanoff," Tony says.

"More secrets," Steve says, his hand on Tony's shoulder. "Let's go."

Everything is so red, Loki thinks when he looks around and realizes that it's not his vision playing tricks on him. Everything is in fact red, black, or gold, red being the majority color. It's dim inside the club as well, so that only makes the ground look as if it's covered in blood.

People sit around tables with hard looks in their eyes and the slight uneasiness in their movements screams drug abuse.

"They're all high, but… not high," Tony says.

"Stimulants," Bruce says. "They're all on stimulants, uppers to be specific."

"Some kind of designer drug," Tony replies. "It doesn't surprise me. Look at the way they move. It's like an android of some type. Jarvis, run a scan of this place's systems. Tell me what they're on."

Natasha grabs a passing blonde's arm. "Illyana?"

The girl looks surprised, blinking. "What?" She pulls her arm out of Natasha's grasp. "Who are—Natalia?"

Jarvis' voice grabs Loki's attention. "Sir, it appears that they are in fact on a designer drug which goes by the street name of 'USSR' for its origin here at the Red Room," Jarvis says from Tony's phone. "Most of the people seated, 89% in fact, are all currently on the upper which is known for its long-lasting effects of up to 48 hours."

"Jarvis, where's Bucky?" Steve asks. "Is he here?"

"Master Rogers, both fortunately and unfortunately, Master Barnes is in fact present on the premises-"

"Steve?"

Thor pulls Loki close to his side at the sound of Bucky behind them, and he glares hard at Bucky as he circles around them and makes his way to Steve.

"Steve, what are you doing here?" Bucky asks. In the shirt he's wearing, a red star is visible on his bicep.

Steve steps up to Bucky, looking relieved. "Buck, you haven't been—what is that on your arm?" He stares at the star. "Since when do you have a tattoo?"

The sound of people speaking Russian draws Loki's attention back to Natasha and the blonde girl. Natasha's hands are on her shoulders as she tries to shake her back into reality, but it seems like she's failing.

"Loki, we should get-"

"Loki." He turns and sees the boy from Halloween standing there… Carny. He has the same look in his eyes as everyone else, obviously on drugs. "Remember me?"

"Yes, Carny, right?"

He grins, holding up to thumbs up. "Right-o, Jotun," he says, and Loki doesn't want to correct him. "You know Winter then?"

He guesses that "Winter" is referring to Bucky, so he nods. "Yes, Bucky and I share a mutual friend."

"James," Bucky says as he goes to Carny's side. "I forgot that you were an enlightened one too. You see the failure of the SHIELD ways and where HYDRA succeeds. Perhaps you will also see the ways of the Red Room. It's quite the paradise."

Now Loki would not say all of that about his association with HYDRA students, but he does see that school rivalries are stupid, and he has no desire to participate in them. "Um.."

"Buck, what are you talking about?"

"It's James, Steve-"

"What is this talk about SHIELD failing?" Steve runs a hand through his hair, messing it up. "Why are you being like this, Bucky? What did I do wrong?"

Bucky grins, lop-sided. "You did nothing wrong, Steve. Not yet." He grabs Steve's arm and pulls him toward the entrance. "Now, _you_ of all people do not need to be here."

They're all following Bucky and Steve in an instant, winding through the tables of druggies until they meet the red balanced reality of the outside world.

Loki blinks away the red as he watches Steve and Bucky talk a few feet away.

"Listen to me!" Steve shouts, and he's grabbing Bucky's collar. "Listen to me, James!"

"What, Steve, I am," he replies.

"No, you're on drugs!" Steve narrowly dodges the punch Bucky aims at him, and Thor is moving in their direction in an instant. He grabs Steve by the shoulder and begins to pull him away. "I'm trying to help you!"

"I don't need your help, Steve!" He holds his arms up in the air. "I've never been better!"

"Don't come home then if this is what makes you feel good! You're no longer welcome, _James_." Steve turns around and lets Thor lead him away.

Clint puts a hand on Loki's shoulder as they follow behind the two of them.

"You tell him, _Natalia_! Tell them how good it is to be free!"

As they make their way to Tony's car, Loki brushes shoulders with a blond boy who grins at him and says, "Why hello, Loki," before continuing on his way. He has no idea who the boy is, and he can only give Clint a confused look in return when he looks at him for an explanation.

It's unspoken that they all return to Loki's house to camp out in the basement, watching late-night cartoons as they try to avoid all Bucky, red, or drug-related topics for Steve's sake. Odin comes down at 6:00 to see what the commotion is, but he doesn't even ask what they're doing there. Like a good human being, he asks if they want breakfast before he leaves out for work and leaves them be after getting their answers of no.

Loki catches Clint talking to Thor in hushed tones after he returns from the bathroom, Clint giving him a look that lets him know that he is the subject of their conversation. He should stop Clint from talking about the blond boy, but he's too tired to do much else besides curl up into a fetal position and sleep.

His mother's maternal instincts lead her to hug Steve upon seeing him in the morning, telling him to find her if he needs to talk. He thanks her before going off to the bathroom to probably cry, and everyone stares after Steve helplessly, Tony getting up to follow him after a few moments. She nods at Loki when they make eye contact, and he nods back in approval.

They're presence isn't suffocating, a pleasant hum to the background of his life. It's perhaps their intentions of being here that makes it alright. They're not trying to meddle in Loki's love life but trying to help Steve through this emotionally draining situation. His—their friends aren't all that bad.

When Loki gets the text message, he should show it to his tech genius friend to get a source of who the texter is, but Loki doesn't. Instead he stares at the words on the screen until he hears Thor's footsteps behind him.

'_It was nice seeing you tonight. Hope to see you at the RR again. See you soon._

_-XXX'_

He simply tucks his phone into his pocket and resumes his conversation with Bruce as if nothing is wrong, and if Bruce sees the fear in his eyes, he doesn't say anything.

If he gets random text messages from boys that he doesn't know that know him, it's his problem to solve.


	14. Chapter 14

Charles Xavier: Hopeless Romantic?!

Loki goes to the gym with Thor, Steve, Robert, and Luke Sunday due to his dedication to being the best yoga instructor he can be.

Actually, no, he really does because he needs to take his mind off of the uneasy weight of his phone in his pocket. There's nothing more he wishes to do than heave it over the Brooklyn Bridge, but he knows that his mother wouldn't be thrilled if he had to replace it because of one stupid text message.

Jean-Paul sends Loki a smile when he enters the gym, and it's enough for Thor to come in halfway through their first sun salutation and explain that he "must participate in this week's yoga session" as he joins them.

The two of them try to tone it down, but Loki almost fails when he feels the outline of Thor's cock as he presses him deeper into his Wide Leg Forward Bend. He clears his throat and wipes his clammy hands on his pants before continuing as if he's not getting hard already.

At the end of the session, a boy comes up to Thor, and Loki overhears him ask, "So how much can you lift?" in a flirtatious way. Loki stops where he's blotting his face with a towel and stares at their interaction in his periphery.

"I could tell you, but I would like to show you."

Loki grits his teeth and turns away from the two of them, disgusted with Thor's response. He lets out a squeal of surprise when arms encircle his waist and pull him to the ground. "What are you doing?" he asks as Thor maneuvers him around.

Thor places his hands on Loki's ass and between his shoulder blades and bench presses him as if he weighs as much as a tissue. "Demonstrating."

He tries to remain as still as possible to stop from falling down, but Thor's fingers are dangerously close to pressing into his entrance. He bites his bottom lip and manages to last one more repetition before he grabs Thor's forearm and demands to be let down.

"Are you okay?"

He glares at him as he adjusts his pants. "Do I look okay?"

"Always." Thor turns to talk to the boy again, and Loki stomps off to find Robert, Luke, and Steve.

Tony picks up Steve, saluting Loki and winking at him.

Robert and Luke drag Thor off to some sporting activity Loki doesn't care about, so he spends the rest of his day in his room enjoying the silence of the second half of the day. In contrast with the morning, it's so empty with the absence of his friends. He's unsure of how he feels about that, especially with the silent implication of the text hanging over his head.

Odin asks them about their "trip to the gym" at dinner, and Thor answers with as many innuendoes as he can.

Loki groans at the realization that Stark has rubbed off on Thor in the worst way, but he tries to keep his composure as best as he can with how his mother's looking at him. She's on the watch for this mystery boy Loki's in love with, but said boy is sitting next to him. Reacting will only get her onto their trail.

"And your progress on the bench?"

Thor smirks. "I did quite a bit of lifting today, right, Loki?" He takes a sip from his glass as he stares Loki in the eye. "I lifted quite the load."

Loki breaks eye contact as fast as he can, staring down at his plate. "Uh, yes, you did," he says because what else is he supposed to say to that? "A rather, uh, big load."

Thor chuckles, patting Loki on the shoulder. "Farbauti, have I ever told you how flexible your son is?"

"Yes, my mother is well aware, Thor." He sends him a look. "Odin, how was your day?" he asks, and that effectively changes that topic.

Thor slips into his bedroom at midnight as Loki mulls over the marked screenplay. "You mentioned something about big loads at dinner," he says. "And I witnessed some amazing feats of flexibility today. Would you be so kind as to show me again?"

Loki sets the screenplay aside and turns to face Thor. "Only if you'll show me your load," he replies, and he can't help but chuckle at that. "Thor, can I ask you something?"

He sits down beside Loki, pulling him close to his chest. "Anything."

"You and Steve are… close, closer than he and I are," he says. "Does he… like Tony?"

Thor cocks an eyebrow. "Loki, I am fairly sure that you know the answer to that," he replies. "Steve is not as open with his… feelings as Tony is, but they are reciprocated without a doubt."

"Well, his reactions to Tony's declarations have been anything but positive." Loki fiddles with the seam of the blanket. "If I weren't rooting for Stark, I would not kid myself in saying that Steve's affections are obvious."

"Loki, please," Thor says. "I would think that you would know about hidden affection with how obvious I made my feelings as you kept playing… 'hard to get.' I was unsure of whether you hated me or you were so infatuated with that you wished to cause me death."

Loki leans away from him and gives him a disbelieving look. "What? I was more obvious than you were! I cornered you, Thor, and I told you that I wanted you to fuck me. If that's not obvious, I don't what is."

"Then you proceeded to avoid me. I cannot be blamed for not playing your games so well-"

"I don't play games."

"-and I cannot be blamed for thinking you uninterested. You _did_ make it a point to remind me of your past… liaisons and flaunt your sexual proclivity in front of my face." He pulls Loki back to his chest, resting his chin on his shoulder. "Your interest only seemed to extend to my physical form."

The first week that they knew each other, that would have been without a doubt true. Thor was intolerable with his charisma and insistence upon spending time with Loki to be "brothers", and Loki was sure that he was going to hate the boy. All chance of him hating Thor disappeared after that first trip to Central Park. Really Loki was far gone the moment Thor shoved himself through the threshold.

"That's untrue," he murmurs. "I… Thor, I love you because you're you: the entire package of human perfection in one body. Said body happens to be, um… very, very amazing, but you should know that my relationships are heavily based on mental compatibility."

"We are quite mentally compatible though you seem to think otherwise on occasion." Thor kisses his neck. "And your perception of my perfection is very… wrong. I may be rather close to achieving so, especially with your involvement in my life, but I am in no way perfect."

Loki smiles and turns to look up at Thor. "Aw, is this your attempt at seeming relatable to the rest of us mortals?" He throws back his head and laughs. "I understand, Thor. No need to deconstruct yourself. Now, would you be so kind as to let me demonstrate my own godly abilities?"

He straddles Thor and reaches inside the fly of his briefs, biting his bottom lip as he finds his mark. He looks up at Thor. "May I demonstrate just why I am called the silvertongued god"—he waves him around—"with your mighty hammer, Thor?"

He is going to look back on this and realize just how ridiculous he is acting, but he's living in the present for now.

Thor stares at him as if he's lost his mind for a moment before grinning. "I'm watching," he finally says as he leans he cradles his hands behind his head, "Silvertongue."

It's both amusing and arousing to see Thor try to remain cocky as Loki sucks him down. He never stood a chance, Loki thinks as Thor's eyes shut and he groans. Loki hasn't had much practice, but he is quite the fast learner. The look on Thor's face after he climaxes speaks volumes of his agreement.

Over breakfast, Loki purposely lets his yogurt-covered banana—what? he wants to make a point!—trail to the side and leave a smearing of white on his cheek and makes no move to wipe it. He trusts Thor to point it out after he's done staring at Loki like he's grown another head.

"Loki, you…" He reaches forward to wipe it from Loki's mouth but hesitates. "We have to get to school on time."

"And we will, Thor," he replies. "It's only 6:45. Why, do you have plans?"

Thor opens his mouth to reply when Loki's phone goes off in his pocket, Stark's voice repeating his name.

Has Loki mentioned that he's going to kill Stark the next he sees him?

"Hello, Stark?" he asks as Thor lifts his hand to wipe away the yogurt.

"Yeah, Loki, hey, yeah…" He starts to ramble on about something involving Steve, but Loki's paying more attention to Thor than the things Tony is saying.

"Mhm." He takes Thor's hand before he can pull it away and sucks his yogurt-covered fingers into his mouth. He lets them go, winking at Thor as he stares at his hand. "Yes, you're right."

"Damn right, I'm right." Tony exhales into the phone. "Thanks for listening. See you later, Lok-bro!"

Thor goes to the sink to wash his hands, and Loki flips through the messages on his phone. He pauses on the one signed with four x's and rereads the text with his breath held.

He finally deletes the message after one last read. He can just move on from that strange text and continue on with his life. He was doing fine before the mysterious text, so he'll do just fine afterward.

When he hands the screenplay to Charles in English, he watches as he flips through the paper with his best neutral face. "Thank you, Loki," he replies. "I hope that your corrections are… correct. I would not want to have wasted your time."

He smiles. "I feel the same." He looks around and sees that they are still alone for the most part. "So tell me, Charles, how is it with you and Erik?"

He almost drops the screenplay on the ground in surprise. "Wait—what, Loki, what has prompted your question? Did Erik tell you-?"

"No, I was simply wondering," he replies. "You didn't answer my question, but I think your reaction says that things are going… well."

Charles turns away from Loki, but Loki sees the flush travel up his neck. "Yes, things are… fine, but I would rather not discuss this with a student."

He rolls his eyes and follows Charles as he goes to grab his tea from the stage. "Fine, I will reciprocate then," he replies. "Thor and I are doing well too. Our relationship has reached a point where it's not purely physical, which I'm sure you're glad to hear."

"Emotional connections are just as important as physical." Loki's got him. Good. "Looks do not last forever but feelings can and sometimes will. There's a much more poetic variant that I do not recall at the moment, but you get the gist. Erik and I-" He turns to Loki and pauses as if he's checking for some reaction that Loki does not give. "We have always enjoyed simply being in each other's company even if we always were yearning for something… more. Now that we have that, it's made for a connection like no other."

"Love then?"

Charles quirks an eyebrow. "What about love?"

"You're in love with Erik?" He rolls his eyes again when Charles looks away. "Charles, I am in love with Thor. I know the feeling. You can tell me. Who would I tell?"

"I… don't know," he replies, and Loki knows he's answering two questions in one. "Class is about to start. If you could take your seat…"

"I will, I will." He turns away but pauses mid-step. "Professor Xavier, I do recall you saying that being afraid of my feelings was bad. You should take your own advice."

Charles seems oddly joyful during class, and Loki will gladly take credit for that. If he and Erik are together, he wants them to last forever. He's putting all of his hope into their relationship in the event that his—gods forbid—doesn't manage to last.

The days go by without another text message though Loki holds his breath each time his phone vibrates in his pocket, finding time after time that it is either Stark whining about wanting to fuck Steve until he forgets about Bucky or Natasha asking him about a scene in a book they've both read.

When Thor touches him after the ensuing moments of paranoia, Loki's worries temporarily recede back into a corner of his mind. His aura of red-gold brings nothing but contentment to Loki, and even his annoying habits of talking too loud or being too beautiful make a smile grace Loki's lips. If this is what it feels like to be in love with someone, good, he welcomes it.

Saturday afternoon, Bruce comes over. Bruce and Thor being within proximity leads to tension and words traded with silent implications beneath them. Thor's usually the aggressor in each of their heated exchanges, making comments about Bruce's temperament problems, and Bruce condescends about his superior intellect a la Richards and boasts about the feats he's performed while on a rampage. It only ends when someone drags one of them away. The job falls to him almost all of the time.

"Anything to drink?" Bruce asks as he takes a seat in the stool beside Thor's usual one, thank the gods. A stool-stealing induced fight is out of the question.

Loki hands him a glass of water without needing to ask, knowing Bruce's new vegan diet.

Thor is prone to come down at any moment, but until then, he can relax.

"I've been reading the book and comparing them to those conducted here," Bruce says. "The Soviets were absolutely brilliant, almost moreso than our own scientists, but I do notice some errors in the early ones. They could have constructed a warhead much earlier if they weren't in such a rush."

"They were trying to prove to the United States that they were the superior country," he replies. "I doubt they cared if they made correctable errors when they finally got it right." He hears the sound of rapid footsteps down the stairs and recognizes them as his mother's.

She comes into the kitchen, playing with her wedding band and looking apprehensive. "Oh, Bruce, I didn't hear you come," she says as she gives him a blank look.

"Oh, yes, hello, Ms. Laufeyson," he says. He scratches the back of his neck and clears his throat. "I think I owe you an apology since I have already given one to your son here. Um… I could come up with a few excuses as to why what happened, happened, but I know you don't want to hear them. If I could take it back, I would, but I can't. I can only prevent something like that from happening again, and the way to do that is to avoid extreme emotional distress." Bruce turns and looks at Loki. "The yoga and meditation helps too."

She stares between the two of them, an eyebrow cocked. "I—Bruce, I am ignorant as to what you have been through in your life to create such emotional trauma, but if you and my son are to continue to be… friends, I would appreciate it if you left him out of your rampages. He was not badly hurt, but I think it would be wise to… be careful during whatever activities you engage in."

Loki cocks his head to the side and stares at his mother in confusion. "Mother-"

"Loki, I'm-" Thor stops in the doorway, eyes steeling when he sees Bruce. "I was unaware of _his_ presence."

His mother looks at Thor before turning back to Bruce and Loki. "As I was saying, for everyone's sake, be safe," she says, and a lightbulb turns on in Loki's head. "If I forbid you from doing _it_, I know that it would only make you continue."

He tries not to let his mortification show. "Mother, Bruce and I…" He makes a motion with his hands. "We're not together as in… romantically."

"Or sexually," Bruce says. He looks horrified. "I—Ms. Laufeyson, I'm 100% straight. Even if I were gay, there are nothing more than platonic feelings between the two of us."

She frowns. "Then, Loki, who is this mystery man in your life? I know that you would only date someone who is also friends with you, so who is he? Who is the boy putting marks on your neck for the world to see?"

Odin chooses that moment to emerge from the dining room, his newspaper tucked under his arm. "Farbauti, leave the boy be," he says. "I'm sure that whoever this… boy is, Loki is fairly safe from harm."

The tension between the two of them after they leave is the worst yet.

"Well, that was awkward," Bruce says. "She actually thought we were… doing _it_. Wow. Funny."

"What is so funny about such an accusation?" Thor asks, circling the counter behind Loki. He touches Loki's hip with one hand as he grabs an apple, and Loki rolls his eyes. "Is the idea of… engaging in sex with Loki that perverse."

"Uh, yeah. I'm straight, and Loki's… Loki." He must see the way Thor's hand tightens on Loki's hip. "I mean, he's yours too, so… not going there. I wouldn't try anything with him when I know how he feels about you."

"You're saying that you would possibly pursue Loki if he were not in love with me?" Thor's being an asshole. "You would not care if I felt unrequited feelings toward him?"

Bruce sighs. "No, but… yeah, if I were maybe gay. He's obviously good looking, and he's my best friend. Why wouldn't I? Your feelings don't matter since we're not-"

"Bruce, we should go out to eat," he says. "You and I have much to discuss, and Thor, you were about to mention that you were going out yourself."

Thor frowns but nods. "Yes, Steve, Jane, Darcy, and I are going to the planetarium," he says, and Loki barely stops from frowning.

Jane fucking Foster is going with him, the girl who has seemingly taken the hint and made herself fairly scarce for the past few weeks. He remembers her little comment at formal.

He and Bruce both need to get out of there before one of them triggers an incident of catastrophic emotional consequences.

Thor glares at Bruce as he takes a bite of his apple. "Are you not interested in accompanying me, Loki?"

He grabs Bruce by the arm and tugs him toward the door. "No, no, we're fine," he replies as he shrugs on his coat. He sends Bruce a look and makes a gesture for him to go out the door. "I'll see you later, Thor! Love you  
!"

Bruce starts to walk, so Loki follows him. "Playing it safe then?"

He ignores Bruce's quip. "It doesn't surprise me that he's going out with Jane Foster," he says. "The planetarium of all places. Whatever."

"You're jealous," Bruce says. When Loki scoffs, he shakes his head. "Wow, I never thought you to be intimidated by a 5'4" girl who has the temper of a panda."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Natasha is around that height."

"Natasha isn't a _girl _though," he replies. "She's… Natasha."

Bruce leads him down a set of stairs and into the underground of New York City: a subway terminal. "You need to ride the subway," Bruce says as he inserts a few bills into the turnstile. "It's the New Yorker way."

Loki follows Bruce through and looks at the cavern around them. Graffiti covers the walls: phrases declaring America the best country in the world, others calling it a "shithole," logos of international companies. It is the melting pot of the world, and Loki's a part of it. How… strange.

"I'm guessing that you want to actually do something, so may I suggest that we go to Times Square? I absolutely hate the place—it's full of tourists—but I find the idea of you getting gawked at for your inhuman beauty hilarious." He pulls Loki onto the arrived train by the sleeve. "Don't look like that. You like the attention."

He casts a glance around the half-filled car before taking a seat on the empty bench next to Bruce. "I actually hate it when I do not give them permission beforehand," he says, pointedly looking at the man across from him. "I appreciate not being gawked at."

"People always say that."

Bruce pulls out the book and starts to read, so Loki decides to take in the locals. He sees the diversity from the way they dress to their physical attributes, and it pleases him that he's not entirely out of the ordinary down in the underground.

"Bruce!" Peter steps onto the train with a skateboard tucked under his arm. He sits down beside the previously-staring man. "Loki, surprised seeing a god down here with us humans."

"I'm not a god," he replies as he glares at the man who has taken Peter's presence as a cue to look at him again. "Why are you here, Parker? You have a skateboard."

"So?" He makes a face. "I'm lazy, okay? Jeez, get off my back."

"He's not lazy, just afraid," Bruce says with a grin.

"Whatever, whatever, where are you two headed?" He licks his lips, the lips that Harry kissed a month ago. He and Harry are the worst case he's seen yet. "I'm bored, and you're here…"

"Times Square," Loki replies.

"Loki plus tourists equals amusement."

Peter shakes his head. "No, no, we're not going to Tourist Central. Restaurant Row is where to be. Yeah, we're getting some grub before we tackle that shithole of confused people and amateur photography." Peter pulls his own camera from behind his jacket and snaps a picture. "'Students in Their Natural Habitat.'"

They circumvent the throngs of tourists through a series of side streets and end up seated at a table in a Peter-suggested restaurant.

Peter pulls out his camera to take a picture of Bruce. "'The Man Behind the Rampages.'"

"Shut up, Parker."

Loki's interrupted from conversation with Bruce by the vibration of his phone in his pocket, and he answers Thor's call with a sigh. "Yes?"

He barely restrains himself from hanging up when Thor launches into query after query about Loki's current whereabouts as if he's suddenly become his guardian. He grits his teeth and tells him as he sends a glare in a laughing Bruce's direction. It turns out that Stark found out about Thor and company's plans, so he took it upon himself to tag along. Loki doesn't really hear Thor's murmured reason why, but they're all going to see the Lion King later that night, and Loki is to "get home and get changed within the next two hours."

"You should know that Peter and Bruce are coming too," Loki says as he pointedly looks at Bruce.

Thor sighs. "Okay, Loki, just be prompt."

"As always," he replies. "Love you!"

Peter disappears with a wave and a promise to see Loki later, and Bruce departs with him after reassuring Loki that he wouldn't bail because of the Thor-involvement. "Everything with you is Thor involved," he says before waving goodbye.

He tries not to mull over the statement too much as he makes the journey back home.

Loki's the only one home, Thor nowhere to be found and his mother and Odin out doing something he cares not for. He finds himself mumbling about Thor being the unreliable one as he roots through his closet for something suitable for their evening. He's changing into his second pair of pants when Thor decides to walk in without sparing a knock.

"Knocking?" Loki exclaims as he buttons up his pants. He turns and stares at his ass in the mirror. It looks great, always does, but these are the pants. "Gods, Thor, where have _you_ been?"

Thor huffs and crosses his arms. "What has gotten you in a twist?"

"Me in a twist?" Loki does his bowtie with more force than needed. "I am fine, Thor. What _prompts_ you to ask such questions?"

"Loki, I never-" He holds his hands up in submission. "I am going to get ready, and I promise that I will be only 30 minutes. Please, in the meantime, rethink your… reaction to me." He sticks his head back in. "Wait, did I tell you how fantastic you look?"

"Go get ready, Thor," he replies, sitting down on his bed. "And… thank you."

He tries not to blush as he pulls out his phone to look at the unread text message, but a feeling of dread replaces it quickly. When he opens it to see that it is only Natasha telling him of the invitation having been extended to her and Clint, he exhales.

Loki paces with his hands in his pockets and waits for Thor to come down. When he looks up at his footsteps, he cannot help but gulp down the sudden lump in his throat from how perfect Thor looks. The popped collar of the trench coat should make Loki want to roll his eyes, but it makes him want to drop to his knees instead.

"Ready?" Thor asks. He kisses Loki on the lips before grabbing his hand and pulling him out the door.

He wishes to cross his arms and pout during the cab ride, but he ends up leaning his head on Thor's shoulder and relishing the circles he makes on Loki's hand with his thumb.

Tony is the first to spot them somehow, and he makes it a point to push past the groups of people to run and try to hug them both at once. He fails spectacularly, their simultaneous grabs of his forearms stopping him from falling on his ass. "Hey, guys, miss me?"

"Not at all." Loki smiles when he sees that Bruce and Peter made good on their promises though Mary Jane is an extra guest that Loki was not anticipating. Peter's still deep in denial it seems. As long as Osborn makes no surprise appearances, everything should be fine.

Jane opens her mouth to say hello to Loki, but he goes to talk to Natasha instead.

Clint, Peter, and Tony decide to go up the down escalator like the fools they are, and it seems that Clint and Peter get into some argument to who can go up the railings faster. From there, Loki watches with disbelief as they narrowly miss people's hands as they run the moving railings like treadmills.

"You're all children," Natasha says once they reach the three of them at the top, but Darcy fist pumps them all.

Stark flashes a badge with the Lion King symbol on it at the ticket window, and they're all waved past. With a grin, he turns and says, "Full season seats in Orchestra courtesy of Stark Industries."

Loki is tempted to point out Tony's not-so-quiet distaste for what his namesake company does, but Thor gives him a look that silences him. He rolls his eyes and allows Thor to take his hand in his once they enter the dim theater.

There's a brief argument between Tony and Bruce over who should sit next to Loki, but Natasha ends it by taking the seat.

"Cold, Natasha," Bruce comments as he goes to take a seat on the other side of Darcy. "I thought I was your favorite."

"Osborn's my favorite," she says. "He only talks about his love life and avoids conflict with any of us."

"It's my season pass!" Tony exclaims. He stands there for a moment before looking around and taking the seat in front of Loki. "Steve, come on!"

Bruce gets up with a shrug and sits on the other side of Steve, which prompts Peter and Mary Jane to both move up next to him. Why can't anyone stay seated?

Loki gives Thor a look that says he's going to pay for subjecting him to this. The musical hasn't even started and Loki wants to go home and be away from all of them. They can turn the best experience into something Loki wishes to escape.

Just before the lights dim, Mr. Stane and a blonde girl sit down next to Tony.

"Almost late, Stane."

Mr. Stane removes a clear device from his ear. "Technically, they're my seats as acting CEO of Stark Industries. I'm lending them to you, remember."

Clint, Darcy, and Peter make "oh" noises, shutting up when Steve gives them disapproving looks.

The blonde girl turns around and looks at them all with a blank stare, nodding Darcy a greeting. Her eyes pause on Loki. She extends a hand over the seat, and Loki surprised at the firmness of her handshake. "Whitney Stane," she says. "I'm from HYDRA, and you're Loki Laufeyson. You are quite popular among our student body."

"Got that right," Darcy adds.

He curses his uncle and Thanny in his head. "Well, I do hope the rumors live up to my standards."

She cocks her head to the side and grins. "He was right," she replies. "The HYDRA inside of you makes me want to try to sell you the idea of how great our school is, but I think we're well aware that nothing I could say could convince you after you met Thanos. He is not the greatest representative of our school, but I must insist that you not tell him that. Now, Hero said-"

Thor's grip on his hand is almost bone crushing.

"Whitney, shut up!" Tony says.

She glares at him before reaching around Mr. Stane and grabbing his head and shoving it to the side. "You shut up, Tony!"

Everyone goes deathly silent when the opening chants of "Circle of Life" begin, and Thor's grip relaxes instantly.

Loki's seen the Swedish-dubbed version of _The Lion King_ more than once, but he watches as it comes to life in front of him with rapt attention. He loves the arts, and this is a display of true human creativity. Yes, he's willing to give humans credit where it's due such as there on the Broadway stage.

Everything is fine until "Chow Down" when Clint and Tony exchange a look before starting to dance with their hands. Mr. Stane ignores Tony until he starts using his hand puppet to peck him on the head, and he stills Tony with a hand around the wrist. Natasha stops Clint with a simple look. The surrounding people look at them with disbelief, and that ends up with Thor and Bruce softly chuckling as Loki sinks lower into his seat.

The lights on the stage begin to flash, and everyone visibly shifts in their seat in preparation for what they know is coming. With dread, Loki watches as Scar holds Mufasa by the arm, and he thinks back to the movie, hoping that this is not going to happen but knowing that the ending will not change.

"Long live the king!" and just like that, Mufasa falls to his death.

Loki accidentally gasps, and he bites the heel of his hand at the sound of Simba calling for his father. He starts at the sound of a sob and sees that Mary Jane is crying in Peter's arms. Thank the gods he's not _that_ person.

"Fuck you, Scar!" Tony hisses. Steve's face is buried in his shoulder, and Loki guesses that he's crying as well.

Loki looks over and sees Thor frowning, but he doesn't look to be in any danger of crying. He looks down at his hand and sees Thor's rubbing circles again. It brings a smile to his face.

There are cheers from everyone when Simba beats Scar though Mr. Stane makes a huffing noise. Loki claps a bit because he doesn't cheer for things like that even if he is a strong opponent of Scar's existence.

"How did you like it?" Thor asks. He doesn't try to hold Loki's hand as they congregate in the lobby.

Loki waves Mary Jane a goodbye. "Quite a lot," he replies. "I am prepared to go home and take a long shower but-"

"But we have to go out to eat first," Thor says. He smiles when Loki glares at him. "What? Moresocialization will not kill you."

"Not that you know of."

Mr. Stane comes up to them as he shoves the clear object back into his ear. "As always, a good production."

"As always," Tony says, "Scar was a mother fuck—freaking turd hole. Happy he died."

"I think he was quite a dynamic character who had quite a bit of… admirable qualities." There's a look shared between Tony and Mr. Stane that speaks volumes on their relationship. "Well, Tony, it was a nice outing for us all. Too rarely do we spend time together especially considering how I'm your legal guardian…"

"Jarvis is the only man I need in my life. Well, him and Steve."

Thor elbows Loki when he giggles at the strange look Mr. Stane gives the two of them.

"Well… I will see you all on Monday," he says. "Whitney, come on, and—wait, Loki, I do hope that you take up my daughter on her suggestion. HYDRA as a school seems like it would fit you better." He winks at him before putting a hand on Whitney's shoulder and guiding her away.

"What an ass," Stark says once Stane is down the escalator. "Don't know why he insists on volunteering to teach band. He hates me. I hate him."

Steve runs a hand over Tony's hair just as Thor does the same to Loki, and the two of them share a curious smile. "Um, that's untrue, Tony."

"He's stealing your thunder," Loki says, and only does he realize the pun he's made until Clint and Peter start to laugh and point at the two of them. "Wait, I did not mean it in _that_ way though I do believe the feasibility of you being a god increases with each time you manage to f-" He stops himself before he says something stupid. "Yes, you are godly."

They walk to Tasty Café, Thor's arm around Loki's shoulder as a compromise over the hand-holding in public. Loki wishes that society would speed up social progress, so he doesn't have to worry about the wrong person seeing them holding-hands before running off to their parents to report their findings.

Thor's hand is on his knee as they sit down, and Loki tries to ignore the circles he's making.

"Cheesecake," he says. "Mm, I'm getting that. I have no idea about you but-"

"The same as you," Thor says. "Strawberry. A side of whipped cream." He licks his lips, and Loki accidentally tracks it across his lower lip in front of everyone.

Steve clears his throat. "Oh, um… is their salad is any good?" he asks, awkwardly scratching his neck. "If so, I think I should get that."

"Yeah, Jane, that sounds good, right?" Darcy asks, and she touches Jane's shoulder. "Or maybe the coconut shrimp. That sounds good too."

"I'll have whatever you have, Darc," she replies.

Loki makes eye contact with Bruce who shakes his head knowingly.

"So, Loki, I heard that you finally made Thor a man—Ow, Jane, WTF was that for?" Darcy holds her bicep with one hand and pouts. "I was trying to congratulate him for mackin' it up with this piece of human wonder over here!"

Tony starts to giggle with Clint, and Natasha cracks a smile, quickly schooling it when Loki sends them all a glare across the table.

Peter's arms pause around his camera mid-air. "Wait—what?"

If Loki were even considering forgiving Jane for her response to him, any chance of that would have disappeared with Darcy's words. He has no tolerance for her telling a girl Loki hardly knows the details of his and Thor's romantic epiphany. That is only for Loki to share and for those people only!

And if Thor was the one who told her…

"Darcy, please." Jane and Loki make eye contact. "Loki-"

"No," he replies, "don't."

"Hold on, hold on, if I'm getting this entire big picture, some 'mackin'' happened that I'm unaware of?" Peter stands up from the table. "I really don't want to know, do I? Anyway, I'll be outside taking pictures of the wandering tourists while you all discuss... whatever you were discussing."

Bruce stands. "I'll come with you."

Steve sighs and hands the waitress his menu. "Can there ever be a normal occasion where there is no conflict?"

"Got that right, Steve," Tony says.

"There is no conflict," Loki says as he crosses his arms and stares at Jane, Darcy, and Thor. "None whatsoever."

When Darcy tries to feed Jane, Loki stands up from the table and goes to find Parker and Bruce without another word to Thor. He is not going to sit there and watch _that_ even if it makes him feel better about Jane and Thor's relationship.

"Are you in the mood to descend into the throngs of tourists?" Loki asks as he starts toward the light and extreme chaos at the end of the street. He stops when they reach the corner of Broadway and W 47th and looks at the bright digital billboards and the sounds of voices and other assorted noises. It's oddly beautiful.

Peter snaps away as Loki and Bruce move into the center of the city, the flash of his camera constantly going off in Loki's periphery.

A tall blond with an "I heart Maryland" sweatshirt taps Loki's shoulder with a grin. "Can we have a picture?"

He begrudgingly grants her and her four friends permission and lets two of them wrap their arms around his midsection.

"Like are you British or something? I mean, your accent is so-"

"Swedish," he says through his smile as Peter clicks the capture button.

Peter hands her back her camera and turns to Loki with a grin that makes Loki want to grab his camera and smash it on the ground. "When one comes, they all flood in."

Unfortunately Peter is right and Loki ends up taking pictures with an assortment of grinning men and women under the impression that Loki is someone who they need to take a picture with.

"Twenty four and c-" Peter's cut off by a running Stark pushing past him. "What the fuck, Stark?"

Tony stops a few feet away and sticks a clear object in his ear. "Jarvis, now!" he shouts.

Loki, Bruce, and Peter share confused looks as to why Tony is talking to Jarvis over what appears to be some Stark Tech Bluetooth, but their questions are answered in a few seconds.

"Marry You" begins to play over the crowds, and several screens change from advertisements to where the crowd has receded around the four of them in the center of Times Square. Oh gods, something is about to happen, and Loki is unsure of whether to run or to stand where he is.

Eight people emerge from the crowd and couple up. They start to dance a slower version of the Swing.

"Tony, what are you doing?" Steve asks as he runs up to him. He looks at the dancers in confusion. "What is this?"

Tony grabs Steve's hand as he grins. "You owe me a dance, Rogers," he says. "I know you can dance the Swing. C'mon and use that new body of yours."

Loki turns around at a tap on his shoulder and sees a smiling Thor. "Thor, did you know about this?" he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

"No," he replies as he takes Loki's hand, "but there is nothing stopping us from joining in the festivities. It is now a question of whether you can keep up."

He smirks and adjusts his stance. "I should ask the same of you. Can you keep-?" He's cut off as they start to move with Thor leading the steps like Loki remembers him doing. This time, it's so much easier with how he doesn't have to restrain his emotions in his eyes. "As perfect as usual."

Bruce and Peter exchange a look, and it's no time wasted before they're dancing rather comically. Jane and Darcy join their strange dancing moments after.

The song transitions to "Locked Out of Heaven" and more citizens break free from the crowd to join them in their dancing. It's only then does Loki realize what this is: a flash mob. Loki is a part of a flash mob set up by Tony Stark and his AI. This night can only get stranger if aliens make an appearance.

Thor and Loki move in symbiosis, and their shared love of winning surfaces when Bruce actually lifts Peter above his head, and Peter does a flip off of Bruce's shoulders. They share a look before transitioning into complicated flips over each other and bends that would break the average person's back. Steve and Tony join in on the competition when Thor flips Loki by the arm, and Bruce does the same to Peter. Tony makes Steve lift him onto his shoulders so Tony can vogue.

Any spirit of swing is abandoned by the time the song changes to "Money Make Her Smile."

Their location in the center of the city seems to lead fellow SHIELD students to find them without trouble. It's strange to see acquaintances slip through the cracks in the crowd to quickly find a partner and join in the random dancing.

Tony hops from Steve's shoulder. "Stark is in the building!" he shouts as he pelvic thrusts. "Jarvis, next song!"

Loki looks up as "Where Have You Been" begins to play and curses Tony's terrible taste in music. Before he can ask Thor, the crowd swarms around them as everyone begins to jump up and down to the beat of the snare.

When they make eye contact, Thor shrugs, and he, Darcy, and Jane begin to dance like everyone else.

Peter grabs Loki's arm and begins to jump. "Come on! Live a little!"

He jumps with Parker to appease him, but he finds that it's actually enjoyable to just do this. He accidentally cracks and smile, and that prompts Peter to start laughing and declare a victory.

Then "We Found Love" starts playing, and everyone seems to go insane around Loki in a mix of head banging and screaming of the lyrics.

"Thor, I love you!" he finds himself shouting during the second chorus, the atmosphere of joy seeping into the cracks of his emotional walls.

Thor breaks out into a grin mid-jump, and Darcy and Jane start to cheer. "I love you too, Loki!"

Loki wants nothing more than to climb into bed next to Thor after the crowd disperses and everyone starts to head home. The amount of social interaction back there was enough to make his tolerance shoot to overload, but with Thor's help, he actually stuck it out.

A girl stops Thor and Loki to ask for a picture, and Thor grants her the privilege without hesitation. As she slips between them, Loki puts on his best faux smile for Parker and thinks of ways to punish Thor. "Peter did mention that you took pictures with girls," Thor says afterward. "What is one more?"

Loki rolls his eyes. "When did you become so…?"

"Starkian?" Bruce asks, and he sends a look in Thor's direction. "I think the moment that Stark came into his life, he did. Tony changes the best of us."

"I am not 'Starkian,'" Thor replies. He stops walking and turns to Bruce, and Loki groans. "I quite like sarcastic banter with the love of my life, Banner. Is there a problem with that?"

To Loki's surprise, Bruce simply shrugs. "Nope, no problem there."

He's not truly disappointed when he and Thor fall asleep straightaway, but he does find himself disappointed at the missed opportunity next morning when the problem of morning wood confronts him upon waking. He forces himself out of bed to go do something productive away from the allure of Thor, and that seems to take care of that situation for now.

Sitting in the kitchen with the screenplay and a pen in his hand, he hears the doorbell and gets up to get it with an angry sigh. He opens the door with a scolding on his tongue for Stark or whoever has decided to pay him a visit this early.

"Ice, s'nice to see you up bright and early." John pushes his away inside, but oh is he not alone. The one and only Nal is with him as well. "Nice pajamas. Green, no surprise there."

Nal looks down at Loki and makes a derisive sound. "Loki," he greets. He looks around the entrance hall. "Go get dressed. We are going to breakfast."

Loki stares at the two of them like the intruders they are. "Wait—what?"

"We're going to breakfast, Ice," John says slowly. "Understand? Go put some actual clothes on and be down here in ten-"

"Twenty," Nal says. "We want him to look presentable."

"It's not a damn fashion show, Frost."

Nal looks at his watch. "Says the man who insists upon leather jackets at all moments of the day." He taps Loki's shoulder with the side of his fingers. "Go."

Thor's sitting with his head in his hands when Loki returns. He has the leisure of sitting around, but Loki has just lost that. He looks up at him with squinted eyes, and as he opens his mouth to ask, Loki answers.

"Nal and John are taking me to breakfast," he says as he pulls down a green turtleneck and black jeans. "I have to get ready now."

Thor chuckles. "You don't seem happy about that."

He throws the turtleneck at Thor with his teeth bared. "I'm not!"

Perhaps he should thank Nal for giving him twenty minutes though he does skimp on the usual shower, spending only five minutes instead of his usual ten. He finds hat getting dressed with Thor watching him is doing nothing for his productivity, so he snaps at him to turn his eyes elsewhere when he goes to pull on his shirt.

"I am not to blame for your extraordinary beauty, Loki," he replies as he still stares at Loki. "I cannot be blamed for enjoying the sight either."

He reaches to grab another shirt, and his eyes land on one shirt that is obviously not his. He takes the blue flannel into his hands and since his back is turned, he doesn't hesitate to bring it up to his nose and inhale. Gods, his scent withstands laundering.

As a means to get to Nal, he slips the shirt on before turning around to face Thor. "How about now?"

Thor grins. "The sight of you in my clothes is one that I will never tire of." At the moment he stands, the door opens and John and Nal stick their heads in, mirroring mischievous kids from a holiday movie. "Oh, hello," Thor says.

John puts his hand through the opening and waves. "Odin's son," he replies.

Nal nods his greeting above John's head. "Thor." He turns and looks at Loki, lips quirking slightly. "You are ready. Come."

"But-"

He smiles in a way that makes Loki's desire to disobey disappear. "Loki, you look… fine. Now bid your step-brother goodbye, and we will be on our way."

"Step-brothers?" John starts to laugh. "Nal, you little cold ass. Didn't tell me they were boyfriends _and_ step-brothers. Turns out I'm not the only one going to hell."

"John, please. Loki, come on." Nal disappears, and John is pulled out of the doorway seconds later.

Thor sends Loki a sympathetic look, but Loki rolls his eyes in return. Loki can handle this if he just remains as composed and calm as possible. With John there to rein Nal in as he's shown he can do, he should have an interesting day with them.

"I love you."

Loki pauses as he shuts the door. "You say that now…" He shakes his head. "You too, Thor."

John and Nal are standing outside of the Ferrari when Loki gets outside, and they both make exasperated sounds in his direction before going to the driver's door and passenger door respectively.

"What did I do now?" he mumbles as he gets in the back seat behind Nal.

"Everything," John replies. His usual rock music begins to play when he starts the ignition, and to Loki's surprise, Nal seems completely unaffected by it. Does Nal like rock music? "Shall we begin our journey to some expensive as shit restaurant?"

"It is not 'expensive as shit,' John." Nal just cursed! "For the view, it is quite reasonable."

"Whatever you fucking say, Frost." John shouts as a taxi cuts him off in a move Loki recently learned is illegal. John's screaming isn't that unreasonable but still as amusing.

As if to get revenge on John, Nal leans forward to adjust the stereo, stopping when he gets to what Loki identifies as Depeche Mode. Loki hears himself scoff, and Nal simply turns to look at him with a cocked eyebrow.

"You are not a fan of Depeche Mode?" he asks before he turns around.

"No, no, they are fine, but you?" Loki shakes his head and hears John humming along to the song. "I am surprised."

"Frost, remember senior year when Sitwell tried to scale the wall in PE?" John laughs. "Oh god, this was playing."

Nal actually chuckles—is that genuine laugh?—as he nods. "Yes, that was quite… amusing."

Loki's sure that this is some parallel universe he's accidentally been slipped into through the night due to Thor's universe-bending attractiveness finally causing temporal anomalies. Nal is not "familiar" with anyone. He is comfortable to a certain extent around Loki, but completely cold around everyone else. Around John, he's actually acting like a human with preferences and desires.

John complains about Nal's choice of eatery the entire time until they're seated, but Nal does not do anything except point out to John what exactly they're paying for. If Loki tried that, Nal would have probably given him a good slap and a warning to remain in his place.

"Loki, I do not see how you manage to tolerate John," Nal says, turning from said person. "He screams as he drives. It's most annoying."

"Annoying is the way you pretend to be above it all." John moves his hand over the flame of the candle in the center of the table, unflinching when he lowers it down atop it. "Then again, you've always been like that, so I learnt to deal with it. Your company and dry wit are pretty fucking hilarious, and the ladies are a fan of that creepy pale and dark look you've got going on."

"Quiet yourself, John, or I will have to inform Roxanne of your need to buy the same $250,000 car in different colors. Which reminds me, have you driven the blue Ferrari Enzo yet?"

"No," John replies with a shrug. "It's ugly."

Loki eats half of his meal before growing full. He notices that Nal's plate is exactly halved when his uncle puts his own fork down and declares his fulfillment. How could he have missed that over the times they've shared a dinner table?

"Bird brains," John says. "You both eat like birds. No wonder you're both so skinny."

"Superior genetics," Nal mumbles, sounding like a defensive teenage girl.

Loki gawks at the two of them until Nal sees him and makes a face. Yes, this is an alternate universe that runs parallel to his own. "How long have you two known each other?" he asks.

"Seventh grade." John downs his orange juice in one gulp. "BFFLs, right?"

He thinks back to Nal mentioning anything to him about school friends but gets his comments about preferring to be alone. He may have bent the truth a bit by not including his 20 year friendship with John Blaze. That does not scream about one's desire to be alone at all.

"You have been friends that long?"

Nal rolls his eyes. "I wouldn't call what we were friends. He was a person who insisted on thrusting his presence on me, and I eventually grew to… tolerate it."

"That's how he calls me his friend," John says. "How do I put up with that? I don't even know why I went to talk to him. No, wait, I know." He begins to laugh. "That fire you set in Chem Lab! Oh god, any guy who can set a fire is a guy I want to hang around."

"Stark and a few of my friends set a fire in Chem Lab back in their freshman year," Loki replies. He catches Nal giving John a warning look but continues. "My friend Natasha was the one who went for the extinguisher."

"Coulson was the only one who went after the extinguisher then," John says. "He's always been a responsible cookie. No surprise he went back and decided to gift you kids with his superior sense of authority and all of that shit. Now, Stark, he-"

"Wait," Loki interrupts. He turns and stares at Nal. "You two knew Vice-Principal Coulson?"

"Yeah, he went to the old SHIELD too, Ice." John ignores the glare Nal is giving him, and Loki knows he would be fearful if in his position. "Alumnus gave back."

His mind puts the pieces together with surprising ease. When Loki realizes what this means, he laughs in disbelief. His uncle thought that need to keep this from him for some reason, but John, forever the helpful man, exposed him.

"You went to SHIELD," Loki says. "Wow."

"What? You didn't know?" John turns and stares into Nal's glaring eyes. "Frost, you didn't tell him? I thought you wanted him to be your modern day doppelganger."

"SHIELD's education standards have lowered significantly beyond those of their sister school HYDRA. I did not want to be associated with such a school." If Nal could blush, Loki thinks that he would be doing it now. "That is precisely why I want Loki to attend HYDRA instead."

"Bull-shit! This is about Howard Stark and the fucked up relationship you two had, isn't it? Hell yes, it is. That bastard was there on the day of the fire as lab director for that, uh—" he snaps his fingers—"graduate teaching shit, and damn did he try to tell you off. Of course I told him to shove that Niedermeyer flask up his ass, but you hated his ass from that point on."

"Irrelevant," Nal replies. "I dislike Howard Stark because of several other reasons besides something as trivial as that. That would be akin to me claiming dislike for you because you have a penchant for disappearing for months on end without a call or simple text to go join the circus. Irrelevant."

Loki cocks an eyebrow at John, but he only shrugs.

"It's the carnival, first of all, Frost. Secondly, it's a good outing for the wife and kids-"

"You have kids?"

Nal throws his head back and laughs, accepting the bill from the waitress. "Yes, you have kids, John?" he mocks. Wow, he's acting… childish.

John rolls his eyes as he dips his hand into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a leather wallet. "Yes, and they're fucking adorable." He does something Loki's only seen done in movies and dangles a long line of pictures from his wallet. "Craig and Emma," he says as he points to a boy and a girl. "This beautiful woman is my wife Roxanne."

Loki cracks a smile as he thinks of a fatherly John, and he nods his finish to John when he starts to feel a bitter nostalgia in his chest at the similar opportunities he missed as a child.

"Loki." Nal snaps to get him out of his daze. "We are leaving."

There's a comfortable banter between Nal and John as Loki thinks over his recent findings. Their long relationship really is the only probable explanation for why Nal is so comfortable with John. Now their attendance of SHIELD is a whole other subject entirely that Loki will save for another time.

He steps out of the idle car after sending them both a farewell.

"Loki, we will be meeting next Sunday as well," Nal says as he rolls down the window. "Do clear your schedule in advance. That's a command, not a suggestion."

He bites back a laugh when John reaches over the center console and slaps Nal in the chest. "Remove the stick a few more inches, Frost. We were doing good all the way up until you decided to get bitchy." John shakes his head. "Ice, be ready after school tomorrow. Send good old Coulson my greetings!"

Thor's not there when he gets back, so he goes back to his previous post in the kitchen to continue perusal of the internet. When he gets the itch to sit back and analyze the knowledge, he fights it because he knows that nothing good can come from that. There are just some things that Loki has to tuck into a part of his mind for times when he's of the proper mental condition to individually dissect each part.

His mother asks him about his outing, and he gives her a one-word summary of "fine," which appeases her enough at the moment. He knows that she is going to try to ask against at some point in the future, but he's okay with her having to wonder until then.

Thor gets home just before dinner and explains unprompted that he, Luke, and Robert went to watch a rugby practice between two HYDRA teams. He starts to gush about what he saw when Loki gives him a disbelieving look.

He could care less about Rugby, and he doesn't understand why HYDRA or SHIELD have rugby teams in the first place. They already have football teams. They're strange schools.

"I apologize for forgetting your disinterest in all contact sports."

Loki smirks and replies, "Not all," but Odin enters the kitchen and ruins the blossoming moment.

The fact that he and Thor haven't had sex in a few days seems to explain the reason why Loki wakes up wanting to suck his brain out in an unconventional way. As he brushes his teeth, he can't help but to take his time and stops when he realizes just what he's doing. Using one's toothbrush to mimic fellatio is not ever okay in Loki's book.

When he gets downstairs, Thor is on the phone, and Loki's oral fixation is still in full effect. As he takes his seat across from Thor with a banana and orange juice in hand, he realizes who Thor is talking to and frowns at the thought that Thor's talk to Jane Foster when Loki could be using this time to give him a great blow job.

He chews a piece of banana and watches Thor talk and eat across from him. Another bite and Loki's standing up and making his way over to Thor.

"…yes, I actually think it could be-" Thor pauses as Loki falls to his knees in front of him. "Yes, your point is valid, Jane. Quite valid."

Loki goes for Thor's belt as Thor goes to get another spoonful of oatmeal, so Thor just foregoes eating and pushes it away from him.

"Some people should learn how to be patient in their endeavors," Thor says as he stares at Loki. "Impatience can be inconvenient for others involved."

He shrugs in response to Thor's point and grins as Thor springs out of his boxers, obviously disagreeing with his implication that Loki should not be doing this. "You should tell me when you have these problems, Thor," he whispers as he takes a test lick. "I would be pleased to fix it."

Thor's eyes fall shut when Loki takes him into his mouth. "I… yes, that's—you're, uh, right again." His mouth opens in a silent groan, and Loki starts to hum around him for full effect. "It's, it's… amazing. Lo-Jane, it's v-very good."

Loki pulls off and makes eye contact with Thor as he drags his tongue up the pulsing underside. "It is 'very good,' Thor," he says. "Almost _orgasmic_, correct?" He sucks the tip back into his mouth and makes twisting strokes with his hands down the rest.

"Jane, I have to—I'm going to c—see you at school." He hangs up and lets out a moan. "Loki, I'm going to-"

He tastes the overspill with his tongue after he pulls off, and he smirks at the flustered expression Thor's sporting. He stands up and goes back to his banana, tasting the mixture of fruit and salt as he chews. "Breakfast, the most important meal of the day."

Thor stands and tucks himself back into his pants. "Loki, that was…" He exhales. "Promise me you will never do that while I am talking to my father."

He shrugs. "Thor, you know that I like lying," he replies. "I _can_ promise you that I will never not like your taste."

Thor almost spills his tea over his front, stepping out of the way just in time. "Loki, you are going to be the death of me."

"Impossible. Gods are immortal." He laughs as Thor cleans up the spilled tea and mumbles about him being too evil for his own good.

In Swimming, Tony asks Loki about his and Thor's sex life and, "How many times of week do you… _do_ _it_?"

He slips his shirt on and sees that Thor is passing by. "Five times"—Thor stops walking—"minimum."

Thor and Tony make eye contact as Tony gapes in shock and Thor both tries not to smirk and blush at Loki's answer. Tony did ask a question, so he deserved the true answer however insane it is. Thor makes his escape with Luke just as Tony opens his mouth to say something else.

When they meet up with Thor before lunch, Thor makes the mistake of asking the broad question of, "How was your morning?," so naturally, Loki replies, "I'm sure you know," with a smirk in front of Stark and Steve.

Steve turns bright pink and grabs Tony to drag him away.

"You're sex addicts," Tony says when he sits down next to Loki. Steve sits down beside Tony, looking a lot less pink.

Loki rolls his eyes and continues eating his banana in the most innocuous way possible with Thor's eyes on him. He only takes it halfway into his mouth because he's in a rush to eat it, not because he's trying to remind Thor of their activity from earlier.

"I mean, look at you guys!" Clint exclaims. "You're blowing a banana!"

"Tony, you're just being bitter," Steve says. "They love each other. What they feel is, er, natural."

"Ew, Steve, don't ever say that again!" he replies. "Their frequency of 'sexy times' is not healthy. They can't keep their trousersnakes to themselves."

Bruce snickers, and Loki glares at him. "What? I mean—trousersnakes, really?"

"You're wrong," Loki says. "I can keep my 'trousersnake' to myself!"

"Yes, we are not sex addicts, Stark," Thor replies. "I kept my hands to myself for two months with little hiccups. I can resist Loki's sensual form if I wished to."

He turns and looks at Thor because really, he just said that, and they're trying to convince Tony and Clint that they are not addicted to each other. Saying things like that does not make their case any stronger, but it does make Loki want to grab him and kiss him.

Tony smirks. "Then do."

Natasha sighs, and Steve groans.

Tony grins. "If you can stop from having the sexy time for a week, I'll apologize to Jean and Scott for putting their business out there, _and_ I will not make any jokes about your love for the rest of the school year."

"That's a terrible bet, Tony," Bruce says. "We all know you can't resist jokes. What does Jean and Scott's relationship have to do with Loki and Thor?"

"Thor, you know you want others to feel the love," Clint says. "Make peace, not war, right?"

Loki snorts, thinking back to the many times that Thor's relayed violent thoughts to him.

"It's a deal," Thor says. "We will be victorious, Stark. You will see."

Loki's possibly the stupidest person to have ever walked the planet. The bet would be a lot easier to win if a: Thor weren't the most beautiful person Loki's ever seen, and b: they did not live under the same roof. It's easier to be with someone when you're only a room away, but it's absolutely soul burning to stay away from them when you so wish to have them fuck you into the mattress.

He takes every opportunity to leave the house and get away from Thor, going to the museum with Natasha on Wednesday and ice skating with Steve and Bruce on Thursday. He welcomes John's wacky lessons and doesn't complain when they spend hours on end driving through the streets until Loki can tell John which road rules the other drivers are breaking.

His mother is not thrilled with his absence from dinner, but Loki forgoes sitting next to Thor and pretending they're just brothers in favor of eating with Bruce and his aunt and uncle. They don't mind him, and he and Bruce carry a conversation over dinner and until Loki's mother calls and tell him to get home. She gives him a strange look each time he returns, but she doesn't say anything more.

He's ready to go insane by Saturday, and he wakes up feeling irritated toward everything from the stairs to the box of cereal just out of his reach. He doesn't have these problems, being tall, but with two other people taller than him in the house, he does! This is why he should have just stayed in Sweden. His cereal would be fine, and he'd be able to-

"I can get that for you."

He freezes and becomes hyperaware of the sliver of skin exposed above his ass. "Uh, I've got it," he replies, stretching his arm up higher. The tip of his finger brushes the cereal and sends it a few centimeters backward. He lets out a growl of frustration. "_Dumjävel_."

Thor chuckles. "Loki, just-"

"No," he replies as he boasts himself onto the counter. He should have done this the first time. "I have got it!"

Hands come up to hold his now-exposed hips, and Loki lets out a gasp at the yearned for sensation of Thor's hands on his skin. He blinks away the thoughts and reaches for the cereal when he feels the hands begin to push his waistband down.

"Thor-"

"Loki, I have got you," he replies, but his voice is far away. "Just… hurry."

His hand grasps the cabinet as he tries to compose himself. "Thor, I can't. You're—I can't-" He's pulled down and turned around in moments.

Thor presses between his legs as he grasps the sides of Loki's face and kisses him. "You're simply too"—he kisses his clavicle—"beautiful."

He bites into Thor's shoulder as he pushes his pants down his hips with his feet, using his hands to pull his shirt over his head. The fire below his skin is at an all-time high, and gods is it Thor's doing. "Are we alone?" he asks as Thor lifts him by the thighs.

Thor sets him down on his back on the ground before going back to kissing up and down his neck. "Yes," he replies. "They left twenty minutes ago."

That sounds as if this was premeditated, but Loki realizes that he doesn't care.

He throws his head back and moans as Thor slides against him, wet and soft—almost too wet for Loki to bare. He lifts his head to glance down between their bodies, and the image of them pressed together is overwhelming enough for him to have to look away.

"Faster," he says, and he shuts his eyes tighter as Thor does as told. He drags his nails down Thor's back, pressing down harder and harder with each time Thor thrusts. When it overcomes him, he grips onto Thor and lets out a high-pitched moan that is going to mortify him hours from now.

Thor kisses him as he cums, and Loki bites his lower lip as he groans into Loki's mouth. He pulls away from the kiss and rests his head on Loki's chest as they pant simultaneously.

They end up spending the rest of the day in Thor's room testing out different positions using Thor's strength and Loki's flexibility. They only come out for dinner, and they both take separate showers before going for another round of this game of endurance. Neither of them wins, and by the end of the night, they collapse in a sweaty heap of intertwined, numb limbs and fall asleep.

He wakes up early and takes the liberty of leaving to prevent any chance of him being caught leaving Thor's room the next morning. The text comes after Loki closes the door as if they were waiting for him to be alone.

'_Well, long time, no speak, but that's over now. I heard about your flashmob last Sunday and saw some footage. You've got the moves. ;-)_

_-XXX'_

There's one less X than the last time. Loki knows that isn't a simple mistake of missing a letter. There are more of them than that blond boy contacting him. He's managed to get himself onto HYDRA's radar, and now they're going to try to get him from all sides. They're fans of teamwork.

He drops the phone onto his bed and lies down, not to sleep but to try not to think. If he's not composed while eating with John and his uncle, Nal will start to ask questions, and those questions will lead to admissions that Loki's not ready to give.

He's sitting on the steps when a blue Ferrari that John and Nal were speaking of pulls up. It's not ugly at all, so he does not understand John's point from last Sunday. Even if it is ugly to him, why is he even driving it? He slides into the car and immediately asks John why.

"To shut your uncle up," he replies as he pulls away from the curb dangerously fast. He's some great teacher. "I'm driving this ugly POS to show him that looks don't always matter."

"Good morning, Loki," Nal says. "Please ignore John's irrelevant statements. He's in a 'mood' today."

He finds himself shifting in his seat with his phone an uncomfortable weight in his pocket. He wishes to get rid of it more than ever, but he also wants to keep it in the event of another text message. His indecisiveness is getting on his own nerves.

John starts to talk about their lessons, so Loki lets him keep up the conversation on Loki's behalf. He looks at him for affirmation every few sentences, but other than that, he doesn't require anything of Loki.

Nal, on the other hand, starts to send him looks as Loki picks at his food with disinterest. He finally speaks up after Loki starts to draw X's in his syrup. "Loki, what is your issue?"

He gulps and sets his fork down. "I'm… tired."

"I assume it's not because of _school_." Nal takes a sip of his drink as John chuckles knowingly. "On the subject of school as in actual school, I think that you should get more serious about moving to HYDRA. The transition would do your future some good, Loki."

Loki sighs. They're talking about that now? Great, his day keeps getting better.

"Oh, Jesus, Nal, really?"

He ignores John. "You already have comrades there, so there will be no social issues. As far as I'm aware, you are already popular among HYDRA students, and you don't even attend. Imagine if you were to go. You would be welcomed with open arms, and the academic environment would be great for pushing you to your true potential."

He doesn't try to argue with Nal because he knows his words will fall flat. He has that look in his eyes that reminds Loki oh so much of how his father would look down on him when he believed that his actions were right and Loki was the one at fault. That was almost all of the time.

"Nal, hey, shut up," John says. "You're going to bat for a school you didn't go to. You turned out successful, so SHIELD isn't that bad."

"I told you that it's changed, John, please." Nal throws his napkin onto the table. "Now, Loki, at some point within the next month, you will make a decision. I do hope that it is the right one."

"What about my mother?" he finally asks.

Nal smirks. "She can be taken care of." His voice holds an edge that makes Loki want to flip the table on him. "She wants what is best for you as well. You must know that she worries about you, and at HYDRA, her worries will be for naught."

"Ice," John says as he stares at him, "you don't have to do anything. Your uncle's being a twat. Hey, don't-"

He stands up from the table. "I will see you tomorrow, John. Nal, I will see you… whenever."

The answer is obvious: no, Loki is not leaving SHIELD. His life is at SHIELD now, and he wants it to remain so. At HYDRA, Thanny Titan waits for him, and that is not a comforting thought. Staying where he is will ensure his safety.

On the other hand, Loki doesn't like to pass up opportunities like this. He wants the best for himself, and if HYDRA is as everyone molds it, he will get the most of out life from there. He will not be surrounded by people obsessed with altruism and controlling him, and he will fit in a lot easier than he does at SHIELD, and he fits in pretty well there.

He pulls out his phone and glances at the text message before he goes up the stairs. Even this mystery HYDRA boy wants a piece of him. There has to be some reason why he will be such a good fit.

Thor's absent, and Loki's thankful that he doesn't have to explain his being home so early.

Odin knocks on his door and enters without being invited. "Loki, you're home early. I expected you to be gone until at least 2:00."

He shrugs. "Plans change."

"Yes, they do." Odin crosses his arms. "Thor aspires to be an ecologist, but he is still under the impression that the world is plant life studies and weather patterns. He does not understand that with his birth he inherited a job that he has a duty to take up when the time comes. Of course he disagrees with this, but Thor is too naïve for his own good sometimes."

Loki doesn't let his gaze waver as Odin stares at him with cold eyes.

"He tries to see the best in everything, everyone, but some are just inherently… evil," he says, and the tone of his voice is a warning. "He loves blindly, but he will learn that is quite the mistake. People often forget the consequences of where they set their heart. Thor will sadly be one of those people with his future."

"'Future,'" Loki repeats. He gulps, his grip on his phone tightening. "You mean…"

"College," Odin finishes. "Thor is going off to college soon, which means that he will have to make many life-changing decisions. Time moves faster when one is happy." He starts to close Loki's door. "Anyhow, please do be… careful in these next few months with your step-brother. Do not plant any false hope into his mind unless you wish for him to resent you. I will see you at dinner."

College. The word makes him want to hit something until his knuckles are torn and bleeding. He's tried not to think about the inevitable departure at the end of the school year, but Odin, the realist he is, had to remind him of what is to come. It's as if he exists to serve as an obstruction to Loki's happiness.

He sleeps restlessly and wakes in the morning to find that Thor is next to him. Even his presence couldn't keep the anxiety away. With a sigh, he sets off to try to conceal the aura of negativity by dressing his usual mix of green casual and mysterious black.

Thor doesn't notice that Loki's eyes linger on him each time they see each other, and Loki thinks back to Odin's words of him being too naïve for his own good.

"So tell me, what did you two do this weekend?" Tony asks casually, but Thor and Loki exchange a look that gives everything away in seconds. "Wait—oh my freaking Jésus Christos, you both-" Tony points at Clint and the two of them start to point at Loki and Thor. "You lost! You both lost!"

Loki shoves his fingers into his hair and leans his head in his hands as they devolve into shouting and screaming around him. They lost. It's really not a big deal.

"How many days?" Clint asks. "Tell us, come on!"

Loki looks at Thor who doesn't look that affected by their loss, smirking and leaning back in his chair as if he's king. He rolls his eyes. "Saturday, okay?"

"Wow, that's longer than I thought it would be," Steve says. "Congratulations."

"But they lost!" Tony exclaims.

"No, they lasted almost the entirety of the week, Tony." Steve grins. "They outlasted most people, outlasted longer than you would. We are all aware of your… need."

Tony scoffs. "Steve, them's fighting words!" He lifts his hand as if he's going to hit Steve, but Steve's hand on his wrist stops him instantly. "Well, whatever, you cheated."

When Charles announces that auditions for the play will be held after school next week, Loki only gives him a small smile in return to the grin he sends in his direction. He doesn't laugh as Tony exclaims his desire to audition for the lead even though it is one of the more comical ideas he's heard all day.

Loki goes out of his way to ask John if they can run. Though he's surprised, John agrees, and Loki and he do a circuit around Central Park. John asks if there's anything he wants to talk about, and Loki takes off to do another round, so he doesn't have to answer.

He doesn't allow himself to feel anything about the past few days or the months to come and runs until his calves are burning and he's gasping for air. He flinches away when John tries to touch his shoulder and mumbles that he's fine.

Odin doesn't bring up college at dinner, but he gives Loki a look that makes their conversation replay in his mind. Loki asks to be excused because he's afraid that he will end up throwing up everything he's eaten as he cries if he sits there any longer, and Odin grants it to him with a knowing look.

Loki thinks of sneaking into his bedroom and slitting his throat as he buries himself beneath his blankets.

'_Cheer up. You're sexy!_

_-XX'_

He puts his phone away just as Thor enters the bathroom and buttons the top of his shirt. His pulse is fast in his hands as he tries to remain as calm as he can, but the words keep floating around his mind as he goes about his morning routine.

In Chemistry, he thinks of the text and cracks a smile, and Erik cocks an eyebrow as he passes.

"You're happy today," he says as he pulls up a slideshow on the board.

He shrugs his shoulders. "Well, I'm sexy," he replies, and Erik throws his head back and laughs.

"That you are," he replies, "though I admit that Charles is the original one to say that. It was during a conversation after he saw you leaving the class that first day. He called you a 'sexy exchange student' that I should be careful around. Turns out that he fortunately was wrong."

With his new awareness of how sexy he is, he cannot help but strut down the hallways with an air of superiority. He's better than all of the people he passes, and he doesn't even spare them glances as they stare at him with a mix of curiosity and awe.

"Dude, what's up with you?" Tony asks in Ancient History. "You're… cocky."

"I'm always"—he leans toward him and bites his bottom lip—"'cocky.'"

Steve frowns, and Tony sputters for something to say but ends up shutting his mouth and turning to face forward.

"Loki."

He quickly pecks Thor on the lips and takes his forearm. He knows how Thor feels now, like a god among men.

"What was that for?" he whispers into Loki's ear.

Loki shrugs. "You're hot. I'm hot. Two hot people should express their love always."

Thor still looks confused, but he doesn't ask any more questions. He seems to be learning not to ask when he really does not want to know the answer. His hand on Loki's lower back is more than a little hesitant, but Loki doesn't let himself think about that too much.

"Charles, hey." He sits down in his usual seat as Charles walks to him. "Who are you considering for the lead?"

He smiles and sits down beside Loki. "Well… I really have no idea. If you would be so happy as to attend auditions next week that would be grand."

"Of course," he replies. He nods Charles a goodbye and sends him a smile each time he looks in his direction during the lesson.

Tony starts to ask if something is going on, but Loki leaves English before he can form the next word.

John asks if he wants to run again, and Loki answers that by taking off down the block to leave John to catch up with him. He makes Loki stop running after two hours and pulls him into a café to eat a salad and regain all of his lost energy. "You're on crazy pills."

He simply smiles back. "Maybe."

There's no text waiting for him when he wakes up the next morning, but he still feels the after effects of being called sexy by his mysterious HYDRA friend. He keeps his top two buttons undone, but Thor makes to do one upon seeing him, and Loki lets him do so with a sigh.

"Better?"

Thor nods, looking slightly apprehensive. Loki should ask him why, but he doesn't.

His phone buzzes in his pocket at lunch, and as Loki goes to check the message, he feels like a child on Christmas morning. He tries to keep the smile off his face, and it takes great effort not to betray his elation to Clint and Natasha. He stares at the group message.

'_To: T, B, H, M, & L3_

_Meeting at the RR tonight at 9:00. L, wear red._

_-X'_

Loki feels a chill run up his spine as he realizes that he's being invited to the inner circle of someone he only knows through text and pixels. Any sensible person would be creeped out, but he's only curious. Who are these people that keep talking to him? He has a right and a need to know, and if it means going to the Red Room, is it really that bad?

He hits the home button as fast as he can when he hears Thor and Tony approaching. He slips his phone back into his pocket and resumes picking at his lunch, a new anxiousness in his every movement.

Natasha and Clint stare at him across the table, but they don't say anything.

Lying is not an option for Loki where Thor is involved, so he takes the other route and decides to just avoid talking to him when it's possible. He goes directly to his room and locks the door, opening it and feigning sleepiness when Thor comes to see what's wrong with him.

He wears a red oxford, leaving the top two buttons undone, and he slips into a pair of tight black jeans. As he looks at himself in the mirror, he cannot help but feel a bit villainous. He looks the part of a HYDRA student, but he banishes the thought as quickly as it comes.

When he hears Thor's door click shut, he slips out of the house as quietly as he can. He walks two blocks before hailing a cab, and telling the cab driver, "Red Room," makes a chill go up his spine again.

This is wrong, but Loki finds he doesn't really care.


	15. Chapter 15

Loki Laufeyson: Fiendish Foe?!

The red light from inside is shiny on the wet pavement as Loki makes his way toward the familiar entrance. He tries to look as confident as possible. Those who project weakness are seen as such.

There's a boy coming from the opposite direction that Loki recognizes as Bucky. He doesn't expect him to acknowledge him, so he doesn't make any motion to either. He wants to keep this visit as quiet as possible.

Bucky grabs him by the arm as they pass each other, spinning Loki around. "What are you doing here?" he hisses, glancing around them. "Are you insane?"

Loki removes his hands from his pockets and tries to wrench his arm out of Bucky's strangely hard grasp. "What are you doing? Let me go!"

"No," Bucky says, and he begins to pull Loki down the sidewalk and away from the club. He doesn't stop until they're in front of a diner, and he shoves Loki through the door with more force than necessary.

Loki rubs at his sore arm as he falls into a booth, Bucky slipping in across from him. In the all black of his coat, he looks villainous. He feels as though he's just been abducted by a villain, so it fits. "Why did you do this, James?"

"It's Bucky. Because you were about to make a mistake," he says, glancing around the diner. He leans forward toward Loki, a piece of hair falling into his face. "You shouldn't have even been trying to get in there. Those people aren't the kind of crowd you want to mix with. I would know."

"Yes, you would know," Loki replies. "What were you doing there?"

"You know exactly what." He sighs. "How's Steve?"

"Fine though your absence has taken a toll on him. He pretends to be fine, but we all know better."

Bucky wipes his eyes with the heel of his hands, blinking. He looks as though he's on drugs yet not. "I'm getting clean," he says.

"Withdrawal." Loki takes in the dark circles under his eyes. "You seem fine."

He laughs, taking the salt shaker from the middle of the table. He starts to shake it onto the table but stops. "I'm not," he replies. "You are though. You still have a chance."

"I was going to see friends."

"Friends?" Bucky throws his head back and laughs. "If you're as smart as I know you are, you'll stay as far away from them as you can. I wouldn't call those people friends or people you'd want to befriend."

"Was it not you who was just spewing their gospel?" he asks, standing up from the table. "I think I will form my own opinions instead of listening to your obviously confused and very hypocritical ones." He turns his back on Bucky.

"I'm damaged, kid!" He shouts. "Anything they do it me is just a repeat of what's already happened!"

Bucky's words are heavy on his mind as he takes his advice and goes home. Just as he steps through the threshold, he feels his phone buzz in his pocket.

'_Sad L you didn't show up, but we understand. J_

_Maybe tomorrow?_

_-XXX'_

He stumbles in the dark as he removes his boots, staring at the text message and using his phones light to find his way up the stairs and into his room. He's too preoccupied with rereading the message for any hidden meaning to notice that there is another occupant in his room.

"You're back."

He flips the light switch up and sees Natasha sitting on his bed. This is not something that he was expecting. "I am," he says, and it's too late for him to put his phone away. As he tries to lower it into his pocket slowly, her eyes are drawn to it.

"I saw Bucky," he says, sliding it into his back pocket. "He's in withdrawal."

"I know," Natasha says. "I'm helping him."

He makes a sound of acknowledgment. "I'm not surprised about that."

"I know where you were, Loki," she says. "The Red Room."

He begins to undo the cuffs of his shirt. "Actually, I was going, but I was persuaded otherwise. I was on my way to the Red Room, but I did not go inside."

She stands. "But… why, Loki? What is it about the Red Room that draws people there when it's obviously not a place one wants to go if they intend to stay as sane and safe as possible?" She sighs. "Loki, it's a dangerous-"

"James already informed me of the nature of the Red Room," he says. "I would be a fool not to listen to him."

"But, Loki, it's not a matter of foolish or not! That place—you cannot go there! There are people-"

"That care about me, correct?" He shakes his head. "Natasha, you came here for no reason. I do not intend to go there anymore, and you don't have to worry, okay?"

There's a knock on Loki's door, and he turns to see Clint standing there.

"Heard you were back," Clint says. "Good seeing you're still alive."

Natasha squeezes his shoulder as she passes. "Clint's right. We want to see you in one piece, and if you—you won't be one person any longer if you go there. Promise me you'll stay away."

He holds eye contact with her, schooling his pulse into submission. "I promise," he says. Liar. "See you tomorrow."

She gives him a sad look before she leaves, and she knows that Loki is not going to hold up on that promise at all. She shouldn't ask impossible things of him.

Thor's under the impression that Natasha and Loki were talking about a forgotten Chemistry project, so he's not the only one who lied yesterday. Loki doesn't correct him, and he avoids making eye contact with Thor for most of the morning.

Loki tries to not let the pressure get to him, and he continues life as he has been living it for the past month. He plays the dutiful boyfriend who walks with Thor to classes but never kisses him, the best friend who listens to Tony relay how much progress he and Steve are making, the son who helps his mother with dinner. Throughout them all, he cannot help but wait for the familiar buzz of his phone in his pocket, and when it doesn't come, he feels more than a little disappointed but is careful not to let it show.

He slumps into the auditorium seats as Raven and Dr. McCoy read out the next two students to take the stage. He feels his patience running thin with the bland performances that he's seen, and they are no closer to casting the main part as they were Monday. Two days left to find the lead.

Theodore steps onto the stage as he twists one of the rings in his ear. Loki sits up straighter in his seat to see the performance he's going to give. There's not much to expect with Theodore's brooding personality. "I'm auditioning for the role of detective," he says. "Um, my boyfriend suggested that I do since he's playing the brother…"

Raven claps her hands. "We're ready when you are."

He drops his hand to his side. "Wait, I kind of need someone to run the scene with, and-"

"I'll do it." Loki stands up from his seat and grabs the screenplay before making his way to the stage. "What scene do you have in mind?"

Theodore looks at him hesitantly before replying, "The one with him talking to his detective friend who he's been drifting away from. Is that okay?"

He opens up to the middle of the screenplay and scans over the lines he will be reciting. "Perfect. Simply give me a cue and we can begin."

They feed off of each other well, Theodore giving off a mixture of his own brooding and the dwindling control of the detective and Loki playing the part of a concerned friend. He transforms into a man of drama with ease, and Loki's impressed as Theodore says the last line from memory with a look of utter disgust exactly as written.

"Wow, that was…" He smiles. "You're him. You are the detective."

"I agree," Charles says, "but would you two mind if you would run another scene together. That was absolutely magical."

When they finish, Loki is ready to reach up and shake some sense into the Detective's shoulders. A clap of Charles' hands and they are back into their real selves, and Loki is left feeling like he's run a marathon.

Students fill the first few rows of the auditorium, and Loki realizes that they have been there the entire time.

He really shouldn't be surprised the next day when Charles pulls him aside and tells him that they're casting him for the part because of his "merit" not because of him "being one of my favorite students." That makes it all the harder to tell Charles that he is not interested in acting. The confused look on his face when Loki leaves speaks volumes on that.

Loki doesn't have the drive to pretend to be someone else on the stage. He's already doing that daily.

He's in Earth Science when his phone vibrates, and he covertly pulls it out under the table to look. He's never been one to text in class, but he thinks that he knows who it is.

'_L, Think we should meet up tonight. RR, 9:00?_

_-XXXX'_

Loki exits the text message as fast as he can before Thor notices.

Only when he's alone in his room does he dare to pull out his phone and reread it. With trembling fingers, he types out a reply, the first time he's ever replied to the series of mysterious messages from the even more mysterious people. There's nothing for him to lose, and this could be a great experience for him.

'_Sure. Red again?'_

The reply is instantaneous.

'_Always! Finally replied! So happy J'_

"Loki."

He gives an involuntary jolt at the sound of Odin's voice and looks up at the man in the doorway. "What?" he asks, his voice holding more hostility than he means to.

Odin looks unaffected by Loki's reaction. "Simply seeing how you are," he replies. "Have a good night."

He nods him a farewell before he closes his door and prepares to sneak out of the house again. If he knew better, he'd think that Odin knew, but there is no way that he does. He hasn't been near Loki's phone in weeks, and he doesn't care about Loki enough to pay much attention to him other than the customary hello.

He wears red again, a V-neck sweater that Thor got him from Christmas, and as an afterthought, he rubs some cologne in the nape of his neck. He smiles at himself in the mirror, liking the way red looks on him.

Loki doesn't run into any familiar people outside of the club, and the man at the entrance lets him in without even asking his name. If it's because he recognizes him, one query from the all-too-persuasive Natasha, and Loki's activities will be exposed. Hopefully she doesn't feel the need to intervene in his life more than necessary.

The blond boy that he brushed by sits solitary at a table in the corner, arms spread over the back of the chairs as if he's a kind overlooking his chaotic kingdom. He looks up at Loki when he takes his seat, a lop-sided grin coming to his face that makes him look lecherous. "Loki, you actually came," he says as he sits forward. "I'm very, very glad to see you."

Loki smiles. "Yes, the feeling is mutual," he replies.

"I heard that you liked absinthe." He takes the glass from the glassy-eyed waitress and sets it in front of Loki. It's an amber liquid that Loki can smell from his slight distance. "We serve nothing but the best here."

Taking glasses from strangers is near the top of stupid things a person could do, but Loki finds himself picking up the tumbler even with the possibility that something could be inside of it. Does he trust him? No, but Loki doesn't need trust right now. He needs confidence.

If there's something different about the absinthe as it goes down, Loki doesn't feel anything but the characteristic burn-chill of the drink.

"So, tell me what brings you here other than the obvious."

He sets the glass down and licks his bottom lip, catching the blond boy tracking its movement. "Curiosity," he replies.

The blond laughs. "I'm sure in Sweden they had some variant of 'curiosity killed the cat.'" His grin is slightly more evil as Loki stares at it, and he feels a shiver go down his spine. "I'm glad you are curious. We were getting afraid that you would never give us a chance."

"I draw my own conclusions," Loki says as he leans forward onto his elbows. "What is your name?"

"Marko, Flint Marko." His hand ghosts over Loki's. "Call me Flint, but some guys here call me Sandman. Kind of like your friend James. Winter Soldier. Inside jokes."

Against his better judgment, he asks why. "And how did you earn that nickname?"

Something dark passes over Flint's face. "I'm known for putting people to sleep," he says, and such innocuous words clearly hold a deeper, more terrifying meaning than the one put forth. "You know who the sandman is, right? Gives people dreams."

Loki nods, and as he holds Flint's gaze, he feels the panic rising. This was clearly a mistake, but there's no going back until their meeting is over. "So, Sandman, tell me why the interest in a SHIELD student like me."

"Don't reduce yourself to _that_." He takes a drink from the passing waitress. "You're interesting. There are some very powerful people who see your potential and what it could mean for both sides of the coin. It's your choice whether you reach this potential, but no pressure."

When people say that, they usually mean the opposite.

"You're here at the Red Room, so… you're starting to see the allure of the HYDRA ways. SHIELD can only get you so far before you tire of their altruism and hero complexes. Like your step-brother. He's the embodiment of what SHIELD wants, and you"—he sets his hand atop Loki's—"you're HYDRA through and through."

"Flint." A dark-haired boy stands at the side of the table, staring at him with a steely gaze. If he's on drugs, they're wearing off.

Flint looks at Loki. "Well, it seems that I'm needed, so…" He stands up, holding a hand up to Loki to pull him to his feet. "I hope I didn't scare you off."

"Never," Loki says, and as he leaves the Red Room, he cannot help but feel as though he's leaving home. It's a strange sensation to feel such magnetism to a place that's clearly into more illicit activities, but he can't deny it.

There are no occupants in his room when he returns, so Loki doesn't waste time to try to sleep off the buzz from the absinthe.

When he wakes up, his sheets are sticking to him, and he's covered head to toe in a sheen of sweat. He lets out a disgusted noise as he makes his way to the bathroom to shower off the sticky feeling, but it stays with him throughout the day. As a consequence, he scratches at his skin beneath the spandex clothes during his run with John. He's sweaty again after the run, but it's as if he has two layers of sweat on instead of one.

He's hanging upside down off of his bed with only a towel on, trying to calm himself down before he scratches his skin off when Thor appears in his doorway shirtless and dripping from his shower. In a shocking display of control he was sure he didn't have when Thor is involved, he doesn't flip off of the bed and drag him through the threshold.

Thor opens his mouth to say something when Loki's phone vibrates, and Loki starts to make a grab for it when he sees the look Thor is giving him.

"What were you going to say?" he asks as he slowly edges to it.

Something passes over Thor's eyes, and he turns to go. "Nothing import-"

He stands up. "No, wait, don't go," he says. "Um… come in. Close the door behind you."

Thor does as instructed though his expression is dubious. "Loki, if I interrupted something, I'll be glad to leave you to it."

"No," he says, "I just—the run today was a little vigorous."

Thor sits down beside him and touches the nape of his neck, sending shivers down Loki's spine. Their eyes meet and an unspoken question is asked and answered, Thor going to kiss his neck as Loki grips at the sides of his towel.

Loki lets his eyes fall shut when Thor falls to his knees in front of him, and he inhales sharply at the sudden exposure to the air when Thor pulls the towel from around his waist. He tries his best to keep his mind focused on the situation at hand, but he can't help but think of the phone sitting inches away with what's likely to be another invitation.

Every worry disappears at the feeling of the inside of Thor's mouth, and Loki's eyes open in surprise at the sudden warmth. He tries not to thrust forward, but Thor's hands come to hold his hips in place. With each time Thor touches Loki's skin, the sickly disappears and something else replaces it.

When he cums, his vision goes blank as well as his mind. It's the first time in days that he's actually felt at ease.

He stares up at his ceiling as he tries to regain his breath. "Do you want me to…?"

"No," Thor replies, "I have something else to do."

Loki's good enough at lying to tell when someone else is, but he doesn't call Thor out on it. It's his fault that he can't hide his emotions enough for Thor to think that his mind isn't elsewhere when he's sucking him dry. It's insulting, he knows, but he can't control his thoughts as well as he wishes he could. He'll just have to get better at holding them in if it protects Thor.

When he responds to the text message, it's in the affirmative, and he wastes little time in sneaking out of the house.

Their meeting goes similarly to the first though Flint changes the topic to Loki's personal preference more than often—"favorite color other than green?" "favorite animal?—and Loki has to attempt to change it to something more neutral. He stays long enough to down two glasses of absinthe, and after the second one, he feels his control slipping. Each time Flint touches him higher and higher on the arm, he can't tell him that he's not entirely comfortable with it.

When Flint puts an arm around Loki's shoulder and invites another to sit with them, Loki blacks out, only to come back to reality and discover that he's getting out of a cab in front of his house.

Fenrir offers him a disapproving look as he stumbles up the stairs, holding onto the railing for support, and Loki holds a finger to his lips as if he could understand what it means.

He collapses onto his bed, clutching at the blanket until he finds some sort of stability.

The black fades into red, the deep red that Loki recognizes from only hours before. There's a moment of confusion as he remembers that he returned home, but his attention is quickly grabbed by the hand just below his crotch.

He turns expecting to see Thor—why would Thor even be here?—but it's Hero grinning at him. "Hero?"

"Loki, so glad you came," he replies, and he falls to his knees beneath the table, slipping between Loki's legs. Thor was in that position only hours ago.

"Wait, don't-" he starts, but Hero is already undoing his zipper.

"Jotun, calm down," Flint says as he takes a seat next to him. "Hero knows what he's doing. Don't you trust him?"

No, he doesn't trust him or any of them. He only wants to know why he's here. "No, I-"

"Loki, you're here," Marcia says. She takes a seat across from him, leaning forward so he can see her breasts under her too-tight dress. "Glad to see you're relaxing."

Hero yanks his pants down his thighs, and Loki tries and fails to keep him from doing so. "He will be soon, Marsh. Wouldn't count on that now."

He looks around the club for someone, anyone who can help, but he only finds the glassy-eyed people who were there the last few times. They don't look to be in any hurry to help Loki. In fact, some of them are openly staring and watching with amused looks on their faces.

"Hey, Hero!" Thanny drops down in the seat beside Marcia, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Make sure you drain him good. Show him that Titan suction."

Loki lets out an involuntary moan when Hero's mouth closes around him, and he has to shut his eyes to block away the image of Hero sucking him off. It's not right. Only Thor can do this. "Please, I-"

"Sh, Loki, I'll take good care of you."

He feels the burn of a finger inside of him, a long, slim finger so unlike Thor's. He thrusts upward into Hero's mouth accidentally, Hero gagging before he recovers quickly.

"Wait, fuck my mouth," he says, thankfully pulling Loki out of his mouth. "I can take it."

"You better, you little bitch," Thanny says. "Make your brother proud!"

"Loki!" Thor is standing behind Thanny, his eyes furious. "What are you doing?"

He looks down at where Hero is licking at him as if he's confectionary and back up at Thor. There is an explanation he just has to-

"I hate you!" Thor shouts. "I will never love you again!"

"Good!" Thanny shouts. "You don't need him, Loki!"

As Hero's mouth encloses around him again, he starts forward to go after to boy, but Flint's hand on his shoulder stills him.

"Thor, I love you!" He gasps at the sensation of Hero's teeth, and to his horror, Hero pulls back with blood on his lips.

His tongue darts out, and he licks the blood, Loki almost gagging. "I thought you liked it rough and _fast_?"

Loki hits the ground hard, gasping for air that he doesn't need. It takes him a few moments to recognize his bedspread and the wooden floor below as he tries to get some semblance of sanity back. He's fine, he realizes. He's in his room.

"Loki?" Thor appears on the side of the bed, looking down on Loki, not with fury but with worry. "What happened?"

He doesn't have a proper explanation to give Thor that will not lead to him lying about the dream he had, so he decides that he just… can't. He pushes himself to his feet and rushes to the bathroom, locking the door behind him before Thor can attempt to come inside.

Loki actually had a dream.

He inhales as he stands up from removing his socks, and in the mirror, he spots a glimpse of red on his inner thigh. He lifts his leg onto the sink to get a better look. He reaches down and touches the red star. It's some sticker, but upon trying to pull and failing to remove it, Loki finds that it's here to stay for the moment.

The image of James wearing the same mark appears in his mind. It's some mark of the Red Room that Loki doesn't remember getting.

He collapses when he gets into the shower, pulling his knees to his chest as the water pours over his head and down his back.

A flash of red, and Loki finds himself dressing in a pair of dark red pants, the journey there gone from his mind. He simply continues buttoning the shirt, his gaze in the mirror unwavering. His pulse remains the same though startlingly quiet.

He begins tying the bowtie he doesn't remember picking out, and calmly grabs his phone when it starts to ring, a song that Loki's heard Thor listening to playing.

'_I hope you like the new digs J They don't call me the sandman for nothin' ;-)_

_-XXXX'_

As he stares the message, he should feel panic, but he simply continues to do his bowtie with one hand.

He runs a hand down his shirt and smiles at his outfit, red and serpentine.

Upon descending the stairs, he finds _himself_ moving around in his pants a lot more than usual, and he pauses to discover that the cause is his lack of undergarments. He makes a noncommittal sound before continuing downward without thinking to perhaps go and correct that. Well, it's not really a problem. Loki's not afraid of what people will see if he happens to stand in the right light. He's actually very proud of the gift he holds in his pants.

Thor looks up from his food and stands without a greeting, but Loki doesn't think to greet him either.

He grabs an apple from the dish and leans against the counter, cocking his head to the side as Thor approaches him with intention in his eye. It's instantaneous that he grabs Thor's wrist before he can touch him, and he looks down at his own hand in confusion before his mind resolves that he should be doing this. Thor shouldn't be touching him.

Wait, what?

"Loki, are you-?"

"Fine," he replies as he yanks his hand from Thor's wrist. He blinks away his confusion and resumes his neutral mood. There is no cause for panic. He was simply… protecting himself from a miscalculated threat. "As are you…"

He drops the apple onto the counter as he pushes away, stepping up to Thor as he takes in his chosen clothes, red shirt and blue jeans, that never fails to get Loki's gears turning. Such simplicity should not bring him to his brink—especially since Thor's a SHIELD boy?—but Loki has his weaknesses like the rest of the populace.

He pulls him down for a hard kiss, and his hand goes straight for the forever present bulge in Thor's pants, a show to the world that he is more of a man than most will ever be. He slides his hand inside of his fly and wastes no time in bringing Thor to climax. When he removes his hand, he smirks at a confused-looking Thor before going to wash his hands. He will not taste his seed—SHIELD seed, ugh.

"Loki, what was that prompted by?"

He shrugs his shoulders and takes a bite from his apple. "You are beautiful, Thor, and I find said beauty to be disgustingly irresistible," he replies.

Thor opens his mouth to say something, but Loki goes to leave, his patience for Thor's questions growing thinner by the moment. Besides, he has a wonderful body to show off to those who are so unfortunate to never get.

When he sees Steve in the morning, he feels a tendril of anger rise at how… _blue_ he is, but he quickly pushes it away in favor of grabbing said boy and kissing each of his cheeks. "Hello, Steven," he says as he grabs his tablet out of his locker.

Steve simply stands there with confusion on his face. Is this confusion a SHIELD thing? "Oh, um, hey, Loki."

Dr. McCoy nods them a hello, and Steve does not go pink for the first time in a week.

"Are you over your crush?" Loki asks as he sits down.

Steve gives him a shocked look before nodding. "Yes, Loki, I thought you—are you okay?"

He waves in Justin Hammer's direction when he comes into the classroom. "Absolutely amazing."

Loki greets Mr. Wagner in French and has no trouble in keeping up his side of the short conversation that ensues. Natasha sends him a curious look as she passes, but he ignores her in favor for chatting it up with the newly purple-haired instructor. As much as he hates blue, it is most favorable than traitorous red.

He feels his brows furrow in confusion at his thoughts. Where are these thoughts coming-?

His phone vibrates, and he does not hesitate to open the text even if class is in session.

'_Heard you're one of us now! Lovely cobra, don't be afraid to show those fangs to those sorry excuses of people throughout the day. BTW, red is your color as much as green is!_

_-X_

_P.S. No punching of teachers! '_

"Loki, is there something you would like to share with the class?"

His grin falls from his face, and his anger swells. "No," he replies. He bites his tongue just as the words "SHIELD scourge" begin to form. X's warning is fresh in his mind. He knows how to follow warnings.

Natasha tries to grab his arm and pull him aside after class, but Loki breaks free of her grasp with more ease than he should. She stares at him as if there's something wrong with him when it's clear that the problem lies with her.

"Hello, Professor," he says as he takes his seat. He's only the second to arrive to Chemistry.

Erik turns to flash him a smile that makes Loki's own grin reappear. Why is that man so extraordinarily beautiful? It helps that he understands Loki unlike the rest of these… people. They simply see his exterior, but Erik tries to understand. He does understand. He's not fit to be a teacher here.

He looks down and sees that he's undone his bowtie and the top button of his shirt. A short glance in the metallic reflection of his desk and he sees that he's of course mastered the sexily disheveled look that so many try to pull off and always fail. "Erik, why do you teach here?" he asks, leaning forward on his arm to stare at that ass. "Why not HY-?"

"Loki, hey." His best friend Banner takes a seat beside him, and Loki nods him a greeting. He's like Erik. Too good for this place. "You look…"

"Red," Reed finishes. He frowns, and Loki is tempted to break his nose. "Suits you," he adds, saving his face.

Tony attempts to wave a greeting when he passes by, but Loki gives him a glare. "Whoa, what the fu—what did I do?" he asks, looking startled. Poor Stark is scared that Loki's finally seen the true pathetic person under that skin.

He laughs. "You _are_ Stark," he replies, and that effectively ends any conversation he's having with him. He would rather not waste his breath on someone like him.

Erik's animated as he talks chemistry, and Loki finds himself crossing his legs tighter and tighter to try to gain some friction. He turns to look at Loki midsentence as if he senses his dilemma but sadly continues talking to those sad students. He should just bend Loki over that desk while everyone-

He jolts in his seat at the thought, uncrossing his legs instantly. The world brightens for a moment before returning to "normal," and Loki ignores the concerned look Bruce gives him. They're simply intrusive thoughts that he must learn to control.

Tony simply sits there when the bell rings, looking startled when Loki sends a big smile in his direction. It's quite great to see someone so… pathetic at their worst.

It's a shame that his Erik-induced problem is gone in the locker room because he would love to give Osborn the show he's been so privy to give Loki. After a quick moment of decision, he realizes that even without the extra blood, he's still quite impressive. He drops his pants without a second thought and makes to put on his swimming gear.

A smirk appears on his face at the discovered that his trunks are instead a red speedo. Snakes look out for other snakes.

"Whoa, dude, what the f—oh god, my eyes!" Clint stumbles over the bench. "My eyes! What—how is that-?"

He slips the speedo on with his expression of neutrality still on. He glances over and notices that Harry is staring slack jawed. "Enjoy what you saw?"

"Dude, that's—I'm not-"

"Loki."

He rolls his eyes to face his father—wait, no, Thor who has been acting a lot like him as of late. "What?" he snaps.

Thor stares at him as if he's lost his mind. These people have been giving him that look quite a lot, and Loki's tempted to see what it would look like on a bloodied face. Thor claims not to bleed, but Loki knows that everyone has their-

He blinks away the thoughts, a shiver of disgust going down his spine. No, no, he's fine. Only intrusive thoughts. He leaves them all standing in the locker room and goes to take a seat next to Bobby, crossing his legs and staring out at the pink water.

Pink?

A voice inside his head tells him that nothing is amiss, so he simply turns his attention elsewhere.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today you are all being tested for your dives since you only have two more days left this term. You can all do whatever dive you want, but if you die, I claim no responsibility. The more difficult the dive, the better your score will be. Now-"

Loki raises his hand.

Coach McKenzie points to him. "Yes, Laufeyson?"

He stands. "I would like to go first, if I may," he says. He takes a step up to Coach McKenzie, noting the way he stays impassive. "Please?"

He sighs. "Fine," he replies. "If you would all be so nice to our lucky volunteer, turn your attention to the diving board."

All sensibility should point him to play the intermediate route, but Loki is not in the mood to listen to his stupid sensibilities. He wants to show them all how much better he is, and the way to do that is to take risks. Well, it's not really a risk when one knows that they will succeed.

He climbs the 16 feet and stands at the top with pride exuding from him. He can feel their anxious and disbelieving gazes on him, and it empowers him.

_ Lovely cobra, don't be afraid to show those fangs to those sorry-excuses of people throughout the day._

Cobra. He flips through the air with the grace of a cobra and falls into the now-magenta water with a smirk on his face. He stays below the surface for a few more moments than he should and glances down at the still-intact star inside his thigh. Good.

"If I did not know who you were, I would say that you were on something," Coach McKenzie says as he writes something into his tablet. "But you are… you, so I cannot say that I am surprised."

Loki flashes a smile at him as he climbs out of the pool. He's uses his length to his advantage and extends himself as far as he can to display to them all what they will never be. He bites his lip and shakes his hair out and hears a few murmurs of, "Damn," and, "holy hell," to his satisfaction.

"Well, you idiots, looks like he's gotten the highest grade out of you all, so don't count on showing him up." Coach McKenzie nods at him. "Excellent form."

"Thank you." He sits down between Clint and Harry and recrosses his legs.

At lunch, he sits down at their table with a sigh. He would rather not spend his time with this slate of SHIELD's finest, but something inside of him is telling him that this is the right decision. He cannot ignore his intuition.

'_HYDRA's proud of you right now. Know that. Sorry you have to spend lunch with _them_. _

_-XXX'_

"Loki."

He looks up at a glowering Thor and sends him a smile. "Thor," he replies. "Looking as excellent as usual."

"We need to-"

"Talk?" He stands up from the table. "I really can't. I have a date with an Erik Lensherr because I cannot stand to be within inches of any of you. Now, don't take this to offense, but I think that I should go and do something constructive with my time instead of wasting it here."

Harry erupts into laughter, and slowly everyone else begins to giggle. Well, it looks like they don't see his seriousness.

He keeps smiling. "Yes, yes, I have a project to finish so…" He's going to use their disbelief to his advantage. "I will see you later."

He finds himself leaning on his arm in English moments later, his mind having skipped forward. It's jarring for a moment before he makes eye contact with Charles and is grounded by the appearance of that SHIELD-like pride in his eyes. He keeps his disgust inside though he wishes to express it.

"Glass Table Girls" begins to play from his pocket on his way to Earth Science, so he looks at his phone and sees the text.

'_Fun, fun, fun, fun! _

_-XX'_

A quick look through his message history and he sees that he mentioned a desire to shopping and that was the response. He puts his phone back into his pocket without another thought about the text. It's not a voluntary thing. Instead, he finds that he cannot think about it if he tries. Something's blocking him out of that part of his mind.

He shoves his blazer into his locker at the end of the day with disgust. SHIELD blue. Yuck.

"You showed Harry Osborn and Clint your penis," is the first thing Thor says upon seeing him. What a great greeting.

Loki accidentally laughs and continues to do so when Thor spins him and pins him against a locker. "Oh, Thor, you know just how rough I like it"—he bites his bottom lip—"baby."

Thor looks confused at the endearment, and Loki uses the opportunity to grip him through his jeans.

He sighs and grips Thor tighter. "Let me go, or I will drop to my knees here and now," he says. "I don't think you will be able to stop me."

"What makes you think that?"

His phone begins to ring, and he gives Thor a look. "Can I get that?" He sighs when Thor doesn't move and loosens his grip on him. "I only wanted to show them what they weren't getting, Thor. You know I like it when you're jealous. You take it out so well on my tight little-"

"Hey, is everything alright here?" Coach Logan asks, stopping. He stares at Thor with his hands on his hips, looking completely disapproving. His hero!

"Hm, is it, Thor?" He lets his grin fall and looks over at Coach Logan. "Yes, yes, it is. There was a misunderstanding. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Good, get home then, Chef." He glances at Thor. "Make sure Chef gets home, okay?"

Thor drops his hands to his sides. "Of course."

Loki slips from between Thor and struts toward the nearest exit without a glance backward. He doesn't have time for his altruistic games of justice. He really needs some jeans to show off how great his ass is.

"Loki, where are you going?"

"I'm going to get jeans, Thor!"

He pulls out his phone and sees a text with the ID "Marcia Lang." For once his friends are contacting him without cloaking themselves. He always liked Marcia.

'_Someone told me you could use some shopping! I'll pick you up on 3rd and E 14th to prevent any fights. You know how I hate those. J'_

Confidence acts as a magnet for the unsuspecting civilians who are so fortunate to encounter the godliness that is Loki. They gawk and scramble to talk to this fallen angel as he struts past with the knowledge of his beauty heavy on his mind, and he ignores them for the most part. That doesn't stop them from trying,

He spots her beauty from a few feet away and accepts her embrace. He feels the looks of awe they're getting but ignores them in favor for focusing on her. "Thank you," he says as they begin to walk.

She smiles at him. "I could use some shopping myself, and though my best friend is half-gay, he isn't one to enjoy the shopping experience," she says, winking. "Now, jeans, right?"

He must have mentioned jeans earlier to whoever he talked to earlier. He nods and gets the car she gestures to, a black and pink Porsche, and listens to her talking about the dress she wore to HYDRA's formal. He actually finds himself interested though he blames it on how radiant she looks. She's nice to look at even if he's not attracted.

They don't immediately go get jeans due to her insistence that he needs a pair of Ray-Bans, so they get them before heading to some boutique in Midtown. He goes off to look for jeans in the men's section as Marcia does the same in the women's section.

As he bends down to get a pair of dark red pants, he freezes at the familiar presence behind him and wonders how Thor found him so easily. He shouldn't have even tried in the first place. Loki's fine.

"Loki," he says. "I-

"Shut up, Thor. You can see that I'm getting jeans," he says, and he pointedly avoids his gaze as he turns to find more jeans. He ignores him as he grabs a particular pair that are sure to leave little the imagination.

He goes to seek a dressing room, and Thor follows him in. He simply sighs as Thor shuts the door behind him. "I really don't think us being in here alone together is a good idea."

Thor crosses his arms and leans against the wall. The SHIELD inside of him is hard to spot when he's this way. Good.

"You really shouldn't have followed me here," he replies as he drops his pants. Well, he's not wearing underwear, but that's not going to stop him. "But I know you were worried about poor little Loki." He sighs as he pulls on the other pair of jeans. "I'm with a friend. You don't know her, but she's safe."

He turns to look at himself in the mirror. "Hm, good," he says before he shucks them down. He's careful not to open his leg to expose the star.

"This friend," he says. "Is she from HYDRA?"

"There's nothing wrong with HYDRA students, Thor." Loki looks through the jeans. "You can't fault me for simply wanting to socialize. It's my life. I have that right."

"You do, Loki. I never said that you did not."

He buttons the jeans and glances down at himself, smirking at how well they fit. "How do they look?" he asks as he turns to Thor.

Thor uncrosses his arms and takes a step forward, and Loki thinks back to his previous statement. This is going to get bad. "You cannot be considering wearing those in public."

"Why? I'm sure the throngs of people who stared at me as if I was the messiah would disagree," he replies.

Thor's hands touch his hips, and he tries not to flinch away from his touch. "I can see _you_, Loki," he says, and he pops the button. "No one else should be able to."

Loki bites back a grin as Thor tugs the zipper down. "I love it when you're possessive. Gods, it makes me want…"

Thor falls to his knees in front of Loki. "To fall to your knees?" he asks. "You need to talk to me when you feel this way, Loki. I would rather you not walk around without underwear and show yourself to others."

He nods, biting down on his lip to stop from moaning when Thor takes him into his mouth. He doesn't care what Thor wants. He wants to get sucked off right now, but if lying makes that happen, he's okay with it.

He pulls Loki out of his mouth. "Understood?"

Loki nods to appease him and tries hard not to thrust back into his mouth. "Yes, I do," he says after he tightens his grip around him. "Just…"

Trying hard not to scream when one is being sucked dry is a struggle that Loki barely overcomes.

"I'm still getting the pants," Loki says as he puts on his own jeans.

"If you do get them, you can only wear them within the confines of our home," he replies. Why is the desire to be possessed so overwhelming?

"That sounds reasonable to me."

Marcia looks a bit surprised at Thor's appearance, but she still grins, and Loki's thankful for that. "I guess I'm unneeded now," she says, and she shakes her head when Loki tries to protest. "This was fun. We should do it again."

Thor attempts to grab him by the arm as he waits for the cashier, but Loki steps away. "I thought you said that I didn't know her."

"You don't," he replies. "Not like I do."

Thor frowns as they make their way through the streets as Loki continues on his expedition for clothing more suited to his new… outlook on life. With a face like that, he shouldn't frown. It starts to lose its sexiness after the first hour.

He loses his patience after Thor makes a remark about a shirt he picks out and ends up kissing him to shut him up. He's bored as it starts, but as the kiss grows more heated, he finds himself holding onto his broad shoulders for stability. He's panting when he pulls away and realizes just why he liked him so much.

Thor cocks and eyebrow and mentions that the shirt would look good on Loki "like everything else," and Loki simply smiles and goes to try it on. Lips can be quite persuasive even for gods among mortals.

The opposite is true for Loki though he finds himself staring at Thor's mouth when he talks, marveling at the way his lips curve around words. Thor's halfway through talking about some inane SHIELD-related topic when Loki remembers those lips around him hours before. He has to school his expression into neutrality before nodding a response to Thor and continuing to pick at his unappetizing diner.

Odin sends him a look after dinner that makes him bare his teeth in response, and he simply responds by lifting his newspaper in front of his face.

Loki lets out a growl and starts move to rip it out of his hands when his mother comes into the kitchen.

"Loki, you didn't eat much today. Are you okay?"

He shies away from her touch and starts for his bedroom. "Yes, I am better than okay," he replies.

Thor's waiting for him in his bedroom when he comes in, and Loki curses to himself when he turns his back to shut the door. He cannot escape him as much as he tries, and it's even more frustrating that a part of him yearns to curl up next to him like some kept boy and accept his touches with fervor. Loki is no kept boy. He is a god and should be treated as such by his contemporary.

He feels no urge to touch Thor when he lies down beside him and turns away from him on his side. He stares at his pink-tinted wall and wills himself to sleep as a means to escape any interaction with him.

Hero greets him again this time, but he doesn't attempt to blow Loki, much to Loki's disappointment. He does divest himself of his clothes and offer himself up, ass in the air, and Loki feels himself considering the offer when he feels eyes on him.

He looks over and sees Thor sitting in a booth with Stark and Natasha, watching him with narrowed eyes. He tries to step forward but something prevents him. He should want to fuck Hero, but he can't because of him! Those purple eyes of his hold the poison to Loki's existence.

"What, Loki? Too SHIELD for me?" Hero asks, biting his lips and looking back at him.

He lashes out on the nearest thing and sends a table crashing to the ground. "I am not SHIELD!"

"But you are," Carny says, standing up from behind a divider. "You get a little narcotic courage and you're deflecting. What does that say about you, huh?"

"I-" He grits his teeth as laughs fill the air.

He is not SHIELD.

He is not SHIELD.

He is… SHIELD.

He finds himself on the ground with Thor hovering over him. He glances down and involuntarily moans at the sight of Thor inside him. No, he can't be with him like this. He doesn't want to. He can't want to. He's no traitor. He is a serpent. He is HYDRA.

He is SHIELD. He is an eagle. He is a traitor. He can do it. He wants to.

"Thor, I'm going to-" He clenches his eyes shut and throws his head back to scream as it hits him. The black behind his eyes ebbs until it's a dark red, and Loki feels as though he's crashing back into himself.

He opens his eyes and gravitates toward the boy next to him with surprising swiftness. He prods him awake before moving to straddle him.

Thor stares up at him curiously, but Loki settles that with a roll of the hips, expressing just how bad he needs this. His hands come up to hold Loki's hips, but Loki grabs them and makes him hold on tighter.

It's not long before Loki's being flipped on his back, but he does take control by stopping Thor before he can pull his pajama pants down. He remembers the star there—could never forget it—and knows that Thor will see it if he does. He does the obvious thing. He lies.

"I… it still hurts from last time," he replies. "It's not your fault. It's mine."

Thor looks at him for a moment before he bends down and kisses him. "I'm sorry, and I understand," he says. "This is perfect."

Loki grins up at him when he starts to move again. He managed to maneuver out of that situation with the ease of a snake. They would be proud of him.

When Thor tells him that he loves him afterward, Loki murmurs it back and goes off to take a shower. He pauses to look at the star in the mirror and feels a twinge of panic unlike yesterday. It's snuffed by the vibration of his phone.

'_Good morning, Lovely Cobra. Give 'em hell!_

_-XXX'_

He pulls on a pair of black jeans and a red sweater, dangling a black bowtie around his neck. He doesn't foregoes underwear, but the jeans are sadly and fortunately loose enough that Loki would still be hidden from the world.

An apology slips out of his mouth on its own upon spotting Stark and Steve standing near his locker. He feels them staring at him with curiosity and awe as he goes about his morning routine without circumstance. "Problem?" he asks as he shuts it.

"Nope," Stark says, and he sends Steve a look before disappearing down the hall.

When he sees Natasha this time, he doesn't feel the bitterness toward her. He feels nothing at all which makes their conversation after class rather stilted.

Professor Lensherr does not look edible as he did before, and his greeting only makes Loki feel happy. His lecture about half-lives of elements doesn't make Loki's pants tighten and the grin he flashes him as he leaves causes him to wave, not shiver.

"I apologize for yesterday," he says to Harry and Clint. He catches himself before he picks at the patch on his inner thigh. "It was rather… crude of me to do such a thing."

"Thanks, but I'm traumatized enough."

Harry nods. "Um… thanks?"

They play Marco Polo, and Loki is not hesitant to cheat at all. He simply sits in the farthest corner of the pool and watches as the different players try to find the others, completely silent.

Tony calls him out on his cheating, but Loki shrugs and says that he was simply quiet about it.

He pulls his Ray-Bans on and struts down the hallway, people moving out of his way without commotion.

'_Makin' us proud!_

_-XXX'_

He rests his hand on the back of Thor's neck when he sits down and leans back in his chair. He puts his leg on Thor's thigh and allows himself to relax. The SHIELD atmosphere does make one tired, and Loki's unsure of whether that's a positive or a negative.

"He broke up with her!" Harry exclaims. "Pete broke up with her."

"Finally," Bruce says. "Are you going to go sit with them now?"

"Fuck no." Harry makes a dismissive motion, and Loki lets out a laugh.

He tilts his sunglasses down. "It wasn't about Mary Jane," he says, and he laughs again while everyone simply stares at him as if he's lost his mind. He tilts his sunglasses up again and stares at the darker world, almost brown-red with the black of the lenses. "Correct, Osborn?"

Harry tries to throw a chip at him, but Loki catches it and sticks into his mouth with a smirk. "Crazy," he mumbles before he takes a drink.

It's somewhere during Psychology that the world brightens, and he's left reeling.

Thor puts a hand on his shoulder to steady him, and Loki sends him a reassuring look after he's gotten control of himself again.

There's a sinking feeling in his stomach there that wasn't present moments ago, and there is a lot less purple in the world, blue having taken its place. The world is absent of its red tint, and Loki feels as though he's been thrown into boiling water.

He doesn't strut in the hallway but walks with dread in each step. He doesn't want to be here or anywhere. He wants to be alone, but he's stuck for now. He's stuck with these people, and he wishes for nothing more than to be away from them.

Charles frowns when he sees him and looks as if he's going to say something, but he thankfully decides otherwise. During class, he does put an emphasis on words such as "responsibility" and "trust" as he looks at Loki. It could be him sinking back into that jealousy from before. How unfortunate.

Mrs. Munroe asks him if he can take his sunglasses off, and he stops at her desk to tilt them down and try to convince her otherwise. She stares at him as if he's lost his mind but dismisses him with a wave and an, "only today though."

He sees Thor staring at him as he rest his sunglasses on his forehead and waits for the question that never comes.

"Loki, come."

He doesn't let Thor take his hand but follows him down the city streets. The looks he gets are unwelcome today, but he still returns their grins with a smirk.

"I feel like you're not telling me…"

He feels himself stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, and it's not long before his environment shifts back to its correct color balance.

The world is reduced into redscale, shades of blood and rust around him, and Loki can only stand and stare in the midst of a burnt New York City, taking in the sensory distortion with curiosity. Everyone walks about as if nothing is wrong, but Loki can see again.

He lets out a laugh and grips for Thor's arm. He's eager to share his discovery, but he knows that Thor will only give him a strange look. He moves his hand downward and flinches at the sudden heat of Thor's exposed skin. He turns and stares at him in wonder, taking in the amplified golden and red hues that surround him.

"Loki, are you okay?" he asks. His grin is the pink sun.

Loki nods, and kisses him. There's a tingling below his skin that dies to get out, and he knows that Thor's the solution.

He pulls him into the nearest boutique and shoves him into a dressing room chair. He straddles him and kisses him as hard as he can, the tingles increasing with each time he touches him. "Uh, touch me, Thor. Please," he says, kissing down his neck.

Thor listens, and his fingers start to extinguish the strange shocks. He lips touch Loki's collar bone, and Loki leans back and rolls his hips in response. Thor lets out a sound that makes Loki repeat the action, and it turns into a cycle of motion.

He buys a dark red leather jacket on the way out as an apology of sorts for the faculty, not because of the sex but because of their ignorance to the event they missed. Sex with Thor is unlike anything in the universe, and all of these people are so unlucky to never get the chance to witness such a thing.

He lets out a sigh as he stares at his half-naked form in the mirror. For the first time in days, he dreads undressing, and the removal of his boxers is drawn out. When it's exposed to his eyes, Loki feels bile rise in his throat and the world flickers bright for a fleeting second.

With false calm, he gets into the shower. He can just get rid of it, and whatever this is will be over.

He tries not to panic as he attempts to peel the patch off of his skin and muffles his scream with a hand. He bites his bottom lip when he sees blood starting to drip down his thigh where the skin is breaking. When he realizes that he'll be missing a layer of skin if he continues, he gives up and lets the water wash the new wound.

When he goes to sleep that night, he lays with his legs sprawled open and tries not to think of how much trouble he's gotten himself into.

Because Loki's fine.

He is fine.

His dream is simply a loop of him sitting immobile in the Red Room, people moving around him in slow motion. It's somewhere when the red starts to fade that he wakes up covered in sweat.

The bandage is almost orange against his pink skin.

His phone buzzes on the counter, and he opens the text as his hands tremble.

'_Don't panic next time, Lovely Cobra! You hurt yourself pretty bad, but we got you patched up nice and good. Thankfully swimming's over, so you can cover that right up without issue._

_-XXX_

_P.S. Now you can get groovy with SHIELD boy too ;-)'_

He blinks rapidly and tries hard not to look at the patch in the mirror. He can feel it on his arm, right where James' tattoo was. 

Another text comes moments later.

_'Last dose L. If you want more, just stop by!_

_-XXXX'_

He goes about his day in robotic movements though no one seems to notice his mood. He thinks that they are too blind for their own good, too SHIELD.

Tony and Natasha make Loki tag along with them on their trip to get clothes for the Valentine's dance tomorrow, and Loki doesn't feel alarmed that it somehow slipped his mind. He probably does, but he can't feel anything other than the weird heaviness in his limbs.

"Look at this green one-"

"No," he says, holding up the shirt, "I am getting the red one."

Natasha and Tony exchange a look, but Loki simply stands there in wait for them to finish their shopping.

He doesn't quite know how he and Thor end up tired and sweaty under Thor's now-dark red blanket. He only knows that the numbness was gone for the moments that they spent together, only to come back once Thor retreated from his body. In some way, Thor actually completes him, and Loki should be able to laugh at the cliché of that. He can only stare at Thor's closet door and listen to him murmur into his neck as he drifts off to sleep.

He realizes that he's still wearing his shirt when the hands of sleep start to grip him, and he cracks a smile at the state of his life.

The sensation of hands touching him makes him open his eyes into the red-soaked room, and he looks down at his nude form and sees the dozens of arms touching him as if starving for a piece of his flesh. He attempts to move his arms, but they're shackled to the table by red cuffs.

"Metaphors are great, eh?" Flint asks, touching the star on Loki's hand. His touch makes Loki flinch, and he laughs. "Calm down, calm down. It'll wear off eventually. You should be grateful. You're seeing the world the way it was meant to be seen. Red."

He looks up to see a leering Thor crawling up his body, but his eyes aren't purple. They're red, dark red, and Loki feels himself inhale in fright.

"You love him, Loki. He's not going to hurt you."

He still struggles against the cuffs and tries to get away from this Thor. He screams when something breaches him and feels something hot and liquid pool between his legs. He doesn't need to look to know that it will be dark red, almost black.

"Loki, he's just trying to show you a little red," Flint says, and as he yanks the star from Loki's bicep, Loki opens his mouth to scream.

He inhales sharply and looks up at a dressing Thor standing at the foot of the bed.

"Happy Saint Valentine's Day, Loki," he says as he buttons the top of his shirt.

Loki's relieved to see that his own shirt is still on as he climbs out of Thor's bed. He clears his throat and attempts to push all memory of his dream to a corner in his mind. "You too," he replies.

He grips onto the shower stall for support as the water washes over his back. Loki is strong. There's nothing wrong. He's fine. He can get through this. But there's nothing to get through. His life is perfect. Loki is perfect.

He grimaces as he lets out a half-chuckle, half-sob and goes to perform his morning routine as usual. He will not let some star ruin this day. This is his first Valentine's Day in America, and the first one with Thor.

No texts come during school, but each time his phone vibrates with a text from Tony reminding him of tonight for the twentieth time, he feels himself flinch in response. He shouldn't be afraid of them. They want to be his friends. They helped him. They're helping him now. He should be thankful.

"Dude, you okay?" Rick asks, and Loki realizes that he's leaning his head on his locker and staring at his feet.

He offers Rick a smile. "Of course," he replies. "Are you going to the dance?"

"Yep, America and I are going together… as friends though." He flushes. "I mean-"

"There's no need to explain, Rick." He smooths a strand of hair down and inhales. "I will see you later."

"Um, okay…"

He adjusts the leather jacket in the mirror and looks at his outfit of red and black. He looks like a serpent. Good?

Yes, good.

One kiss from Thor, and something inside of Loki snaps as if the rubber band keeping him in control has finally given away. Thor looks down at him with a cocked eyebrow, but Loki responds with a smile and a wink before pulling his Ray-Bans on.

He greets everyone he encounters with a hug, letting himself go a bit more after each embrace. He finally hugs Gwen and lets his hands trail down to the satin curve of her ass, winking at Peter over her shoulder as he gives her a squeeze.

"Loki, what-?" She hits him on the shoulder as she blushes. "What was that?"

He shrugs and pulls a piece of gum out of Gwen's purse, sending her a wink when she frowns. "You have always had such a nice ass," he says, chewing. "Even a gay man can appreciate."

Alex brushes past his left bicep, pressing the star into his skin, and Loki feels a slight jolt. His mind blanks for a few moments and he finds himself sitting with his head in his hands, no recollection of how he got there or what happened during those missing moments.

The dancefloor is full of people by now, which means that Loki was gone for quite a time.

No, he doesn't panic.

He can handle a simple blackout.

He sets his sunglasses on the trouble before going to join the mass of badly dancing people. He will show them what true dancing looks like yet again, but this time he doesn't plan on waltzing. He has something more… modern in mind.

"Dude, you okay now?" Clint asks, and Loki nods.

He should ask what he means, but that would give away his lack of memory.

Britney Spears is playing, and Loki is in the mood to show off.

He slowly bends backward, rolling his stomach in slow motions of seduction. He adds a few arm movements during the chorus and makes eye contact with a few people standing and watching around him. He starts to pops his ass to the beat during the breakdown and takes advantage of the space around him the crowd provides.

Emma emerges from the crowd and joins him, clearly thinking that he is going to let her steal this moment as if that were possible. She starts to shake her ass in front of him, and Loki moves forward the few inches to touch the sides of her hips and dance against her. She tenses when his crotch presses against her, and he leans forward to whisper a warning in her ear about knowing what she's getting herself into.

"LoveGame" comes on, and Loki spins Emma around with a grin.

He dips her down and maneuvers her around to suit his needs, uncaring when she attempts to make him do the same. He pulls her to him during the last chorus and pushes her to her bending limit, leaning over her and sending her a smirk as he shoves her down to her knees.

"Do you want love or you want fame or you in the game?" he sings as he takes the sides of her head in his hands and mocks fellatio to the beat.

At the end of the song, she stands with a shocked look on her face. "I know," she grits before storming off.

"Dude, what the fuck was that?" Clint asks. "That was pretty shitty of you to do."

"What? Using her for her sole purpose?" he replies as he starts to dance to the next song. He feels a mixture of aggression and want flowing through his veins, and it drives him to push his body to its limits. He can take it. Loki is perfect.

Barton stops trying to talk to him, and Loki's thankful that he can dance in peace.

"Dirrty" comes on, and Loki grins. He knows the dance quite well.

He throws his jacket to Harry and spots Thor in the crowd. "You aint here to party!" he shouts, and doesn't restrain his ass pops at all. He mimes along to the lyrics and pushes his way through everyone to get to him. As the chorus hits, he grabs Thor by the collar and starts to shimmy in front of him. He ignores the shocked looks he's receiving and presses himself into Thor's body, making the lyrics more suggestive than they already are.

"Move your ass, I like that," he sings, turning to press his ass into Thor's crotch. He bites his bottom lip as he turns back around. He grabs Thor's shoulders and leans backward, rolling his torso and shaking his ass. He dips down and shakes his hair around Thor's crotch, standing up with deliberate slowness.

As the song ends, he grabs Thor by the bowtie and pulls him down until their lips are only inches apart. His tongue darts out for a taste when someone grabs him and pulls him away from Thor. Thor turns to watch him be pulled, and Loki winks and slaps his ass as a promise of what's to come.

Charles stops out in the hall, where most of these social function conversations seem to take place. His eyes are purple, Loki notes, however narrowed they are. "Loki, what has gotten into you as of lately? Your performance in school is subpar in comparison to your usual. Your friends whisper about what's going on with you behind your back. Now, you are dancing like… _that_ with your step-brother who everyone thinks is strictly your step-brother!

"Your behavior is out of control and in danger of jeopardizing more than just your life but your step-brother's, and if you claim to love him as much as you do, you see that it's not a good idea to make it obvious that there is something more than-"

Charles' lips are as soft as they look, Loki notes as he cradles the man's face. His skin is soft too, and his chin is stubble-free. Well, that's his only complaint besides the height difference.

"Loki, what are you—what was that?" Charles touches his lips as he runs a hand through his hair, messing it farther. He looks flustered, a lot younger than 27. "Why did you kiss me?"

A familiar footstep echoes in the hall, and Loki turns and sees him standing there. By the narrow of his eyes and frown on his lips, he saw the entire thing. Oops.

"Thor," Charles says. Loki can almost laugh at how terrified he looks. "I apologize-"

"Professor, it was not you who initiated the kiss," he says as he walks closer to Loki. Since when did Thor look so good in low-light? "Loki, I think that your words would be useful now."

He grins and steps toward Thor, pointedly doing a once over of him. "Mm, I think I can show you better than explain," he says as he grabs ahold of once lapel. "Perhaps with my silver tongue?"

Public sex is a new facet in their relationship that Loki is none too eager to give up. With the way Thor looks in all of his clothes—impossibly radiant and oh so corruptible—his self-control cannot withstand the time needed to make their way home. It's not as if he's doing anything wrong. He's just going to suck him off in an empty classroom.

"Is the door locked?" Thor asks when Loki drops to his haunches in front of him. His best angle.

"Yes," he replies, planting a kiss on Thor's neck. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Relax."

Relax. It echoes words Loki's heard in his dreams and sends a shiver down his spine.

His mind is distracted by the task at hand, and Loki simply focuses on convincing Thor that he is the one that matters, the only one.

Thor's hands wind in his hair, and he gasps as Loki takes him down to the base.

Loki barely has any air, but he needs this more than oxygen. He pulls back with a slurping noise, eyes flitting up to Thor's blissed-out face, and he smiles at what he's done. He cups him in one hand as he swallows him again, and with his silver tongue, he massages the underside.

"Loki, I'm going to…"

If he ever manages to swallow it all, he'll be surprised because he still gets some all over his lips, but that can be blamed on Thor's insistence of attempting to pull out even when he's passed the point of no return. As he stands, he licks it off of his lips and smirks.

"Enjoy yourself?" he asks. He knows that Thor is going to want to kiss him, so he moves away from the boy before he can. He just… can't right now, and they have a dance to get back to.

Thor holds his arm as they reenter the ballroom, but it's easy for Loki to break free of his slack grasp, turning to wink at him as he slithers back into the jumping crowd.

"Where have you been?" Harry asks once Loki joins him in the center.

Just as he opens his mouth to answer with some excuse of needing to piss, the song changes to the song that can serve as a double entendre to a sexual act that Loki just engaged in with his beautiful boyfriend Thor, "Blow" by Ke$ha.

He begins to dance to the song, flipping his hair around his head as he did earlier, and he completely disregards Charles' advice. He finds Thor's eyes in the crowd and amps it up a bit. He bends back and rolls his body as he smirks at Thor, climaxing at the chorus and holding his hand to his mouth as he makes a sign obviously miming fellatio.

"This song isn't even about that!" Clint exclaims, having stopped dancing to stare at Loki awkwardly. "What are you doing?"

Thor only stands there motionless, looking absolutely horrified. Loki knows that he's merely pretending. He knows that he wants them all to know that Loki was just on his knees sucking his-

"Hey, everyone, shut the hell up." Tony stands on the stage, wearing a leather tank top and leather shorts. Gold boots come up to his thighs and a belt with a cyan circle is around his waist. Now, that would not be so out of the ordinary if it weren't for the four men standing behind him wearing the same outfit with pants instead. "I'm going to sing a song."

Loki feels a grin come to his face as everyone around him stares enraptured at Stark's theatrics.

The beat of "Hold It Against Me" by Britney Spears begins to play, but instead of her vocal track kicking in at the normal place, Stark begins to sing as the men behind him dance.

"Hey, over there. Please, forgive me for comin' out in this song. Hate to stare, but I'm gay, and your dick looks really long. So, come here a little closer. Wanna stick this in your rear. Make it clear. A little confession. Wanna know just what I like. If I said I wanted to make out, if I would fellate you now, if I said I want you to pound me, ow, would you hold it against me? 'Cause, you look like paradise, and I aint masturbatin' tonight. So, if I said I was actually gay, would you hold it against me?"

Stark goes on to sing about other things that he would like to only do with men, and the dancers behind him act as an example of said acts as they mimic them with sensual movements. As the song ends, the dancers drop to their knees around him as Stark holds his index finger into a circle made with his other hand. Well, that's the best coming out as gay that Loki has ever seen. He admires Stark's… Starkness.

"So, yes, people of SHIELD Academy, I, Tony Stark, am a gay man," he says. "Either accept it or go fuck yourself."

"I don't believe you!" Loki sighs at someone's stupidity. It sounds a lot like Johnny.

Tony takes this as a challenge and jumps down from the stage, the spotlight following him out onto the dancefloor. "Then I'll prove it!" he shouts. "Someone kiss me!"

Everyone stares at him as if he's lost his mind, but Loki stands with his arms folded, not taking the step backward to disappear into the crowd around him. He remains where he is as Stark approaches him, smirking at the look of victory on Stark's face.

"Only you and me then, eh?" he asks, coming to a stop in front of Loki. Loki has to admire the way he looks in that costume. "You up for a little Stark on one?"

If Stark really thinks that Loki is going to let him escape this situation without demonstrating to their peers just how gay he claims to be, he is mistaken. Loki would never pass up a situation to both force Stark into doing as he says he'll do and show Thor just how much he loves the taste of him. He can still taste Thor in his mouth.

"Of course," he says, and he doesn't give him enough time to prepare before he grabs him by the shoulders and kisses him. There is a chorus of gasps around them, but the loudest is the one from Stark himself.

It takes a moment for Stark to stop standing there like an idiot and for him to bring his arms around Loki's neck. He starts to kiss him back, and his lips press hard against Loki's as he tries to gain the upper hand.

Of course Loki's usually the one in Stark's position, so there's some strangeness, but he adjusts easily. He remains the dominator throughout their kiss. He relishes the power he feels over Tony as he starts to melt in Loki's arms and attempts to press closer into him, held at bay by Loki's hands on his shoulders.

He pulls back when he decides the kiss is over, Tony surging forward to try to capture his lips again and failing. If there weren't for that star on his arm, Loki would be feeling panic coursing through his veins. But it _is_ there, and he feels as confident as before even with the knowledge that something extremely bad has happened.

Stark is giving him a look that makes him want to put a few feet between them, and he blinks a few times as he stares into Loki's eyes. It makes him uncomfortable, but Loki can't find it in him to look away. "Loki, are you on-?"

"Tony!" Steve walks up to the two of them. "You really are?"

"It's your chance, Stark." The corner of his lips quirks up.

Steve dips Tony down and kisses him, and the two of them look like a modern day version of the infamous _V-J Day in Times Square_ kiss.

He claps first and beams as the two of them finally reach resolution in front of his eyes. It's not until he finds a hand on his shoulder that he realizes he is actually jumping up and down with glee. Loki does not jump up and down in glee.

Natasha presses him against the wall outside of the door just as music starts to play inside again. "What's going on?" she demands.

He could respond with fury, but he's not giving her what she wants. He shrugs, something that he knows she hates, and replies, "I don't know." It's actually the truth.

Natasha takes his hands in hers, and he sees the tears in her eyes.

He blinks and suddenly feels water on his cheek, reaching up to rub it away before letting her retake his hand. What is happening to him? He thought he had control of this?

"Loki, I can help you," she says. "I can help you get better. I can get you sober if you just-"

"I don't need to get sober." He pulls his hands out of hers and starts for the ballroom. "I am not on drugs."

Steve and Tony dance together as Maroon 5 plays, and Loki bitterly thinks that's where he and Thor should be. That should be them staring at each other with love in their eyes, but it's not because Loki's just so, so stupid, and he can't realize that he actually has a-

"Want to dance?" It's Bruce holding out a hand to him, smiling. "You look like you could use one."

He takes Bruce's hands and allows him to take the lead. This is the first time tonight he's danced and not been miming some sex position. "I could use many things," he replies, "but a stiff drink is where I should start."

"Well, Tony is-"

"Guys, the after party is cancelled!" Tony shouts. "I have something better to do!"

"Well, looks like plans have changed," Bruce replies with a grin. "Maybe you and I could head down to this mysterious Red Room and see why it's got Natasha so shook up."

Loki automatically tenses at the name, missing a dance step and almost causing Bruce to trip. He avoids Bruce's eyes when Bruce seeks him out with his own because he's not in any condition to try to shield his emotions from someone like him with experience in seeing others' inner turmoil.

"What? Loki, tell me what's wrong? You, of all people, almost tripped."

He yanks his arms away from Bruce as he shakes his head. "It's—Bruce, I can't. I really, really can't…"

He finds himself sitting at a table in the corner, chin rested on his knees. At rest, the world doesn't seem to be the great place Loki's considered it to be the past few days. Everything that haunted him before stills haunts him, but it's only amplified if he lets himself think about it. So he doesn't. He just… can't.

He heads to the dancefloor and grabs the nearest sitting person, Scott.

Scott looks confused as Loki pulls him along, but he doesn't protest until they reach the center of the crowd. "What—are we really doing this?" He sounds irritated, but he makes no motion to leave.

Loki bites his bottom lip, thinking of a someone, and watches the flush travel up Scott's neck. "Someone's a little curious are they?" he whispers.

"Break the Ice" begins to play, and it's perfect.

Loki turns around and dips down, his ass barely ghosting over Scott. He shuts his eyes and lets his instincts takeover. He's never tried to seduce a straight boy, but Loki's had many firsts since his time in America.

He turns back to Scott and repeats the word, "hot," in time with Britney, purposely letting his breath ghost over his neck. His remain shut though, and he simply moves by feeling.

At the breakdown, Loki lets his primal need to show off what he's got overrule any rational thought, and he rips the front of his shirt open to display the way his abs ripple with each roll of his body.

Scott stares at him with his mouth agape as if this is the first time he's seen a shirtless man. He's been with Emma Frost. Scott is quite experienced with amazing bodies.

It's after the third song that Scott finally realizes there's nothing for him to lose. He starts to actually dance, using the obvious muscles he has to keep control over his body as he rolls his stomach in sync with Loki. He doesn't protest when Loki's hand finds its way up the front of his shirt either, though a part inside Loki is screaming for him to get ahold of himself.

That part wins over when Loki yanks his hand away abruptly, staring down at it as if it's betrayed him.

"This was… fun," Scott says.

Loki nods, but his attention remains on the hand in front of him. It turns porcelain, and Loki's afraid that something's happening when he realizes that this is the actual color of his hand. He looks up and sees that Scott's sunglasses aren't blood red as they were before but normal ruby.

Loki's been seeing everything in redscale the entire day. This cannot be any better than everything suddenly desaturating.

He stares around the now pale pink and red room. His breaths are shallow, and his pulse is loud in his ears.

Blindly, he starts to button his shirt, and he cannot help but feel disgusted at himself.

"Loki, I finally got a piece of you," Peggy says. Her dress isn't brown, but a dark red. How could he have not noticed the way her lipstick was darker than it has ever been? "I requested a song before the night ends. Care for a dance?"

He lets her take his hand and pull him to the dancefloor in front of the stage, directly in the way of the spotlight. It feels as though he's been thrust headfirst into his body, but he's been here the entire time. This is what coming down feels like, he guesses.

When "Candyman" starts to play, the autopilot kicks in, and Loki and Peggy fall into a comfortable swing. Dancing shouldn't feel this lifeless, but it appears that it's only this way from his vantage point. Everyone else is dancing and cheering, their voices sounding distant and close at the same time.

"That was fun…" Peggy's voice is background noise as Loki searches the crowd for a familiar face.

He made so many mistakes tonight, and he has to correct them.

He nods her a goodbye and pulls away from her, pushing his way through the moving crowd. With everyone headed toward the exit, Loki finds that it's much harder to move. His clothes are sticking to his skin, and there are tingles under his skin, the bad kind.

Natasha grabs his arm and pulls him to her side when he sees her in the stairwell. One glance at him, and she knows. "You're coming down," she says. "Loki, you need to get home fast before you-"

Thor stands in the center of the lobby with his arms crossed. He looks bigger than everyone else, much bigger than usual, but that could be because everyone else is so insignificant in comparison. He's a god among men.

Thor doesn't react when Loki steps up to him, and it goes straight to Loki's heart in the form of a pang. He only speaks when Loki opens his mouth to say something. "What is your issue?" he hisses, teeth bared.

Loki almost falls down in shock. "Thor, I'm—I-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" He lifts his hand as if to hit Loki but drops it to his side. "Sorry," he mumbles. "Loki, you have done many unruly things tonight, and I think that it is only fair that I be hostile toward you."

"I know, I know," he replies, "and I agree. I was stupid, Thor, but I can explain. I…" He shuts his mouth and looks away.

"What, Loki?" he shouts. "I'm listening!"

Loki does the only thing he can do. He kisses him.

Thor pulls his head away a few inches and stares at Loki as if he's lost his mind. His brow creases the longer he stares, so Loki kisses him again before he can come to any conclusions.

"What the fuck is this?"

"Wow, that's weird."

Loki offers Thor an unsure smile when he pulls back again.

The same look appears again, and Thor gently pushes Loki away. "There's something you're not telling me, Loki," he says. "You're… not-"

"Sorry?" he asks. Loki falls to his knees in front of Thor, a position that looks like begging to the outsider, but Loki wants him to remember what happened between them hours ago. He wants him to remember it and to forgive him. He looks up at him, not bothering to hide the tears in his eyes. "I am, Thor. I swear it."

He looks away from Loki, his jaw clenching. "You are being childish, Loki. This is no time for your kid games!" There's hostility in his eyes, but there's also betrayal. "You cannot simply apologize away the things that you have perpetrated tonight! You kissed Tony Stark in front of everyone in a way that should only be reserved for the person you love!" He looks around before mumbling, "me."

He stands up. "But I was simply helping a friend," he says. The words "you manipulator" flit through his mind. "Tony helped me. He helped us."

Thor doesn't reply, grabbing Loki and pulling him out of the doors. His hand is tight on Loki's arm as they sit in the cab, but Thor stares out of the window as he bites on his thumb. He's thinking, hopefully of forgiving Loki.

Loki sits down on the stairs to undo his shoes, and he watches as Thor tries to procrastinate in undoing his own. "Are you going to fuck me tonight?" he asks.

Thor doesn't answer him. He pulls him to his feet and leads him up the stairs and into his own bedroom, a bad sign.

Loki doesn't go inside and turns to Thor, leaning against the door in what he hopes is a seductive way. His mind has been playing tricks on him lately, so he cannot completely trust it. "Are you?"

He runs his hand through his hair. "No, Loki," he replies, "I'm not."

A wave of anguish washes over his entire body, and for a moment, he's completely numb to everything, even the pain of being rejected for the first time. Thor rejected him, and gods does he want to cry. He doesn't allow himself to and summons all of the remaining power he has for smoke and mirrors, putting on a mask of seduction.

"I still had you on my lips," he says, making sure to bite down on his bottom one. "When I kissed him, I tasted you."

Thor's Adam's apple bobs as Loki circles around him. He's speechless. Good.

He takes a glance down at Thor's ass and grins. "Will you let me fuck _you_?"

He sees Thor slowly nod as he makes his way to kiss his neck, and he grins into the kiss as he lets his arms come around his waist.

There's a different kind of high that overtakes Loki when he undresses Thor, one that doesn't leave him seeing red or wanting to simultaneously destroy and build the entire world. It's the kind that he's only felt with him, and it's definitely better than the one that Loki's been on the past few days.

Thor stares at the ceiling as Loki kisses down his navel, the only movement he's making being the rise and fall of his chest and the constant swallowing. His thoughts are probably filled with the image of Loki kissing Stark, but they will not be for much longer. Loki will show him, and Thor will see that none of the other kisses or touches have mattered besides the ones he's shared with him.

He taps the play button on his iPod and waits for the music to provide the appropriate atmosphere before continuing. If he reminds him of the first night they shared together, it'll be easier.

It's sardonic that the song that decides to play while Loki attempts to right his wrongs with Thor by way of sex is about coming down from a high.

He's gentle as he can be with Thor even if he knows that Thor has the durability of a god. He wouldn't be able to hurt him if he tried because there's no red stain to the world, and it means that Loki is actually in control. He bites the inside of his cheek as his mind starts to wonder what the warm-wet is going to feel like around him.

Loki kisses up Thor's neck before he takes a look into his eyes, making sure that he is ready for this. "Can I-?"

"Do it," he says. His eyes flicker to Loki's eyes. "Go."

So Loki does. He slides inside of Thor as slowly as he can, but he finds himself overwhelmed by a mixture of warmth and knowing that he's _inside_ of Thor. Loki and Thor are one yet again, but Loki's inside of Thor instead of the other way around. It's too much, so he has to direct his mind to just feeling him.

He watches Thor's eyes and sees the flash of pain appear for a second and disappear just as fast as it comes. He shuts them, and Thor looks like a fallen angel here on Loki's bed. It's a bittersweet thought that causes guilt to surge inside Loki.

He rests his head on Thor's shoulder and begins to thrust, gritting his teeth and whimpering when he pushes back inside of Thor. This is what Thor feels when he's inside Loki, and wow does that send a shiver down his spine.

"Thor, you're so—I—you feel…" He moans, his hand finding Thor's and squeezing. "Gods, Thor…"

Thor lets out a moan that makes Loki let out another, and he squeezes his hand painfully hard. "Loki, I can—please, I… "

He kisses the corner of Thor's mouth, gasping for breath. The word finally comes to him, and he says, "_Förvånande_," just as he lets out a groan and the world goes—red around him.

As much as he wants to, Loki does not panic because he cares about this being good for Thor more than the fact that he's yet again lost control. Instead, he stares down at Thor's chest for some sort of balance in the suddenly rouge world.

He thrusts back inside of Thor, throwing his head back as Thor clenches around him.

"Harder," Thor says, gripping at the blankets. "Harder, Loki!"

Loki complies, pounding as hard as he can into Thor. It's easier than it should be, terrifyingly so, to switch from trying to be gentle to rough, but Loki's distracted by the sounds coming from Thor's mouth. They're beautiful, ones that he wants to hear on repeat for the rest of his life, but he can settle for hearing them while buried deep inside of him.

He knows that he's close, and he knows that Thor is too, but the winner inside Loki needs for Thor to go first, for him to feel as though he's succeeded. So, he bends and takes Thor into his mouth without warning, and it's instantaneous that Thor cums.

His fingers tangle in Loki's hair as he tries to pull him away, but Loki holds onto his hips and sucks as much as he can down, and it's a lot—the most actually. Thor lets out another moan, and it's enough to push Loki over the edge.

Red flashes in front of his eyes, turning to white before settling down into nothing. Loki gasps for air as he lays his head on Thor's chest, feeling himself come crashing back down into his body. The raw emotions come back with his sanity. Loki's face twists into a grimace that he quickly schools back into neutrality.

Thor's hands card through his hair, and it only makes it worse.

He pulls out and falls onto the bed beside Thor, turning away to face the wall. He pulls his knees up to his chest. What has Loki done?

He sniffles and turns to look at Thor, putting on his best reassuring smile. He kisses his shoulder and nuzzles the juncture of his neck.

"I love you, Loki," he says, kissing him on the forehead. It's intimate, too intimate now that Loki's coming down again. "I love you so much."

He nods and swallows thickly. "I, uh… I love you too, Thor."

Sleep is merciful in taking him so quickly, but it seems it shares the same ulterior motives as Loki.

Loki finds himself seated across a shadowed figure, but he knows who it is without thought.

"Loki," he says, his voice cool and contemptuous.

"Father," he replies. He looks down at himself and realizes that he's the same size as he is in reality. Laufey's presence is merely that suffocating.

He leans forward enough for his hands to emerge from the shadow covering him. "I never knew neediness to be a genetic trait. Of all of the ones I hoped to pass on, that was the last one."

"I am not needy," he says. "I'm…"

"What?" There's that chilly laugh that used to make Loki cringe. "You are in love, correct? You are a boy, nothing but a boy. You know nothing other than the tip of your nose and the lies you tell. Much like the lies you spare on Thor in favor for completely keeping him ignorant. Of all people to do such a thing, you seemed like the least likely to perpetrate such… crimes, Loki. It's disappointing."

He is shocked when he feels tears running down his cheeks and reaches up to wipe them away, eyed widening when red is returned on his fingers.

"Afraid of a bit of red, Loki?" Laufey laughs, loud and low, and Loki shivers at the red falling onto his shirt and lap. "Green was always your color as was it mine. We are a lot alike."

"We are nothing alike!" he screams, and just as he does, the shadow disappears and reveals someone more familiar than Laufey: Loki.

Other-Loki grins as he lifts up his sleeve and reveals the red star. "We are one and the same, Loki, don't you get it? From the day you were born, you were destined to fall into the path of nonliving as I was. See this as something to ease the pain."

"You are not my father!" Copper falls into his mouth from his nose, but Loki doesn't try to stop the nose bleed. "And you know nothing about me or Thor! You're dead."

"But I do, Loki," he says, holding out a hand beneath the desk. He grins as he pulls his hand up with another hand in his, a blond that Loki loves attached to said hand. "Right, Thor?"

Thor nods. "Of course, Laufey," he replies. "I am in love with you."

That's preposterous, and they all know it. Thor loves Loki! "That's bullshit!"

"What your language, Loki." Thanny touches his shoulder, slipping onto the arm of his chair. "We're in front of your father."

"He's not my-"

"We all have our share of daddy issues," Stark says, slipping onto Loki's bloodstained lap as if the blood doesn't faze him. "But you just hush your cute mouth because we have something to show them, don't we?" He draws a finger over Loki's lips, bringing the blood finger up to his mouth. "Mm, tastes just like you."

Loki shuts his eyes. This is all a dream. This is just a dream.

He opens his eyes and sees Other-Loki hovering over a now horizontal Thor, dragging his hands down Thor's chest and drawing blood. "What are you—stop!"

"It's just a little red, Loki," Thanny and Stark say.

"Yes, just like Thor's"—he pushes his hand through Thor's chest as if it's paper and pulls out his beating heart, Loki's mouth opening in a silent scream—"bleeding heart for the poor little Laufeyson!"

Loki gasps as his eyes open to the real world of his room. He looks around the dusk light and sees the scattering of clothes around his bed, and the memory of the previous night comes to him. Even with the experience of their first time in his mind, he still gets up and leaves a sleeping Thor.

He's always been emotionally stronger than Loki. He can handle waking up alone.

With all of his might, he avoids looking at the star. The image of another Loki showing the star off as if it is simply a blemish is still there, and Loki doesn't trust himself not to collapse into a heap of emotional turmoil due to a mere dream.

_"You are a boy, nothing but a boy. You know nothing other than the tip of your nose and the lies you tell."_

It's eerie how obviously fictional words can stick with a person, Loki thinks as he dries his body, ghosting over his left bicep.

It's even eerier that fictional words can be so right.

Thor's not there when Loki dresses. The first mercy of the day.

He can barely stand to look at himself as he brushes his teeth, not because of his appearance but because of the fact that Other-Loki's words are on his brain and he resembles him for more than the obvious reason. Just beneath his shirt sleeve is a symbol of the slow degradation of Loki's sanity and all of the issues that have come along with it. Other-Loki had the exact same one in the exact same spot. Other-Loki is what Loki is going to become.

He's too far gone in his thoughts to realize Thor is behind him, but he can't find the energy to jolt in shock. He looks up at him in the mirror before bending down to spit out his toothpaste, and when he looks back up, he immediately averts his eyes. "Good morning."

Thor goes to rest his chin on his shoulder, but Loki accidentally flinches away. Finally his body decides to give a reaction, and of course it's this one. Thor steps away from him, and Loki knows that if he looks up in the mirror, he'll see the hurt in his eyes.

Remembering last night, he belatedly asks, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." He turns to leave the bathroom, Loki catching the words, "shutting me out," and, "insensitive '_is prins_.'" At the second one, Loki quirks a smile, but it's quickly gone when he sees himself in the mirror.

After Art, Loki is not surprised to see Erik and Charles waiting at his locker, but that does not make him thrilled. He opens his locker to put away his sketchpad and waits for the coming lecture.

"Loki, we need to talk to you."

He slams his locker shut. "Everyone needs something. Some need sex. Some need drugs. Why are humans so needy?"

Erik pinches the bridge of his nose, and Charles holds his fingers to his temples like he always does.

"We are worried about you," Charles says. "Our talk yesterday seemed to accomplish nothing."

Loki chuckles.

"You are on a downward spiral," he says. "We fear for your safety and the safety of others around you."

"You think I'm going to kill them or something?" Loki laughs again. "I couldn't hurt a fly. 'Fragile bones.'"

Erik drops his hand from his nose. "Loki, is there something that you want to tell us?"

A shiver goes down his spine, but he ignores it. "No, but I would like to say that you should thank me. I mean, I did manage to kick start your sex drive with my arrival this year and the ensuing nonexistent rivalry was a cause of you finally seeing that you want to fuck each other." He grins. "You're welcome."

Erik clenches his jaw, and Charles sighs.

"Loki…"

He sits down at lunch with an eye roll and a sigh, seeing the navy cupcakes on their trays. "SHIELD pride, yay," he says in a dry tone. He draws his finger through the icing eagle on Thor's cupcake, effectively messing it up, and tastes it. "Tastes like school allegiance, unfounded school allegiance."

"What's what supposed to mean?" Steve asks, wiping away the excess icing on his mouth. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

Loki cocks his head to the side. "Depends on who you're rooting for," he replies. "Some of us aren't into the whole 'jarhead, patriotism, freedom' act and are more into a libertarian way of things. Rules, SHIELD rules, are mostly that while rules at places like… HYDRA are a lot more flexible."

"The fuck you know about HYDRA?" Clint asks. "You've only been here for like two days."

"I know quite a lot about HYDRA," he replies. "I happen to know that they're more… agreeable to some of the ideals I support."

Steve's hand comes down on the table. "So what you're saying is, 'SHIELD sucks and HYDRA is the best?'"

"Steve-"

"No, Tony! He's being a traitor with his talk of HYDRA ideals being anything but propaganda for the deconstruction of free society."

"What? 'Free society?'" Loki throws his head back and laughs. "You do not know true freedom until you-"

"Shut up!" Steve shouts, and he stands up from his seat red-faced. "Shut up!"

Thor's between Steve and Loki in moments, and Loki's smirking until Thor turns to him and narrows his eyes. "Yes, it would be wise for you to quiet down, Loki. Your… _opinions_ are not welcome here."

Tony crosses his arms and stares at Loki, and Loki turns to him and stares back. "You know… if this is about you not getting laid in a while, you two could just go off and get a supply closet."

"Stark, I am happy to inform you that I have gotten laid just fine," he replies, and he dips his finger into Thor's cupcake again, ignoring the glare he sends him. "Actually, I provided a nice… _service_ to Thor before that wonderful display of true homosexuality."

He spits out his cupcake onto his tray, and Steve lets out a disgusted sound.

"You should be ashamed of your behavior, Loki," Steve says. "You are becoming exactly like those people you so admire. HYDRA pride, right?" He puts a hand on Tony's shoulder and helps him wipe his mouth off, glaring at Loki.

He should feel something other than triumph at causing such discomfort to his peers, but he doesn't. He's fine until he sees the way Bruce is frowning at him. Bruce should be on his side always.

"Get ahold of yourself, Loki," he says, and he stands up and leaves.

Getting ignored by one's friends is a lot easier when one hates them for no reason other than the halls they walk and the blazers that they wear so proudly. He gets their glares in the hallway and ignores them and keeps on strutting in his Ray-Bans. He arrives to English late after taking a detour to drop off his blazer in his locker, and everyone turns to him as if he's an interloper.

"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Laufeyson," Charles says.

Loki sits as far away from them as he can and pulls out his phone as a text comes, "Life of the Party" playing loudly in the domed room. He ignores the looks he gets and looks at the text.

'_Hope to see you tomorrow_

_-X'_

Another text comes, "Initiation" playing.

'_Fuck them all. You got us till the end_

_-XXXX'_

"Mr. Laufeyson, are there any other text messages you hope to receive in the next period?" Charles asks, stopping to turn to him.

He stands up. "I do not fucking know, Charles. You tell me, professor," he says, and he leaves as everyone starts to chatter in shock and speculation. He leaves SHIELD feeling better than he has in a while, but below that feeling, he feels something heavy in his stomach.

John arrives not long after he calls him, and he doesn't say anything about Loki being the only one in front of the school. He starts talking about driving, and Loki's thankful that he's one of the only people willing to grant him reprieve from emotional discussion.

He pulls over, and they switch seats.

Loki exhales in his place in the driver's seat and goes to turn on the radio, not making any motion to turn off John's loud rock music. He finds that it is not that bad if he listens deeper than the surface.

"Loki, are you on drugs?"

He turns to stare at John, dropping his hands from the steering wheel. The question runs through his mind for a few moments before Loki forms any response. His response, of course, is to get out of the car and start down the sidewalk.

John follows him, much to Loki's fury. He's only making it worse. "Ice, what—why are you leaving?"

He stops and turns, jabbing a finger into John's chest. "How dare you ask me that question? How dare you ask that of me?"

John takes a step backward, and Loki takes a resulting one forward. "Ice, calm down-"

"I will not calm down!" he screams.

"Whatever you're going through," he says, "I can help you."

"I don't-" He stops himself as he mind supplies him with an image of Bucky shouting the same words to Steve. Every feeling of anger he feels for the man in front of him disappears as fast as it came, and Loki feels as if he's been thrown into the cold. "I don't…"

He starts to hyperventilate, and it feels like he's in primary school again, getting taunted about his gangly limbs and his need to tell boys that they're "pretty." He starts to walk backward and soon he's turned around and running for his life, hoping the escape the problems exposed in his mind.

_"Running from your problems is cowardly," she said. "You should be here with us!"_

_He turned around to face her, and Loki was afraid for a moment that he was going to hurt his "moder," but he didn't. He only threw his glass against the wall, and it shattered, shattered into a million pretty pieces. "I owe no debts to you, woman. I have given you the world. A son!"_

Loki throws the door open, and Thor is instantly in the doorway of the kitchen like an angel.

"Loki, what happened?"

_"You owe me your love!" she shouted, and she tried to take his hand, but he pulled it away. "I have given you mine!"_

_"I never asked for it!" He turned to the door, and Loki almost cried at the frightening look in his eyes. He didn't because if he found him crying, he would punish him. "I never asked for any of this!"_

He's bends over the toilet, throwing up everything he hasn't eaten in the past week and trying to push the spilling memories back into the place where they belong. He blindly flushes and wipes the back of his mouth with his hand, cringing at the sour taste in his mouth.

_"I wish that I had never been born," he said. "Perhaps you would have found a man who could give you the love that you deserve, the love that I cannot give. Loki would have a father who is not a shadow of a man he should be, and he would not flinch anytime I entered the room." He dropped into one of the chairs. "You both would be happy."_

He stands and pulls his shirt over his head and turns to get one last look at the star.

Loki turns on the faucet and takes water into his mouth, spitting it out and cringing as the remnants of the bile taste leave his mouth.

It stings when he draws the steaming rag over his arm, but he bares it because he has to get rid of this stupid, stupid thing. He presses into his skin harder and watches as his skin starts to darken with each pass of the rag. He begins to pull at the star.

The water in the sink is stained pink, but the star is still as it was.

Loki starts to pull at the star harder. It stings, but he cannot help but feel victorious when he sees a point of the star is sticking off. Another yank and it's hanging off.

_"Those things are not true," she said, and she went to touch his arm. He let her._

He inhales as pulls the rest off. When he pulls away, the spot on his arm is blank. The star is gone. Loki is free.

_"They are, and you are blind if you believe otherwise." He glanced up and made eye contact with Loki. He knew that Loki was there. He looked away first, and Loki won. "I am an empty shell, Farbauti. My existence no longer holds any purpose. If I were to disappear, no one would notice other than the customary condolences."_

_"But, but I would remember you, alsking," she said. "We would remember you."_

_He shut his eyes and laid his head back. "I do not wish for you to," he said, and Loki felt the sadness in his chest. He knew. Loki somehow knew._

He doesn't realize that he's crying until he feels the wetness on his chest.

He tries to wipe the tears off of his face but they keep coming. When he opens the door, he brushes past the blurry figure that is Thor and runs for the stairs. By some miracle, he makes it into the upstairs bathroom where he immediately strips down to nothing.

The tingling below his skin isn't the kind that's makes him want to press into Thor until they're one and Loki is barely holding on by a thread, it's the kind that makes him want to claw his skin off until there's only bone and muscle left. The steaming water is the alternative to what would lead him to imminent death, and it's just as painful.

He opens his eyes and jolts at the brief flash of red, grasping the sides of the shower for some stability.

Arms are around Loki in the next moment, and he's being pulled out of the stall. Loki only wants for Thor to continue to hold him, to touch him and wax romantic. He only wants Thor.

Loki lays his head on Thor's shoulder and lets the sobs escape his mouth.

"Loki," he says, "Loki, what's on your arm?"

He squeezes his eyes shut and tries to ignore the feeling that he's failed. If he's failed, it means so many things that he can't deal with right now.

"Oh—gods, Loki, is this… is this what I think it is?" The sound of disappointment is what does Loki in. "Loki…"

Thor lets him slide to the ground, and his disappointment is loud and clear in the confines of the bathroom. Loki doesn't even need to look at his face to know that Thor is looking at him with disgust. Loki has failed him.

"I'm, I'm so sorry," he says, pulling his knees to his chest. "I'm so sorry, Thor. I didn't—I didn't mean to. It all happened so fast, and it was too late for me to even do anything, and I… I was so scared, Thor. I'm just so sorry." Finally, he looks up at his blurred figure. "_Jag är ledsen_."

"Loki, just…" He touches his shins hesitantly as if he's afraid to break Loki. "Tell me what it is doing to you. Is this why you've been—it's been affecting your behavior this entire week, hasn't it? It's… drugs. The same one Bucky was on, correct?"

He nods, sniffling.

"Why did you not tell me, Loki? I could, I could have helped you." He frowns, and Loki has to look away. "If you had trusted me, I could have helped you."

Thor thinks that he could have helped him, but he's wrong. No one could have helped Loki because he didn't want or need their help.

He dresses in minimal clothing, but he wears long sleeves to cover his arms for both his and Thor's benefit. He lets Thor stroke his hair as he stares at the wall and attempts to drift off and to another world of imaginary problems. He's halfway asleep when he hears Thor leave him alone, and he finds that sleep is a lot easier after he's gone.

The empty white space next to his window fills his vision for the duration of the weekend. Loki gets to the know its expanse, the tiny swirls from the paintbrush and the tiny valleys and hills marking its textured surface. He learns absolutely nothing about the wall other than the superficial facts—it's around six feet in area, eggshell white.

Perhaps he should have taken the same route when approaching his relationship with Thor and approached him from knowledge of his exterior appearance like the shallow girls at school who desire to get a piece of him.

Even with that, the only difference would be of Thor's caring of him. If their relationship hadn't developed, Loki would lay there without hearing the door open every hour along with the question, "Are you better?" It's not a better alternative.

His mother comes in Sunday night to take his temperature, and he lets her, putting the probe under his tongue while she stares at him evenly. When the beep goes off, she takes it out of his mouth with pursed lips, and remarks, "You have a fever."

"But I do not ever get sick," he replies, sniffling. He feels nothing about it, not even alarm.

"I know," she says. She makes a face that Loki thinks is worried. "You will stay home from school until it breaks. I cannot risk you making your sickness worse."

He nods and watches her disappear.

In the shower, he stares at the red star on his arm before beginning to pull at it. He's shocked when a point actually detaches without pulling at his skin.

He aims the spray onto his arm and continues peeling. This time under the water, the rest of the star detaches too easily. Loki's skin is left blank as if all of his woes have been for naught. He watches it dissolve at the bottom of the shower.

Seeing his arm blank in the mirror feels like a dream, so Loki seeks out Thor for reassurance that this is real.

Thor looks up at him from his book. "What, Loki, is there something…?"

Loki drops his towel from his shoulders and gestures to his arm. "Is it really gone this time?" he asks, trying to keep the hope out of his voice.

Thor closes his book and stands. "Loki…" He feels his heart sink and prepares for the inevitable reality check. "How did you—it's gone."

Loki allows himself to smile as he looks down at his still blank arm. "Really?" He exhales. "Good."

Thor stops where he is a few feet away and nods. "Yes, very good." He looks Loki in the eye. "Your mother said that you were sick, a fever. You're staying home from school tomorrow."

"Yes, I am," he replies. "Um, tell everyone that I said hello." He picks up his towel and wraps it around his arms again. "Goodnight."

"Wait, Loki." He turns back to Thor, cocking an eyebrow. "Would you mind if I… slept with you? I have not been getting the best sleep without your presence, and I find that it soothes me being near you."

He can only blink at Thor, unsure of what this means. He has a feeling that Thor is simply afraid of Loki attempting to acquire another star and keep him from doing so. But he finds that he would like Thor's presence, so he nods.

After two days of self-imposed isolation, Thor's presence is disruptive in his room. For a moment, Loki thinks about renouncing his invitation when he feels the bed shift behind him, but the feeling passes just as quickly as it comes. He blames it on the red still lingering at the corners of his vision.

He's jolted from his dream by Thor's finger trailing down his spine. His forehead is moist and his hands clammy, but he finds that the air is cold. A quick glance at the side of his bed, and he sees that it's absent of any puddles of blood or crushed hurts. It was the same dream, different setting.

He listens to the sounds of Thor's breaths as tears trickle down his face. The knowledge that it is a dream does not help when he's trapped inside his mental prison. It only makes him panic that he has to wait until he's sprung back into the real world.

The time passes fast, and before Loki knows it, Thor is getting up and leaving the room. He listens to the silence around him and tries to will away the feeling of emptiness.

He shuts his eyes when he hears Thor reenter the room and keeps his breathing even when he kisses him on the forehead. He doesn't reopen them until he hears the front door close.

His mother takes his temperature around noon, and the look on her face after she reads it does not make Loki think he's going to be allowed out of the house anytime soon. She makes him eat soup and drink a cup of tea filled whatever medicine from her arsenal as she stands with her hands on her hips and a pensive look on her face.

He is sitting on the couch and working his way through his third box of tissue when he hears the front door open. When he doesn't hear the familiar footsteps, he feels disappointed.

"Loki," Odin says, appearing in the doorway, "you feeling well, my boy?" They stare eat each other, and he understands. "Well, I brought you some pea soup in case you weren't feeling any better. I realized that not everyone had immunity like that of my family. I've never had much of a chance to care for a sick person, so you must bear with me."

He sets a black box on the table with some cursive writing on the side. "Yay, more soup," he says, cringing at how congested he sounds. "Overly expensive soup at that."

"I could not buy anything but the best for you, Loki," he says. "If you require any assistance, I will be down the hall in my office."

He stares at the glass bowl before taking a mouthful of the gold soup. He chews it a few times, deciding that it's _alright_, and goes to take another bite when he looks up at the television and sees that one of the characters on whatever show is on is getting a needle injecting into their arm full of bright red liquid.

Red flashes in front of Loki's eyes as well as the image of his pants around his ankles as someone holds the red star onto his skin. It lasts for a second before Loki's thrown back into the present, and he finds that his front is now covered in chunks of soup.

"Loki, are you sure you're okay?"

He stands and glares at Odin. "Of course," he replies, brushing past him. Loki's fine. It's only soup.

He hugs his knees to his chest as he sits in the shower, and the memory replays in his head. He feels as if he's watching someone else's memory, but he knows that it's his. He can barely make out the face, but that grin definitely belongs to Flint.

The Sandman. Heh.

Odin and his mother give him twin looks of worry when he goes back downstairs, but he ignores them and changes the channel to something where he will not see anyone being given drugs. He ends up watching some show actually titled _The Regular Show_ with an anthromorphic raccoon and a blue jay, but it's safe and that's enough for Loki.

"Oh, hello, Thor."

Loki refrains from turning around to peek out the doorway and keeps his eyes on the screen.

"Natasha, Clint, it's a surprise seeing you," Odin says.

"Yes, it is," his mother says, sounding cold. "I must inform you that my son is sick and in no condition to have visiting friends. If you would be so kind as to-"

"Farbauti, please," Odin interrupts. "They are in good health. You can see with your own two eyes. He cannot get much sicker than he already is. Perhaps the company will do him some good."

"Odin, I know what's best for my-" She breaks off. "Hm, Loki is in the den, but I must warn you that if you do… provoke him in any way, you will no longer be welcome."

"Understood, Ms. L," Clint says.

"What about Mustache Cash Stache?" the blue jay asks, Loki cocking an eyebrow in half-amusement, half-confusion.

"Loki!" Clint shouts as he falls onto the couch next to him, He almost puts his hand inside of one of Loki's tissues and makes a noise of disgust. "Ew, you're actually sick!"

He doesn't reward him with another look, turning back to the TV. "Obviously."

Natasha slips into the room much more silently than Clint and sits down on Loki's other side. She stares at him in his periphery, and it's a bit unsettling with his current appearance of sickliness. The half-crescents under his eyes are not a good look.

Clint howls in laughter at something the raccoon says.

"You're doing fairly well," Natasha finally says. "Some don't come down as well, but you, you're doing great."

"Great?" He smiles. "I would not call this great."

"You're not puking," she says, turning away from him. "Most puke for days. You've been withdrawing since the 14th, so it's already been four days. Only the sniffles and some congestion, but it's as if you have the common cold." She touches his forehead, jerking back her hand. "Well, there's that."

Clint touches his forehead, reacting the same. "You could fry eggs on that thing! Wow!" He leans forward and inspects the half-full bowl of soup on the table. "Hm, soup."

"I'm sick," he says, staring in horror as Clint bring it up to his lips.

"No, you're on drugs," Clint says, tilting the bowl back. "There's a difference. I only have to worry about getting Thor cooties."

"Thor cooties?" Thor enters with his sleeves rolled up and three bottles of medicine in each hand. He sees the look on Loki's eyes. "Sorry, your mother…"

"No, it's fine," he says, holding out his hand for once bottle. "May I?"

Thor doesn't react fast enough because Loki grabs two bottles easily, uncapping one and drinking straight from the bottle. With the swelling in his throat, he would rather take tons of medicine if it means he doesn't have to feel that. There's also the effect of drowsiness.

"Wait." Natasha takes the other bottle from him. "Wait, no, you can't take this. These are just as easily abused as drugs. They have the same effects if you take them in abundance"—she looks at him—"and you do not need any of this anyway. You're not actually sick."

He cringes at the aftertaste. "I'm not on drugs." He crosses his arms. "Not voluntarily."

Everyone goes silent, Thor stopping dead in his tracks to stare at Loki as if he's just done something like admitted to cheating.

"Oh, Loki…" Natasha starts to run her hand over his hair, but he flinches away from her touch.

"I'm fine," he says, staring down at the ground. "It's over. I'm moving on."

"You can't move on if you never address it, dude," Clint says. "Trust me, I know from experience. Just… tell us what happened, and we'll figure it out from there."

"But there's nothing to figure out!" he shouts, his throat scratchy. "I let my guard down and they took advantage of my inebriated state. They did what they set out to do, and I faced the consequences of my stupidity. I was bound to end up scathed. I always end up scathed."

"Loki." His mother peers into the room, frowning. "I heard yelling which means that you have been upset. If you would kindly go upstairs so Thor can entertain his guests while you recuperate, that would be great." When Loki doesn't move, she adds, "Now."

"As you wish," he says. He ignores the glances they send him as he makes his way up to his room, and he immediately goes to sit down in a corner to try to calm himself down.

_"He is beautiful," he said, eyes flickering up to Loki. His hands were cold on Loki's skin. "He's right."_

_"Yes, I agree," the other replied. "Don't let him know that, or he'll think you're trying to steal him away. Just hurry up at put it on."_

_Loki hissed at the burning sensation inside his thigh, but he didn't pull back. His limbs were much too heavy for that._

_"I am, I am, jeez." Flint's hand brushed up the side of Loki's face, and Loki leaned away. "See, no worries. He's not even interested."_

_The other laughed. "Well, he's not now. I'm sure after that kicks in, he'll be willing to do whatever you want as long as you don't bring up SHIELD." He touched Loki's other thigh. "Promise I won't tell the old madman."_

He uses his sleeve to wipe away the tears. There's no point in crying. Loki did this to himself.

His mother comes to get him for dinner after Clint and Natasha leave, and she takes his temperature again shortly after. She looks up at him with obvious fear in her eyes before schooling her features back into neutrality. She lets out a laugh. "It appears that you are not returning to school this week if you continue on this path."

He's falling asleep when Thor slips into bed behind him, but he makes no move to wake up.

As they hold Thor down, there's less blood this time, and Loki only screams until he feels Thor's lips on his collar bone and is jolted awake.

He blinks a few times, tears falling, and he exhales and lets himself enjoy Thor's unconscious ministrations. Thor doesn't touch him when he's awake anymore except for the comforting touch of the shoulder, so he has to take what he can get.

When Thor wakes up, he stays in bed running his hand over Loki's hair. "I could stay home," he says, and Loki realizes that he knows he's awake. "If you wanted me to, I mean."

"No," he replies, "you should go." He wants Thor to stay, but he's been selfish enough.

He lies there in his empty bed and thinks of all of the ways he could apologize to Thor for all of this, for not being the boyfriend that he should be. In each scenario, Thor somehow ends up with an empty chest, and Loki has a beating heart in his hand. His dreams are leaking into his waking thoughts.

Odin knocks on his door with more soup as well as a cup of steaming Earl Grey. "You have given your mother quite the fright," he says, setting it all down on the desk. "She is tempted to contact your uncle to ask him if such high fevers are hereditary."

"I'm fine," he says for the thousandth time this week. "Really."

Loki doesn't spill the soup all over his chest, but he does manage to spill tea on his leg after scrolling down a website with one hand and seeing a headline with the word "HYDRA" in it. This time, he gets the gift of seeing two drugged girls kiss in front of him by the urging of Flint and a mumbled slur from the other mystery boy about "drugged ones being so fucking easy."

Thor comes and tells him he's home before disappearing downstairs and leaving Loki to stare at his desktop wallpaper to process the memory.

_"Sh, it'll be good for you," he said. His hand was cold, too cold._

Loki stands up from his chair and goes downstairs, letting his feet carry him wherever. He ends up standing in the living room where he knows his mother keeps his grandfather's Christmas present to him.

He stares at the bottle sitting atop the shelf and thinks of how easy it would be for him to simply reach up and uncork it before going to ease the feeling of congestion and otherwise sickliness with a good decanter full.

"…I was too blind to see, Natasha! I should have been the first one to notice a change in his behavior!" Loki shifts to hear the words better. "What does that say about my love for him? Does it say anything good for you because it merely states that I am a failure from my vantage point!"

"Thor, you couldn't be expected to see that Loki was on them! You try to see the best in everyone, especially him because you love him, and that's why he loves you! It is not your fault that he was on drugs!"

"Why did he feel the need to sneak around without my knowing? Why did he even feel the allure of the Red Room if he was content with his life as it was? He was not content with what he had, Natasha, and for the first time, I think that he was during his trial on drugs."

"Don't say that, Thor. Loki's been happier than ever since you two have been together."

"Happiness does not change the fact that I do not know him as much as I should." Loki closes his eyes, imagining that Thor is doing the same below. "I have—I have felt the inside of him, he has… done the same to me, and I could not tell that he was not mentally there. Anyone truly in love would have noticed if a paper cut had appeared on his finger, but I did not see that he was under the influence!" Something shatters. "I failed, Natasha! I failed where I should have succeeded, and it makes all of my other efforts invalid!"

Loki takes a step toward the doorway, casting a glance around before he presses his back to the wall next to it.

"You're hurt and confused, Thor. You don't understand what you're saying, and I can't blame you for that. Steve was going through the same thing."

"Was Steve in love with Bucky?" he asks. "I think not. My failure now means that Loki has to go through these dreams that he tries to keep hidden, but I hear him at night. I hear him crying in his sleep, and it hurts that he will not come to me, and all I can offer it a kiss on the shoulder. If this is the love that everyone gushes about, why does it hurt? Why does it feel as though I am bearing witness to a downward spiral?"

"Because you were, but, Thor, we're helping him get better. It will get better. I promise you."

"Do not make such promises you cannot hold," he replies. "If only I had heeded such advice."

_"Take my advice," the other boy said, "and don't go around punching SHIELD kids. Last time we got a SHIELD student on the old Soviet Union, they ended up punching a teacher for talking bad about HYDRA. Made me proud."_

_"But," Flint said, "he got expelled. He came to HYDRA, but he could have done it better. I expect better from you."_

_"We all do." He ran a finger over Loki's bottom lip, his ring catching and drawing blood. He brought the blood up to his mouth and tasted. "Mm, I can taste it. Flint, it's working."_

_"I know," he said. "Look at him. He looks like he's ready to kill. Seeing red?"_

_Loki smiled. "Of course I am. It's the only color that matters. The color of blood."_

Loki finds himself gasping and pressed against the wall by no one. He glances around and sees Thor and Natasha emerging from the basement, their eyes on him in confusion.

"Loki-"

"I'm fine." He slides past them and up the stairs. With Thor's words in his mind, he looks the door. If it bothers him so much that Loki would rather handle his problems alone, he can sleep in his own bedroom.

He does the same as the day before, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. His mother is the only disturber, taking Loki's temperature and leaving at a quicker pace than she came in. He thinks of asking her if he's dying, but he doesn't trust himself not to laugh and earn himself a deserved smack upside the head.

"Loki." Thor opens the door, only sticking his head in. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine." The words are starting to mean nothing to him. "Why?"

"Clint, Natasha, and Bruce are downstairs," he replies. "Do you feel up to-?"

He's already slipping past Thor and descending the stairs before he can finish. He stares at the three of them as they sit around the counter, all looking on edge.

"Loki," Bruce says. "Wow, you're okay. I was worried after…"

"I'm on drugs, Bruce, you can say it," Loki says, opening the refrigerator and grabbing water. "Everyone present is aware."

"Well, you're not actually on drugs. Withdrawal, remember?" Clint makes a motion that Loki rolls his eyes at.

"Whatever makes you feel warm inside," he replies. "Are you here to question me about how I got on the drugs?"

Bruce scratches the back of his beck. "If you are so comfortable with it, then yes, we are."

Loki takes a sip of water and looks up at Thor as he slips into a chair beside Bruce. "I don't know."

"Bull," Clint says, Bruce and Thor glaring at him. "What? It is!"

"I don't _know_ them if that's what you want to know," he says as he heads for the den. "I'm sorry that I am no fountain of information."

He sits down and turns the TV on, making sure that it's on _The Regular Show _as it was before. "So, tell me how school is."

Clint and Natasha sit where they were before while Bruce and Thor sit on the other couch. Thor looks like he wants to tell Clint to move, but they both know that Thor doesn't quite have the heart to do such a thing when Loki's not actively dying.

"Not much."

"People think you're dead."

"Victor's coming back."

He looks at Clint. "He is? Hm, I hope he stays long enough for me to see him again. I would like to have a conversation with him."

"Was it Victor?" Bruce asks. "It was him wasn't it? He's a fucking bastard. He'd do something like that!"

"Bruce, calm down!" Natasha says. "It couldn't have been him. He doesn't hang around the Red Room."

Loki blows his nose, sighing in boredom at all of this. He's bored with this game of "Guess Who Drugged Loki." It's tiring, and it's not exactly good for his emotional healing. He would think they would be aware of that.

Thor gets up to get the door even before the doorbell rings, and Loki watches as he walks with tension and rage in each step. He's a ticking time bomb. Everyone should be wary of him, not Bruce.

"Thor!" Loki closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose at the sound of _that_ voice. He is in no condition to deal with Stark of all people. "You are alive!"

He simply sits still as Stark hugs him, staring at the TV and hoping that It will pull him into their world of cartoons and simplicity and one-liners. Their presence is suffocating, but in their world of 2D, he could simply sit out the episode in the event he's not a part of the plot.

"Wow, dude, you look…" Tony's eyebrows rise. "Bad."

He bites the inside of his cheek a little too hard and the copper floods his mouth at once. It wouldn't bother him usually, but the cooper brings a flash of a lifeless Thor lying in front of him, and the need to get it out of his mouth arises. He stands and pushes past Stark, falling to his knees in front of the toilet to empty his mouth. That turns into emptying out his stomach, and Loki thinks of Natasha mentioning his lack of vomiting. One could say she jinxed him.

He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror as he washes out his mouth. He only sees _him_, the other Loki that haunts his dreams.

Thor hands him a glass of something carbonated and leads him to a stool in the kitchen: Thor's stool.

Loki sits and puts his head in his hands. Red, sickening, coopery red.

"Do you think that you will vomit again?" Thor asks.

"No," he replies. "It was because of something I was reminded of."

Thor touches his arm, eyes narrowed. "Loki, is there something you need to-?"

"Dude, you alright?" Thor's jaw clenches in irritation as Clint takes a seat across from Loki. "I thought you were going to die for a second back there."

"I'm fine." He makes eye contact with Steve, and is forced to look away before he tries to use his powers of guilt on Loki.

"So… are you pregnant?" Tony asks.

Everyone gives Stark the disbelieving look he deserves for asking such a stupid question.

"What? It's not that far-fetched with how you two fuck like bunnies, so…"

"I am going through withdrawal which I'm sure you are aware of due to your awareness of me being on drugs in the first place." He blows his nose, cringing as he notices some red inside the tissue. "I must inform you that I am not… 'pregnant' nor will I ever be."

Stark shrugs. "Hm, I'm kind of disappointed. Uncle Tony, eh?"

"Fuck off, Stark," he says. He sniffles, wincing at the burning in his nose. "Why are you even here?"

Steve takes over the explaining part, thank the gods. "We heard that you were sick, so we came here as soon as we could. We were worried, and Buck told me that I should be here anyway since he couldn't right now. He said he'll stop by, but…" Steve crosses his arms. "How are you feeling?"

If everyone is going to keep asking him this, he's going to give them the smartass answer they deserve. "I feel as though I've suddenly been deprived of narcotics that my body so desperately yearns for because of a patch that administered drugs into my body being removed." He shrugs. "Fine."

"Jerk," Tony says. "Maybe you should have kept it-"

"Stark," Thor warns. "Shut your mouth."

"Okay, okay, was just saying," he says. "BTW, if drugs make someone as good as a kisser as you are—barring the whole BJ then kissing me thing—they're good in my book."

"You don't know anything, Tony!" Natasha shouts, suddenly angry. "You think everything is a joke, but this is serious stuff! His life was at risk while you were onstage dancing about wanting to get fucked in the ass! If you were such a good friend, why didn't you attempt to help him? I did, Tony, but you were too busy playing catch up with Steve!"

"Natasha," Steve starts, "It's not his fault-"

"The hell it is!" she shouts. "It's partially mine, but I can accept that I failed to get Loki to see reason. That was my fault, but Stark didn't attempt to do anything but get fucked! So much for a best friend, right?"

Loki stands up from his chair, taking a sip from his drink. "It's my fault."

"No, Natasha, you're just being a, a… bitch because you messed up by not telling us sooner!" Tony shouts. "Yeah, _Natalia_, I know you know more about this fucking Red Room than you're letting on!"

"Shut the fuck up, Stark!" Clint shouts. "You shut your mouth now before I do it for you!"

"You won't do anything, Clint," Steve says. "Not while I am here."

"I said it was my fault!" Loki shouts. The world reels for a second, and he sees the lighting around him adjust. At once, everything that was weighing him down is gone as if he's been released from a thousand pound anchor.

"Oh," Natasha says, "it's just vertigo. It's a side effect… Loki, wait, calm down."

He hears himself breathing hard, and he sees the kitchen recede followed by the hallway and the stairs and so forth. He's in his bedroom before he knows it, face buried in the blankets to try to block out the swirling outerworld, and everything simultaneously burns and tingles. If he explodes, he will have foreseen it.

When he rolls onto his back, the world around him is a deep red, the shadows black, and Loki starts to gasp for air. He clenches at the blankets, but they slip through his fingers like quicksand—Loki looks down—like blood.

He screams only to open his eyes and see that the world around him is as it should be: colors of all shades and tones. The blankets are solid and not liquid, and he can touch them without having them fall through his fingers.

The light in his room is bright instead of dark like it was when he stumbled in, and one glance at the alarm clock shows that over seventeen hours have passed since Loki last descended the stairs.

As he stands, he realizes that he feels as though he's been reset back to his factory setting of almost-inhuman grace and health. He tests his limits by pushing up into a handstand, and his elbows don't even wobble.

He has so many unanswerable questions, and he is unsure of where to even start with ridding himself of them. So he starts with the easiest task: showering and destroying all of the toxins his body has been poisoned with.

"Nice of you to grace us with your presence," Clint says upon Loki's arrival.

He doesn't feel surprise at the sight of Clint, Natasha, Bruce, Tony, Steve, and of course Thor all seated in the dining room playing some card game. He does feel slightly uneasy with how they all crane their necks to watch him grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

He takes a sip and is stricken by the coldness. When his vision doesn't flash red or black, Loki gets skeptical. If this is real, he has to know for sure. This involves him doing something extremely risky: biting his tongue. He tastes the copper and cringes, but his vision still remains color balanced.

To prove that this is not a delusion, he decides that a run is in order.

He slips his sneakers on before opening the door and starting off down the sidewalk.

There's a small interval from silence to when he hears the sound of their footsteps behind him, and it feels like game of townspeople versus witch.

His lungs don't even burn after he passes W 42nd Street.

"Run, Yoga Boy, run!" someone shouts, and Loki turns to see Jean-Paul and another man standing at a café behind him.

He waves them a goodbye as he crosses the street and continues to his unknown destination.

W Houston Street is when Loki starts to feel the effects of his nonstop running as he jogs in place to wait for the red light to change to a more-liked color. He inhales as deeply as he can to keep his stamina up, but the sounds of them getting closer make him anxious to move forward.

"Loki, wait! Please, don't do-"

He takes off, narrowly avoiding a pedestrian and pushes himself forward to the southern tip of the city.

When he finally spots the bay obscured by the trees of a park, he slows down his pace as he crosses the street. A foot on the green and Loki knows that this is where he was headed. He's in Battery Park, the tip of Manhattan.

Loki looks up at the sky when he feels a drop of water on his nose and realizes that it's raining.

They finally catch up to him, and Loki starts forward deeper into the park.

"Dude, what the fuck is with all of the running?"

He inhales the crisp air and relishes in the sensation of the rain on his face. The coldness of the water is the best thing he's felt in ages, and he rejoices his liberation. Each drop of water acts as punctuation to the statement that Loki is no longer a slave to the long-gone star on his arm. This, this is true freedom.

The world around him is still a mash of gray, green, and brown. Thank the gods.

For the first time in days, he can see the world for what it is: chaotic, disorderly, noisy, and finally there's an acceptance in his heart that this is his life. The people slowly surrounding him now fill pieces in his world, and this is as it should be.

Home. Loki is home here in New York City.

He recognizes his presence immediately but doesn't turn to look at him, simply absorbing the aura of Thor. It no longer jars him being so close to his red and gold. He glances at him and smiles, blinking away the beads of water on his lashes.

Thor lifts his left arm which bares Loki's jacket and goes to put it on his shoulders, but he takes a step away from him. "Loki, it's raining," he says, taking a step and Loki taking another back.

He shrugs and starts to jog backward.

"You are going to get an actual cold!"

"I know!" He turns around fully and pushes his burning legs through the damp ground. Loki's free, actually free. He raises his hands over his head and lets out a whoop of relief and joy.

The slickness of the grass enables him to spin around in circles without restraint. When the ground rushes up to catch him, he doesn't try to stand back up and lies down in the wet grass, letting his eyes fall shut and the rain coat his face.

Bucky claimed that he knew what true freedom was, but this is what Loki knows it feels like. The two feelings are incomparable, one being a synthesis of the true form while this being the original. Being subject to the whims of your nervous system and a stimulant is not anywhere close to what Loki feels back-down in the grass with rain falling over him and rapidly wetting his clothes.

A hand grabs his and pulls him to his feet, and Loki opens his eyes to see an amused Thor. He puts the jacket on Loki's shoulders, running his hands down his arms. "You are insane."

Loki only grins in return. He reaches forward and runs a hand down Thor's collar bone because he can. "I want to do something," he says, glancing up at him.

"What could possibly hold your ever changing interest?"

He catches a white bag with a golden arch in the corner of his eye and turns to see the sitting woman eating a hamburger. "McDonald's," he says. "I've never been."

"McDonald's?" Thor slips his arm around Loki's shoulders and starts to lead them back to where there friends are standing beneath an overhang. "You wish to engorge yourself upon fast foods?"

"Yes, I do. Is that a problem?"

He brushes a hand over the back of Loki's neck, sending a shiver down his spine. "Of course not."

They all eye Loki with skepticism as he and Thor come to a stop, but he cannot blame that after how erratic his behavior's been. It would not be completely insane to assume he would run back into the rain and jump into the Hudson, but Loki's actually fine now.

"You still cray?" Tony asks.

"I wish to go to McDonald's," he says. Tony's question cannot be answered with words. "Are you all coming?"

"Seriously?" Clint shrugs and steps out into the rain. "Hell yeah. Tash, let's go."

Natasha stops in front of Loki and eyes him for a moment before a smile appears on her face. "It's good to have you back."

Loki attempts to walk across the street, but Thor grabs him and pulls him into a cab before he can, giving him a strange look before adjusting his jacket on his shoulders. He doesn't see the entire deal about the rain. It's amazing even if it does leave his skin feeling a bit moist in the wrong places.

Well, Thor has a point, Loki decides as they get out of the cab and run to the cover of the eatery. It's only fun while Loki's moving around and dancing in it.

Absently, he pulls the coat closer to his skin which prompts Thor to put an arm around him for warmth that Loki realizes he actually needs. He sends him a thankful look as they follow a bickering Steve and Tony to the counter.

"I just want the batman toy," Tony whines. "Please, Steve, not everyone likes salad. You're ruining my childhood."

Bruce pats Tony's shoulder comfortingly. "Your childhood is long over, Tony. It's time for us to grow up." He steps up to the counter. "Um… seven cheeseburger happy meals with extra fries." He winks at Steve. "Just not yet."

Thor grins and nods in agreement, but Steve mumbles about them all being immature.

The girl gives Loki a strange look, and he remembers that he's wet before he can glare at her. "Anything else?"

"Um…" Bruce taps his lips.

"Seven chicken salads," Steve breaks in. "Sorry, Bruce, continue."

"Seven Big Macs!" Tony shouts. "He needs the full American experience."

They end up pulling two tables together, and the surrounding customers start to drift away from them as if the words "SHIELD Academy" are written on their heads.

Loki shrugs his jacket off, and Thor puts his arm around him, eating his fries with his other hand. He leans back in his arm and watches his friends slap at each other's hands for their food even though there's more than enough for everyone. He cannot help but smile, and he makes eye contact with Natasha who nods in return.

"Now, ladies and gentleman, the moment we have all been waiting for." Tony holds up a wrapped sandwich as Clint bangs on his chest. "The staple of America's hedonistic ways: the Big Mac!"

Everyone except for Loki erupts into cheers, and an old man sitting a table away stands up and leaves, leaving the entire second floor to them. They sure know how to clear out a room.

Tony bows over the tables as he sets the sandwich in Loki's hands. "Tell us how you like it, Cupcake Heathen."

"I should mention that it's a requirement that you like Big Macs to remain in this country," Clint whispers. "Just saying."

Considering it's the first food that Loki's eaten since sobriety, he doesn't expect it to taste nothing short of heaven. His nod of approval and smile satisfies everyone else if their reactions of cheers and declarations of "'Merica!" are any indication. It is good, but he feels as though he needs a triple bypass after the third bite.

He and Thor make eye contact as Loki sets the sandwich down, and they smile simultaneously. He feels himself blushing and starts to turn away when Thor grabs his chin and leans forward.

"Loki, you have…" He makes a motion around his mouth, eyes shining with amusement. "I can just get it for you."

He should be expecting it when Thor's lips touch his, but he isn't. His eyes automatically fall shut, and he cradles the sides of Thor's face as he presses closer to him. It tastes like the food they're eating, but Loki can still taste him underneath, as vivid as before.

"Ew… oh," Tony comments. "Aw, now that's cute. Steve, can-?"

"Wait, this is my jam!" Clint shouts, and Loki can faintly hear the song "We Are Young" over his heart beat and the sound of their breaths. "Tonight, we are young!"

Loki smiles into Thor's lips as their friends join in on singing the song one by one, Clint's voice the loudest of them all. If he could take a snapshot of this moment and tuck it into a corner of his mind for safekeeping, he would.

"I somehow love you more than I did before," Loki says after they pull away from each other. He takes a long drink from his water. The chill from his body is completely gone. "And before, I loved you an infinite amount."

"That's not poss-"

"Bruce, don't ruin the moment," Natasha says. Loki turns to look at her and she makes a beckoning motion. "What? Continue with your romantic words. I like watching."

"That'swhatshesaid," Tony says into his armpit. He tries to look innocent when he gets a few glares. "What? She did!"

Thor kisses him once more. "And I love you," he says. He tucks a lock of Loki's hair behind his ear, his fingers leaving goosebumps in their wake as he trails down his neck.

They leave their friends and go for a walk, ending up in Central Park. Loki has not been here in weeks, and he's glad to have never seen this place red tinted. It's a safe place.

"Thor, can I tell you—I mean, who… did it to me?" Loki lets Thor take his hands in his as he stares down at the pavement. "I know—have known for a few days because of the flashbacks, but…"

Thor tilts Loki's chin up. "Loki, tell me," he says. "Trust me to handle this information in my way."

"I do trust you, Thor, it's just…" He sighs. "I feel as though I'm going to regret telling you this, but Flint, Flint Marko was the one who—he put the star on my arm. Carny was there too, but he just watched, and there was another dark-haired boy, but I don't know his name." He hiccups.

"Loki, Loki, sh, come here." Thor pulls him into his arms and runs his hands down Loki's back. "It will be okay, Loki. I will protect you. You have to let me protect you."

He composes himself after a few minutes, and they resume their walk. He's midsentence when he smells something cinnamon, and they end up outside of a bakery.

"Go inside without me," Thor says. "I can wait out here."

He finds it strange that Thor's so eager to let him be alone after that information, but he does as told. He smiles at the baker and takes the box of cinnamon rolls out to Thor, seeing him tuck his phone back into his pocket as the door closes behind him. "Is there something wrong?" he asks.

Thor smiles and shakes his head. "No, not anymore."

He and Thor sit in the dim kitchen and eat, not saying a word to each other but absorbing the company. It is the first time in two weeks that they are together and Loki is not under any outside influence.

He understands when Thor doesn't come to his bedroom and thinks back to Valentine's Day night and feels a jealous pang that drug-addled Loki got the pleasure of participating in such a sacred act with Thor. He wishes that he could go back and shake some sense into himself, to tell past-Loki that having sex with Thor would not solve anything.

His mother comes in without knocking and closes the door behind her. One touch of his forehead and she says, "You are not dying anymore it looks like."

"I was never dying."

She stares at him. "Loki, I received a call from your school Friday," she says, and to his surprise, tears begin to fall down her cheeks rapidly. "You walked out of English after receiving two text messages, and you told Professor Xavier some rather colorful things."

He nods, feeling ashamed of his behavior. He was such an idiot.

"Loki, I don't know what to do with you anymore," she says. The words make his heart sink, and he has to stop himself from crying. "You used to trust me when you had problems, Loki. You don't do that anymore, and you're getting yourself into these kinds of situations. It almost makes me regret bringing you here."

He listens to the sound of her sobs. "Nal wants me to go to HYDRA."

"I know, and I… I am starting to see his reasoning. I know that you would never forgive me, but I will never be able to forgive myself if something happens to you." She tilts his chin up. "I am giving you this one last chance, Loki, and if you make yet another step out of line, I will send you to HYDRA. If you mess up there, you will have to face someone much scarier than I am."

His mother doesn't allow him to mope the next day and wakes him up at 5:00 to join her on a morning jog. She mentions that they are to join Nal for breakfast on Sunday, and he only realizes where they are going until he spots the house.

Erik answers the door in pajamas and looks surprised to see them. "Loki, you're alive," he says.

His mother doesn't seem amused. "Yes, hello, Professor Lensherr. Loki and I are here to offer Charles an apology for his… behavior last week."

"Erik, was it those pesky—oh, Loki, you are not dead."

"I said the same," Erik says as he sits down at the table.

Charles sets the spatula down and comes to stand in front of them, the same height as his mother though looking shorter. "I assume that you have come by because your mother insists upon a proper apology?" He smiles at her, and Loki has to suppress a laugh at her expression. "If you wouldn't mind…"

She nods. "I will be waiting outside, Loki. Professor Lensherr, would you care to join me?"

Charles turns to him once they're both gone. "Loki, I know that you were going through some rather… unsavory things, so I think that nothing is owed other than your recovery, which seems to be complete. You look well."

"I still apologize," he says. "Drugs-" he catches himself, but it's too late. "I mean-"

"Loki, it's… it's okay," he says. "We knew. We both knew."

"Just… please, can we forget this?" Loki feels shame at them knowing, wishes they didn't. "I don't need your pity. I never did." He turns to leave. "Goodbye, Professor Xavier."

"You never had it!"

As his mother and he begin the journey home, she informs him that Erik cleared up the misconceptions about their relationship and the "period of confusion" when Loki admitted his false love for the man. She's too exasperated to be angry, she says, and she leaves him be with another warning of "one more chance."

His libido makes a comeback after his shower, and Loki tries to wait out his arousal until the chance of any encounters with Odin or his mother are lowest.

He exits his room with the intention of finding Thor and having him fuck him until he can barely move, but he foregoes the lead up and ends up in the nonmoving position when he sees Thor wearing _that_ at the top of the stairs. He looks like an action movie… ninja in all black clothes that hug him in all of the right places, which means _all_ of the places.

"Thor," he says, "where are you—where are you going in… that?"

"Recreational shooting with Luke and Robert," he replies. "I will be back before dusk."

Loki bites his bottom lip "Wait, Thor, I…" He steps forward. "Before you leave can, I…" He touches Thor's collar bone and feels a jolt of thrill shoot through his hand.

"Loki, don't," he says, grabbing his wrist. Loki doesn't try to pull away, and he revels in the feeling of being controlled. He leans into Loki's ear, and Loki gulps. "Later, you can… give me the entire thing." He audibly inhales. "I want it rough and fast."

Loki lets out a moan, and Thor sadly pulls back. "Oh, okay," he says as he nods. "Good, I'll be waiting."

He finds himself digging through the refrigerator for something that can take his mind off of how great Thor looks in that uniform-thing of his, but he finds his eyes straying to the bananas. So, instead, he goes for another fruit: strawberries. He expects there to be whipped cream somewhere in the kitchen, but a few minutes of searching, and he comes up still empty handed.

Whipped cream.

Thor in _those_ clothes.

A shiver runs down his spine, and he pulls out his phone with the intention of calling said boy to transfer some of his own sexual frustration to him. He could use it as motivation to get home faster as Loki wants him to, needs him to.

"Hello, Loki, what is wrong?" He's not entirely satisfied with that answer at all.

"Nothing," he replies, not bothering to hide how horny he is. Gods, Thor even sounds amazing over the phone. "Can I not call you?"

"No, Loki, just… what are you doing? I—where are you specifically?" Thor should know by now that asking those vague questions is going to lead to answers that lead to problems.

"Specifically?" He bites into the tip of a strawberry. "I'm in the kitchen eating strawberries, whipped-cream less. Thor, do you see the problem with that?"

There's a pause on the other end filled with distant chatter, and Loki grows irritated.

"Thor? Thor, are you listening?"

"Yes, Loki, I am," he says.

He smirks and lets the strawberry juice trickle down his chin. If only it were another, saltier liquid. "Okay, good, we're on the same page then. You get the whipped cream, and I will be happy."

"Whoa, what?" someone shouts. It's an accent Loki could never forget. "What?"

"LOL! What the fuck were you two talking about?" Stupid yet Starkian.

"Hey, Loki!" Now that's Stark's voice. "What is up, my horny brother-?"

"Wait, Stark?" He smashes a strawberry in his fists, throwing the smashed fruit onto the counter. "What—Thor, who are you with? Was that Storm? Parker?"

"Lok-"

"You didn't feel the need to inform me that I was a part of a group conversation?" Loki scoffs and shoves the strawberries back into the refrigerator. "I think there may have to be a change of plans for later."

"No, Loki, wait!" The echo of Thor's voice is gone. "Loki, I'm sorry. They all wanted to talk to you, and-"

"Whipped cream, Thor! Whipped cream!" He stomps up the stairs.

"Okay, okay, I will," he says. "Loki?"

He sighs and sits on his bed. "Yes, Thor?"

"I love you, Loki."

It's suddenly quiet on his end, and that's a surprise with Stark, Parker, and Storm there. They are some of the most obnoxious people he's had the chance to meet. That brings him back to the question: why are they there? Why is Stark there instead of Loki? Does he think that he shouldn't be informed of these group activities?

"Thor, I love you too," he replies, "but you didn't"—there's the sound of the line going dead—"answer the question." He throws his phone onto his pillow and crosses his arms.

His hard-on is in no hurry to go away, so he decides to try to catch up on the lost sessions of yoga from the past few weeks. He hasn't gone to the gym in what feels like forever, and Loki has a standard of flexibility to maintain.

Loki holds the handstand pose for as long as he can and tries hard not to think about how strange the weight in his crotch is pressing down at the bottom of his abdomen like… low-hanging fruit.

"Thanks for inviting me," he says upon exhale, hearing the door shut behind Thor. He inhales again and attempts to not let himself get excited at Thor's presence. He did decide to go do something with their friends without thinking to extend the invitation to Loki.

Thor sets something down on Loki's bed before moving in front of him. From behind his lids, he can see the outline of his legs in those pants.

Another inhale because Loki is not cut out for this.

"It was not very fun," he says. "I did do as requested. A young boy accused me of being a ninja."

He opens his eyes and looks up at right-side up Thor. His elbows almost bend under pressure as he takes in his black clad body and the obvious contours of those inhuman muscles. "You do resemble a, um, ninja." His left elbow bends, but he catches himself with a gasp. "Very... tight looking."

Thor's fingers ghost over his legs, and Loki lets out another gasp as his fingers enclose around Loki's waistband. "While on the topic of tight things, you should know how hard it was for me to restrain from touching myself." He begins pulling Loki's boxers upward. "Sheer torture all because of your beautiful, beautiful voice."

Standing upside down with a new, erm, extremity exposed to the open air is not good for Loki's already failing balance. His legs start to drift apart in reaction to Thor's hands around his ankles, but Loki is not losing this battle so easily.

"And I am sure that our friends were so amused at my request?" Thor's lips touch his inner thigh, and he exhales sharply.

"Envious is a better term," he replies. "You've demonstrated how flexible you can be for all of those men. I think it is only fair you give me a more private version."

Loki closes his eyes and gulps at the sound of Thor's zipper. Perhaps he should have toned down the displays if he wanted Thor to not use it to its full extent, so this can only be blamed on his showmanship. "That can be"—one eye open and he sees just how _tortured_ Thor is—"negotiated."

"Negotiation requires talking," Thor replies as he starts to guide Loki back onto his feet. "If I have my way, talking will be impossible."

He feels exposed with his ass in the air and Thor behind him, gasping for air he thinks he needs to survive this. The hand on his lower back is preventing him from standing. Loki is no longer in control of this situation.

The sound of plastic snapping and the following creamy coolness on Loki's back confirms that Thor was in fact listening during that call.

He bites his lip to stifle his moan as Thor's tongue splits the dollop in the middle and drags the cream down his spine. "You listened."

Thor kisses one of his hips. "Mm, I always do," he replies.

Loki is going to regret this later on he realizes when one of Thor's wet and sticky fingers starts to slide inside. Whipped cream is definitely not efficient for clean up or future comfort, but another finger silences any doubts Loki has.

"Show me your limit, Loki," he whispers into his ear. "Show me just how far you can stretch."

Even without his system full of stimulants, sex with Thor is an overwhelming experience that takes him to his edge and leaves him dangling there, barely holding on, and pulls him back to safety after a few hours of hanging. His stamina is still on the weaker side because Thor is Thor, and Loki will need years to ever get used to being able to touch _that_.

He bites his shoulder when he climaxes, and Thor muffles his groan in Loki's neck, hands tightening on Loki's hips. He's going to get bruises, but he finds himself almost excited about such a fact.

In his post-orgasmic haze, he's stupid and doesn't think as he and Thor exit his room to shower together and wash off the sticky mess of the whipped cream.

Odin pauses and stares at them with disapproving eyes but doesn't say anything until he gets to the top of the stairs. "Farbauti is asleep," he says.

A look is exchanged and Loki gulps.

He knows. Gods, he knows.


	16. Chapter 16

Reed Richards: Honest Informant?!

"Actually, I think it would be great if we addressed something before any rash decisions are made." Nal throws his napkin onto the table after wiping his mouth, "I think it would be a grave mistake to send you to HYDRA. SHIELD, as a whole, is better for your well-being all around."

Loki hurriedly chews his waffle before he talks with his mouth full, but his mother gets there first.

"You are saying that you do not want my son to go to HYDRA anymore then?" She makes a sound and takes a drink. "You are clearly more informed on his… needs, so I entrust that this is the better option."

Like that, Loki's chances of abandoning his life at SHIELD for a life at HYDRA are extinguished, and his life is secured in its place. His mother's warning means little to nothing now with his uncle's input. Nal has somehow acquired the authority of a parent in Laufey's stead, and the superiority his father had over his mother has transferred to him as well. It bothers him that his mother doesn't make more of an effort to maintain sole control over Loki, but in this situation, he's partially relieved.

"See, Ice, you're good," John says with a nod. "Life's pretty nice when your uncle is reasonable."

"Shut up, John." Nal glowers out the window as he eats a piece of bacon.

He and John go for a drive, and he looks extremely hesitant to switch places with Loki like Loki's secretly on drugs and his behavior is completely uncharacteristic. Oh yes, that was the case a week ago, so John's not irrational in thinking that he's walking on thin ice around Loki.

As he ascends the front stairs, he encounters Odin leaving. He avoids his eyes, but Odin's seek his out and force him to make eye contact, pounding at Loki's thinning walls.

"Loki," he greets, his voice dripping with disapproval as it was last night. He turns and smiles at the car as he goes to talk to John.

Loki stares at his stooped back and wonders what Odin is to do with the information. Odin's not predictable as Loki had originally hoped, and his intentions here are unclear. Perhaps he thinks the same of Loki's and Thor's relationship.

He sits on the stairs and rests his head in his hands. His step-father is aware that he's having sex with his step-brother, said step-father's beloved son. He's more than sure that his step-father hates him with a passion because he feels that way toward him. He could ruin Loki's life if he wanted, and Loki would only be able to grasp at the broken pieces as Odin laughed at Loki's foolishness.

His feelings are making him reckless, too reckless.

In the empty house, he faces the last obstacle chaining him to the mistakes of two weeks ago. His clothes are a mixture of blood red and olive green. His closet does not resemble the one of last month at all, brand new clothes of the fiery color comprising most of it now.

He pulls down all of the new clothes and throws them to the ground with no intention of returning them to their respective stores, but of something a lot more redeeming than burning them into a pile of overpriced ash.

He feels like Father Christmas carrying a sack of clothes over his shoulder and walking through the New York streets, but the fact that he's a few hundred pounds too skinny and lacking any facial hair probably detracts from the aura.

He tries to hand over the clothes to the matronly woman without drawing more attention to himself than he has with his natural grace and length.

She takes them with a smile and proceeds to thank him and express gratitude "on behalf of you've just clothed." She starts to ask him his name, but he's already leaving, feeling the weight lifted off his shoulders and another, stranger feeling taking its place.

Some would call it "humble pride," but Loki is not very humble even if he just donated thousands of dollars of clothes to charity. Relief is what he should feel.

Being back in his olive green and black color scheme makes him feel complete again. That week is but a distant memory he's out to bury in everyone else's mind.

"You're back," Jane says, and Loki tries his best not to glare at her as she smiles. "It's good to see you're okay."

He nods her a thanks. "Yes, um…" He looks toward the school. "I have to go. I will see you two later." He's never going to be able to carry a conversation with Jane Foster without feeling the need to flee her presence. He doesn't even hate her anymore, he simply cannot tolerate being around her for too long.

Rick and another 10th grader America stand at Rick's locker. They both look at Loki as if they've seen a ghost, but a smile spears on Rick's face after a few seconds of staring. "You're back!"

Loki smiles back as he shuts his locker. "Yes, I am," he replies. "Is there anything important that I may have missed?"

"Well, Steve and Tony-"

"Loki!" Tony shouts, accentuating the last syllable. "My bro is back!" His arm is wrapped around Steve's waist and he's wearing those stupid sunglasses of his. It's good to see he's finally happy.

"Hello, Loki," Steve says, and he steps forward to pat him on the shoulder, brushing his hand over Tony's hair as he does. "You look great. Green."

He nods. "Yes, my favorite color. Beside blue of course."

Steve smiles and drops his hand from Loki's shoulder, wrapping his arm around Tony's. "It's great to have you back."

Everyone's reactions are more or less than same than Steve's and Rick's. He gets a few cautious looks in the hallway as if someone is waiting for him to whip out the Ray-Bans and strut, but they're all far too forgiving. He's expecting someone to stop him and demand answers about his sudden behavioral change and week-long absence. It never comes.

It's at Wednesday's lunch when everyone is uncharacteristically quiet and regarding a last to arrive Loki with cool expressions. He quickly thinks of anything he could have done, but comes up empty-handed of any reason for such a reaction.

"Can I ask-?"

"Victor's back," Natasha says.

They hate Victor a lot, but there's absolutely no reason for them to react in such a way. Well, Natasha, Thor, and probably Clint are well-aware of Victor's wrongdoings, but everyone else really has no reason to hate him this much.

"Oh," he says, "the way you are all brooding, I expected to be told of someone's death."

"This isn't funny," Steve says, and Bruce nods in agreement.

Loki sighs. "I never said that it was."

"Okay, can we just like make a deal right now?" Tony asks. "Um, Loki, you have to like… stay away from him… permanently. After all of this crap, we can't trust him not to give you the extra nudge you need to slip onto the red side."

His fists clench at his sides, and he takes a few deep breaths. "I have no intention of ever getting back on those drugs," he says as he stares at his lap. "You are aware that I was not on them voluntarily either."

The chatter from the other tables becomes louder as they all fall silent, a few glares sent in Tony's direction. The air becomes a lot colder, the kind of cold that even Loki cannot enjoy.

"Look, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have said that, but-"

"Stark," Natasha says, "shut up."

Tony's words have more of an effect on them than they ever have. He's wrong, but Loki cannot help but wonder if he's somehow right. He was weak enough to let them take advantage of him then. He's not much stronger now even if he is wary of them like he wasn't before.

Does Thor think the same? He treats Loki as he did during and before that week, but Loki has a feeling that he agrees with Stark's words. He expressed his doubt to Natasha then. It has only been a week, and one's feelings usually don't change that fast.

"Farbauti is home," Odin says as he passes on his way to his office.

Loki glances out the archway as he continues to card his hands through Thor's hair. When he turns back around, he sees that Thor is staring at him as if waiting for some reaction. He doesn't bother trying to smile in reassurance because he cannot assure anything where Odin is involved.

Thor turns back to the TV and leans his head back between Loki's knees. He hasn't said anything about his father knowing, but the blank looks he gives Loki when they're together and Odin sends them a look of disapproving says that he is as worried as Loki is. He knows his father more than Loki ever will. If he is worried, Loki has every reason to be too.

He's walking from English when he almost runs into someone ascending the stairs, and he starts to apologize when he realizes just who it is.

"Loki," Victor says. He isn't smiling, but there's a spark in his eyes. "How are you?"

He glances up at the sound of footsteps on the stairs above but the footsteps stop. "I'm well," he replies. "What about you? Are you… okay?"

Victor nods. "Yes, I am well, also," he says, and he looks up as there are footsteps again. "It was nice talking to you."

He turns to leave, but Victor's hand, almost steel on his shoulder, stops him.

Victor drops his hand. "Loki, I must warn you to be… careful," he says. "Several mistakes have been made these past few weeks by many different people. Fighting fire with fire does in fact only make a bigger fire. Goodbye, Loki. Be safe."

He has no idea what Victor is referring to, but he makes a note to "be safe" anyway. He knows when to heed a warning, and the look on Victor's face got his seriousness across well.

He does not mention his encounter with Victor to anyone, especially not Thor. Having him watch over Loki's every move is not something Loki wants unless there is an endgame that involves rubbing body parts. He's also not keen on getting any more disappointed looks from Thor. He has enough of them to cry himself to sleep for an eternity.

He, Thor, Tony, and Steve go for a promenade around the city to "flaunt their love" as Tony puts it. Walking with Thor's arm around his shoulder as Steve rests his arm around Tony's makes him think of a romantic comedy where friends go on a double date. He and Tony make eye contact, and Tony smiles knowingly.

After a few hours of entering and exiting stores that grab their attention, Steve suggests they go to some restaurant, and Thor hurriedly agrees, so he and Tony are left to comply or be forcefully dragged. Of course Tony demands to be carried like Steve's "a kidnapper out for my ass," but Loki is fine with complying and letting Thor hold him close to his side.

"Wait, Parker!" Tony shouts.

At the corner, Peter leans into the window of a car, moving his hands around angrily and shouting. He looks up at Tony and flips him the one-fingered salute before continuing to shout at whoever is in the driver's seat.

"What's wrong with him?" Steve asks as they cross 8th Avenue. "Hey, is that his uncle in there?"

A middle-aged man sits in the driver's seat, and after Peter says something particularly loud, he drives away from the corner with a wave of his hand out the window.

They stare at Peter as he stands across the street with his bag hugged close to him.

"Peter, you okay?" Steve calls, and Peter turns around without response.

"He's going into the OsCorp building," Tony says. "Him and Osborn must be making up. Finally he can leave our damn table."

Loki settles for fries and a milkshake, ignoring Steve's suggestion that he get a burger. "My cholesterol is fine the way it is," he remarks as he finishes.

Thor and Steve start to talk sports, so he and Tony find a more interesting, smarter topic to discuss. Somehow that turns into Tony's favorite shirt of Steve's, which the answer is, "No shirt because Steve's too hot for shirts," and Loki agrees with his answer. He doesn't need to add, "no pants either," but he does, and the look Thor gives him is worth it.

"You're nasty!" Tony shouts when Loki drips a fry into his milkshake. "You're freaking nasty!"

Thor takes the fry from Loki's hand before it reaches his mouth and chews with a pensive expression. "No, he is not nasty, Tony," he replies, taking the next fry too. "He is a beautiful genius."

Loki dodges Thor's next attempt with a triumphant laugh. "Too slow?"

Thor grabs the next fry by seizing Loki's wrist, and Loki barely holds back a moan when he licks excess milkshake off his lips. "Only when you want it that way."

A window shatters a few tables down, and there's a piercing scream.

Thor's pressing him into the ground in the next moment, and Steve is doing the same to Tony feet away. He stares up at him in confusion and sees the fear in his eyes. He gulps down his last fry.

Thor looks over at Steve, and Steve makes a few gestures with his hands that Loki's only seen in sports. They're going to use sports gestures to try to communicate? Well, there's something new.

Another window shatters, closer than the last.

"Loki, do not move," Thor hisses, and he and Steve are up and crouching behind an overturned table.

Tony makes a gun with his fingers and mouths something to Loki.

"What?"

"They have guns," Tony says.

He rolls his eyes. "Obviously."

There's an interval of calm. Sounds of people chattering anxiously and a siren in the distance remind him of just what's happened.

There's panic for a moment, but it disappears and Loki's calm again.

Tony slips something into his ear. "JARVIS, give me some insight on what the fuck is happening?" Tony says. "Who the hell is shooting?"

"Unidentified persons are located in front of OsCorp tower with illegally obtained weapons," JARVIS's unusually quiet voice says. His AI can whisper? "There are three wounded in the gunfire including a one Benjamin Parker."

He grips Thor's hand and follows Steve and Tony in front of them. There are other people stooped behind overturned tables, most of them looking as panicked as Loki should feel. One woman holds a napkin to her bleeding arm, and a piece of red glass lies at her feet.

They stop at the door, and Steve and Thor let their hands go to move in front of them.

"The New York Police Department is currently en route though there are a few civilians sufficiently armed for combat inside OsCorp tower. The front doors have been barricaded from the outside, preventing exit. Wait, Sir-"

There's a gunshot.

"Sir, the initial combatants have begun to flee via sewer and rooftop travel. Would you like for me to alert the incoming squadron of this new development?"

"Fuck, yes, JARVIS. Just do it!"

A police officer walks through the door, holding a gun in one hand and a transmitter in the other.

"Officer," Steve says as he and Thor stand.

He says something into the transmitter before gesturing for everyone to stand up. "Everyone, the situation is under control. If you would follow me outside, we will care for those injured or otherwise."

Thor stands in front of them as they exit, his hand on Loki's wrist. His movements are calculated and warrior-like, much like the hard look in his eyes that simultaneously frightens Loki and arouses him.

Police cars and ambulances fill the now-darkened night with red and blue, and the moving people look purple. Loki's thankful that it's simply color theory in action and not a problem with his sobriety.

Peter stands blood-covered in front of an open ambulance, and the way the light dances across his blank face is sadly beautiful. It's as if beauty waits to strike during moments of strife to provide a healthy dose of irony.

Harry walks up to Peter before Loki can make his way there, and he pulls him into a hug, ignoring the liquid on his front. Peter reciprocates after a few moments, and Loki has to turn away.

Thor touches his shoulder, the firmness in his hand gone. "If you had gotten hurt, I would never have forgiven myself," he says.

Loki turns around and touches his cheek, pulling him down for a kiss that they both need, but hears the sound of someone calling his name and pauses centimeters away.

Gwen approaches him in a lab coat, her omnipresent skirt secured around her waist. She exhales when she finally reaches them and casts a nervous glance around. "Loki, what were you guys doing here?" she asks. "I mean—are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

"No, Gwen, we are all fine," Loki says, "but Parker's uncle-"

"Gwen!" Captain Stacy steps out of a police car a few cars away. "Gwen? Gwen, where are you?"

She offers him an apologetic look as she turns, promising to return. "Dad, I'm over-"

Tony pushes past an officer, his finger in his ear. "Wait! Captain Stacy-!"

A gunshot goes off and as if time itself has slowed, Captain Stacy seems to defeat gravity as his body slumps backward.

Gwen lets out a shout of his name before running toward the crowd of officers now around him.

A glance up to the sky and he catches the dark red sole of a shoe in the search light before it disappears and leaves the ledge of OsCorp tower empty.

He tries to go forward, but Thor embraces him tightly as he murmurs his love into Loki's hair. Gwen's screams and cries are slowly drowned out as Thor's voice becomes the focus of his attention. Soon, he can only hear the words, "I love you, I love you, I love you," in his head.

Tony grabs an approaching officer and demands to know why his warnings were ignored, but the officer only stares back in shock. Steve pulls Tony away and into a hug, effectively calming him down.

Gwen shoves a police officer away when he tries to touch her, and Loki breaks away to go to her. He doesn't resist when she hugs him with a blood-stained front and understands Harry's disregard for it when hugging Peter. He can only think of the emotions that went through him and how Gwen has been cursed to go through the same struggle as he did. Her age does grant her more of a capacity to deal with it better than he did, the only upside to this situation happening now.

He bags the bloodied clothes as his mother watches him with tears in her eyes. Upon seeing him, the same memories of tear-filled nights and preparations for a funeral filled her mind and she began to cry. Loki could only walk around her to get rid of the now-sticky clothes. He knows what she's thinking because he sees the same thing if he blinks too long.

He pulls her from Odin and hugs her, sending him a look that dares him to do anything other than waste space and breathe.

The mood at school is somber after the moment of silence on Monday. Gwen, Peter, and Harry are all absent, and Tony attempts to make a joke about Harry finally leaving their table, only to break off halfway through the punchline and excuse himself from the table.

Wednesday, he and Thor go for a walk as if sensing each other's need for company beyond the walls of their bedrooms. Their relationship's actually been fine, but beneath the surface of hugs and kisses and sex, there are many things lingering. Odin hasn't even done anything but his knowing still changes things, and they're both waiting for his fist to come down and ruin their world.

Thor halts to let a woman and two children walk in front of them, and Loki sighs and looks around them.

A woman stands at a cart with a leash-restrained cat.

He's moving toward the gray ball of fur before he can stop himself, and the woman barely manages to give him a nod of consent before he drops to his haunches to assault its fur with his hands. He's making very, very stereotypical sounds of adorability, but he can't care when this cat is in front of him.

"I feel as though I should be jealous that this cat is getting 'those' sounds from you," Thor says, his hand on Loki's shoulder.

Loki scratches the patch of black beneath its chin before standing. He turns to Thor who immediately sees the look in his eye and sighs. "Thor..."

"Loki..."

"Can we get a cat?" he asks. "Fen, could use a friend, and-"

"Fenrir already has many non-feline friends, which I am sure you are clear about if the glares that Steven gets are any indication."

He gestures down to the cat. "But, it's so cute, Thor. Please, it would be so fun and cute and-"

"Loki." Thor puts his hand around his shoulder. "Fenrir is fun and cute."

"He's a dog!" he shouts. He falls down to pet the cat once more, watching sadly as it and its owner disappear across the street. He turns to Thor with his head cocked to the side. "But, Thor-"

"Loki, if you use your tricks of seduction, I will never forgive you," he replies.

He sighs and crosses his arms. "Well... does that include sex? Because if it does, I'm willing to compromise."

Thor shakes his head but a grin appears across his face. "I would not go so far as to deprive you from something so... essential to your life."

"You mean 'our,'" Loki says. "You can't resist me on my knees, Thor. Now, about the cat issue..."

"Maybe," Thor says. It's not a definitive answer, but Loki's willing to settle for now.

He does roll his eyes when Thor insists that they stop into a music store because nothing good for 'him' can come from being forced to listen to the strange noise Thor calls music. Well, not strange noise, but noise that reminds Loki of their more scrupulous activities due to its use as background music.

He lets his fingers trail over the back of the CD cases in marvel at having not seen them in such a while. "Wow," he hears himself say as he pulls down _Meat Is Murder_.

"What's its significance?" Thor asks from behind him.

He shakes his head. "This was the first CD that I owned," he replies as he puts it away. He turns to see that Thor has gone to explore the Alternative Rock section. How predictable of him. "No Sibelius?"

"No, not when I have a CD in mind." He pulls out a CD with a grin. Loki watches with a dread as he scans the CD into the kiosk and taps a song. "Should we repeat our dance?"

"Lovers in Japan" begins to play, and Loki gives Thor an exasperated look.

"Thor, I never said that I was a 'fan' of Coldplay," he says.

Thor takes his hands. "It was implied."

The other shoppers to look at them repeat their dance from Winter Formal, the dance that led to an expounding of confusion about feelings and a kiss that made Loki hope. Too bad his hope died out. It was right. He _is_ dancing with his boyfriend: Thor.

Thor dips him down and kisses him as the song ends. "Nine out of ten, could use some footwork adjustments-"

"Shut up, Thor." He grins and goes to look at CDs away from Thor and his strange humor. He's in the Electronic Dance Music section when he sees _Discovery_ by Daft Punk and scans it into the kiosk. He puts the headphones on and tries to be as inconspicuous as possible as he listens to "One More Time."

Certain songs ones cannot simply listen to, so he can't be blamed when he starts to nod his head and move his limbs to the beat. He makes eye contact with an old man on the other side and stops motion, giving him a haughty look until he shakes his head and moves on with a murmur about "modern society's crazies."

A loud laugh makes him turn to see Thor watching his plight with amusement.

Instead of stopping, he continues dancing though miming along with seduction in mind.

It works because Thor is hurrying to purchase his chosen CDs and walking out of the store at a faster pace than needed.

Loki grins as their pace turns into a jog, a jog that is uncomfortable to both of them with the burgeoning problems in their pants. He's out of breath from laughing and running by the time they stumble into the house, and anticipation makes the removal of his outerwear a much more anxious process than usual.

Lying sated on Loki's bed, Loki remembers Thor's bag lying somewhere along the way to his door and asks just what he bought.

The barely contained smile on Thor's face makes him groan, and when he leaves to go find the bag, Loki shouts warnings that he shouldn't come back in if it's "more R&B music with lyrics about fucking slowly!" Thor doesn't produce that, but instead sets _Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends_ on his bed.

Loki turns and groans into his pillow. "Did you seriously get that? You like Coldplay, don't you?"

Thor smirks. "No, I got it for you, my favorite Coldplay fan." As if that's not enough, he dumps the rest of the bag, all of Coldplay's studio album discography. "You're welcome."

He catches himself putting _Parachutes_ in his laptop after school the next day but makes no motion to take it out. If Thor catches him, he'll pretend to be listening to how terrible it is, or the sexy bassist's bass lines, or music to put him to sleep.

"You humming 'Yellow?'" Tony asks during English.

He pretends not to hear him and futilely tries to stop.

"Look at the stars! Look how they shine for you!" Tony sings, pulling Steve up from his chair. "And everything you do! Yeah they were all yellow!"

Charles smiles and takes a sip of his tea instead of telling them to quiet down like he should.

Loki grits his teeth as more voices start joining in on Tony's rendition of the song and when the bell rings, he leaves as fast as he can. If this monstrosity of Coldplay singing is what Thor wanted, he's succeeded. They've infiltrated his daily life.

Saturday, John and Nal arrive for dinner, John looking apologetic and Nal looking miffed.

Nal skips the pleasantries and starts to ask questions as soon as Loki starts to eat. His tone projects indifference but the look in his eyes betrays how he truly feels. He knew Captain Stacy. He lost a friend.

"No, JARVIS attempted to warn them, but they didn't listen," he says, prodding at his potatoes. "No one expected it except for Tony. He tried to get there, but… he was too late."

"Wow, that must be rough for him," John says. "Probably thinks it is his fault."

"He's… coping." _We all are_. He sets his fork down. "Peter's uncle was killed as well."

"How unfortunate," Nal says, and the corner of his lip quirks. "I must admit that I am… glad that you escaped unharmed. You as well, Thor. Your death would have a negative impact on Loki's well-being, and his condition is my top priority."

His mother leans forward on steepled fingers. "Loki can cope quite well, Nal," she says. "He coped just well when your brother… died."

"Farbauti, our sons are very close," Odin says. "Much closer than you think."

"May I be excused?" Thor asks, and he stands before anyone can reply. "I will see you all at another time."

"Wait, Thor, would you wait just a moment?" his mother says. "Odin, Nal, you are well aware of Thor's impending graduation. Loki will do just fine after Thor leaves for college, will he not?"

"Farbauti, please." Odin sends her a look. "Thor, you are free to go."

"Where is Thor going to college?" Nal asks, and he glances at Loki briefly.

"Oxford of course."

He knocks his drink all over himself and uses the need to clean up as an excuse to leave. He stands at the kitchen sink and stares at the chrome. Thor is going to… Oxford. Oxford University, as in the college located an ocean away in England.

He turns the water on but the footsteps are still audible behind him.

"It does not surprise me that Odin knows," Nal says, stepping beside Loki. "His choice not to inform your mother does seem… suspicious."

Loki turns off the faucet. "My mother is angry," he says. "She always gets angry when I get hurt though I didn't. The situation was too close to home for her."

"Yes, yes, I agree. Loki, if you require… conversation with someone a bit familiar with you, I do stay in my studio loft in Midtown far more often than the family manor." Nal pats his shoulder. "John, are you ready to go?"

Not long after their departure does he get a text message from Nal of his loft address and the address of his job. The intention makes Loki's heart swell a bit with familial love, the first time in years for someone other than his mother.

He's not surprised at Thor locking himself in his room. He isn't sure of the protocol of what to do, knowing that he would value his time alone if it were him. But Thor is not him. They're different people, which is one of the reasons Loki's so attracted to him in the first place. His "uniqueness," if Loki is feeling cliché.

He bites the inside of his cheek and knocks quickly, listening to Odin and his mother's voices downstairs as he waits.

When no response comes, he opens the door to a pitch black room. It's disappointing that Thor isn't sitting on his bed with a flustered look and trying and failing to conceal his activities, but there was no reason to expect Thor to go masturbate after that.

He steps inside and shuts the door behind him.

"I did not invite you inside."

He freezes and glances around the darkness in the direction of Thor's voice: the bed. "I knocked," he says.

The journey to the bed involves a lot of blind feeling and stumbling, but Loki makes it in one, unharmed piece. He pauses to strip down to his underwear and climbs into the always warm bed. He shifts until he finds the furnace that is Thor by touching his bare chest.

"Uh…" He tries to stop from laughing. "Sorry."

"No, you are not." Thor sighs. "Your mother hates me."

"What-?"

"She dislikes me very, very strongly, Loki," he says with a laugh. "It's like how my father dislikes you. She disapproves of us spending time together because she feels that I am a danger to you. During our relationship, I have not been able to keep you from getting hurt as I should be able to. You know exactly how protective she is of you."

"It's not because of why you think though." He turns away from Thor. "She still thinks its Bruce. She's angry that you are allowing me to sneak around with him when he managed to hurt me, but… If she knew, she would feel differently. I am sure she likes you normally, just not where I am involved."

"Loki, you are my life. Everything involves you."

Bruce's same words play in his mind. "Bruce said the same thing. He said that he couldn't really hate you because everything I do involves you," he replies. "I don't think my mother likes anyone beside your father. She definitely has not been a fan of me as of late. She went as far to say that I should go to HYDRA-"

Thor sits up. "Loki, why-?"

"Nal changed his mind, and somehow his opinion holds more weight than hers in my life. Don't worry. You're stuck with me at school too, Thor."

"And you're stuck with me." Thor kisses his shoulder. He's a liar even if he doesn't realize it now.

It's great that his friends are all in 11th grade, so college talk is nonexistent. They still have a year until they have to cross that hurdle, which is good for Tony and Steve. Everyone knows where Steve wants to go: the army.

But Thor's friends on the other hand _are_ in 12th grade, so every time he catches a part of their conversation, it is about college. He tries to escape as fast as he can, but Thor puts an arm around his shoulder and pulls him to his side as he continues to talk SAT scores and acceptance rates with Robert. He can only stare at his shoes and hum today's Coldplay earworm "Paradise" to try to block it out.

Gwen is in newsletter with her head in her hands, and Loki stands and waits for her instructions. She looks up at him with a sad smile and declares that she's done with her "pity vacation" for the time being. Vulnerability and sadness reeks off of her to the point where the cold person inside Loki wants to tell her to chin up because she's 17 and bad things like this happen to law enforcement every day.

Instead, he smiles at her quip and listens to her talk about the failure of modern technology because it's not getting the officers any closer to who killed her father. He can keep his own personal opinions to himself for now.

Loki learns to Parallel Park Tuesday evening, and it's a lot like successfully riding a bike though John says that he has lots of work to do. He catches the small smile on John's lips at the end of the lesson and nods to appease him.

He follows Robert, Luke, and Thor's voices to Thor's room.

He drops onto Thor's occupied bed with laptop in hand, and Thor moves from his sitting position to lie on his back, Robert and Luke jeering from their spots on either side of the bed. He rolls his eyes when the two of them begin to throw a ball over the bed and starts his usual internet routine.

Talk is fine and safe until someone says college. It's all downhill from there.

"Got my acceptance letter to Columbia," Luke says, "and the one to Dartmouth and Stanford, but we all know where the fuck I'll be this fall."

Loki stops himself before he can shift under Thor, knowing Thor will feel the sudden tension in his body.

Robert throws the ball to Luke. "Yeah, same here. My mom wants me to fucking go to UCLA. I like surfing and shit, but NYC is where I belong."

As Thor reaches off the side of the bed, he catches himself typing 'how to convince' into the search engine and switches to a new tab where he isn't trying to find ways to get Thor to stay with him on Google. He quickly types in a safe topic and exhales when Thor moves back onto him.

Luke throws the ball a little low, and it brushes the top of his laptop. He offers Loki a smile when he sends a glare his direction. "Calm down, calm down, just wanted to see how you'd react," he says. "You know, I think I could be your lawyer one day. With your temper, you're going to make a lot of people mad."

Thor nuzzles his neck and chuckles. "Fear not, Luke, I am sure Loki will not need your services after he has learned to tame his emotions."

He hits the spacebar hard. "Look who's talking," he says, Luke and Robert making "oh" noises.

"We're going to make the fucking best judge-lawyer team this legal system has seen in ages," Robert says, and he throws the ball so it grazes the top of Loki's head. He snickers. "I'd like to see these fucking criminals try to escape the wrath of Judge Reynolds and District Attorney Cage!"

He slowly edges his earphones into place before Thor says something about his own college plans and Loki ends up crying like an infant. His listening goes unnoticed until Luke and Robert appear in the background of his screen, mouthing something to him. "What?" he asks, pulling his earphones out.

Robert rolls his eyes, and Luke shakes his head. "Nevermind. C'mon let's go."

They take it slow instead of at the normal toe-curling, tongue-biting pace, and slow is good—better than— provided Thor is the one he's taking it slow with. He has no problem making it to the finish line though it is at a later time than usual, and prolonging it makes it a lot more intimate. Intimacy with Thor makes the world fade to background around him, leaving the two of them in their own pocket of reality.

He listens to Thor's strong heartbeat in his chest. If he were to just ask Thor to stay, he knows that he probably would. But Loki's a coward. Even if he is a coward, he's not a selfish one.

Thor brushes a lock of sweaty hair from Loki's forehead. "I got accepted to Oxford."

Loki freezes where he is before getting up from the bed without another word. His mind works on autopilot, seeking out his clothes and dressing as fast as he can. His hands tremble as he zips his jeans.

He shrugs on his jacket as Thor stands up from the bed.

"Where are you going?" he asks. He's clueless, and it's the icing on the cake. "What did I do, Loki? I was going to tell you sooner, but I feared-"

"I am not doing this now!" he shouts, throwing open the door.

Odin stops mid-stride when he sees Loki, eyeing him evenly. He has a feeling that Odin's encouragement of Thor's attendance at Oxford is for reasons other than good education. He doesn't open his mouth to say anything and only stares at Loki.

He slips on his sneakers and grabs his coat, feeling the keys in the pocket and leaving instantly. He has no idea where he's going, but he knows that it's somewhere else than home.

Thor's footsteps appear behind him not long after, and Loki makes no motion to turn around. Thor's eyes will not make him bend this time. "It's 11:00!" he shouts, his voice echoing off the relative silence of the street.

Loki blinks at the way his voice echoes into his ears as if Thor is only inches away from him. He cannot allow sentiment to hold him back like he has for the past few weeks. It's a disservice to the years he's spent building up his walls, and Loki does appreciate past-Loki's struggles.

He feels for his phone, finding Nal's text message of his address. The walk does nothing for easing his emotions. By the time he's let in by the doorman, he finds himself on the verge of sobbing.

Nal opens the door not looking immaculate for once in the entire time that Loki has known him. "Come inside," he says, and Loki follows him in.

He casts a glance at the paintings hanging on the wall of the hallway. Its pop art, which surprises Loki, and the atmosphere isn't as pretentious as he would think it to be. He sits down in Nal's modern kitchen, drawing his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on top. It's not proper manners, but even in Nal's home, he doesn't feel the need to be so formal.

Nal pulls down two mugs from the cabinet and turns on a machine that resembles a coffee maker. With his back turned, Loki takes in his blue thermal pajamas, the Calvin Klein bordering his pants. So it seems Nal's fashion taste extends to sleepwear. "I know why you are here, having foreseen the circumstances of you and Thor's age difference long ago," he says, turning to face Loki.

Loki blinks the image of his father out of his mind as Nal's expression brings forth the memory.

"You are staying here tonight, and I will inform your mother of your whereabouts." He turns around. "I would not want her to fret." Even turned, he knows that there is a sarcastic twist of his mouth.

"Thank you," he says as Nal hands him a mug of steaming tea. He brings it under his nose and inhales. Earl Grey.

Nal takes a seat at the island opposite him, resting his hands around his mug. He looks much younger like this, 25 or so. "About 20 years ago, your father and I were in this exact position though I was the one sitting where you are and he was sitting where I am. We both had a mug of Earl Grey in front of us. He only drank from it once."

Loki sits the mug back down, having taken a sip halfway through Nal's words. It feels awfully strange to imagine Laufey sitting there across from him. He's only getting two Nal's in his mind.

He takes a drink from his mug, eyes on Loki the entire time. "With hormones coursing through your bodies, it's only natural that you are drawn to another person experiencing the same thing. I never went through the phase of lusting after another classmate or anything of that sort, but I did witness lots of broken hearts during my school years," he says. "Teenage love affairs oft have little to no effect on a person's development, but I cannot count myself among the crowd, having been absent of all relationship drama.

"Laufey, on the other hand, was with the rest of them. He was not always as mature as people like to make him out to be. Actually, he was not focused on the things he should have been, and that made him fall out of Father's favor until he made the decision to go to Harvard. That decision would not have been made without me."

Loki shifts in his seat, readying himself for a look inside the relationship dynamic between his father and Nal. He keeps coming up with blanks when he tries to imagine it himself, and he hopes that this will give him something to extrapolate from.

"Now, Laufey had charisma outside of the manor walls, and he used to it as a sword against others. Against me?" Nal laughs. "He used observation. When your father was in love with her, it was quite the change to not have him pointing out that I'd forgotten to brush a few strands of hair back and call me unkempt. I should have thanked the girl, but she was more detriment than help. They stayed together for the last two years of high school, and I understood. She was very pretty and intelligent, lots of ambition as well. Brown was the college that called her, so naturally, it was the school that called your father."

And this is where the two stories meet, Loki thinks as he takes another drink. He and his father were alike in more ways than the obvious, and it's as if history is intent on repeating itself. Loki has no intention of dying prematurely and leaving behind a family.

"Father expected Laufey to go to Harvard. I mean, it was unspoken, but it was thought that he had no choice in the matter. Your father was too stubborn for either of our own good, often got us into trouble during early childhood. He applied to Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Yale, all of the top schools, and he got into all of them. He couldn't even share that with anyone out of paranoia that Father would find out," Nal says. "Laufey had a penchant for leaving his room unlocked though."

He finds himself smiling at his uncle's attempt at feigning innocence.

"He cornered me a month before graduation and told me that he was aware of my looking through his things. I expected him to… punish me, but he only asked me which college I thought was best. I ignored him and walked away. A week later, he found me in the kitchen and asked again. I replied with Harvard, and he laughed, saying that his girlfriend was going to Brown. I asked him if he was a fool, and he snapped that I didn't know anything about love because I was, and I quote him, 'another robot that Father built.'" Nal looks away from Loki, and the corners of his mouth downturn.

"That was a terrible insult," Loki says. "My father was Stark."

He laughs. "No, you're father was quite creative when he tried. I replied, 'from a robot's standpoint, you're being stupid and thinking with the wrong head.' He almost hit me, I saw it in his eyes, but he took one sip from his tea and looked away. I… used the guilt card to manipulate him, and it, it worked for once. He patted me on the shoulder and thanked me for my time. Two months later, he went off to Harvard while she went off to Brown."

Now, he can see the dark figure in his mind's eye, setting a hand on Nal's shoulder briefly before leaving him alone to sit in the kitchen. It reminds him of the beginning of a tragedy. From a certain view, it was.

"He resented that," Nal says. "He resented it until the moment he died. If he hadn't listened to me, he would have turned out to be a different person, and I'm afraid that we would not be sitting here and having this conversation. Every decision a person makes molds them in some way, and a decision that sets the path for a person's future is one that can completely change their life. Harvard made Laufey into the shadowy figure he was, and I accept my share of the blame as Father needs to accept his." He's suddenly serious. "Loki, will you be willing to accept your share of the blame when Thor resents making that decision for you?"

He wants to look away from Nal's piercing gaze and pretend that he's not asking him that question, but he can't. He stares back, and he knows that the answer is in his eyes.

"I thought so," Nal says, sitting back in his chair. "Thor will go to the college of his choice, and you will not try to influence him to do otherwise, Loki. Am I understood?"

Loki has a protest on the tip of his tongue, but it dies. He knows that his uncle is right, and he knows that commanding Loki will make it easier for him to do as told. His inherent need to please Nal does come in handy.

"Good." He stands up from his seat. "I have anticipated a visit from you since our meeting in November and took the necessary precautions. If you will follow me."

There should be some creepiness about Nal being so clairvoyant about this entire thing. Instead, Loki thinks that Nal is a traitor for not informing him of what was coming. Then again, Loki would have brushed it off as Nal being Nal and went about his relationship in ignorant bliss.

Nal's preparations include him having a room ready for Loki, a closet full of clothes all in the correct size—no surprise there—and a few gadgets lying idle around the room. Nal leaves him alone after telling him goodnight in their native language, a small mercy to help ease the pain in his chest.

Loki sits down and listens to the silence around him. He feels alone even if he is aware that Nal is only down the hall. He used to like being alone. Now, not so much.

On his way to sleep, he notices the picture frame on the nightstand and reaches over to retrieve it. If Nal has a picture in here, it has to be of some significance. He rolls over and the picture is illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window.

A woman sits in 3/4s view, her familiar blue eyes staring out into the distance. Rocks and choppy waves surround her, the water coming up around her legs. It's an old picture by the quality, but not too old.

He places the eyes after recognizing them from two other faces he's seen. It's only logical that's who this woman is, Laufey and Nal's mother. His grandmother.

Loki gets a brief image of the eyes on a much older version of the face in the picture. It's as if that's all it takes open the dam holding his memories from that day, all of her accompanied by a familiar figure under an umbrella as Loki stares up, a few feet shorter than he is. He gets more images before the umbrella seems to tilt back and the faces beneath are fully exposed in the gloom, their identical blue eyes staring down at the hole in the ground.

He wonders what happened to his grandmother. She was at the funeral with Nal, and Nal would have mentioned her death.

He falls asleep contemplating the question and wakes up to immediately seek out the picture and look at it. He traces her features once more before going to find his uncle.

Nal sits at the counter with a mug of coffee in front of him as he leans over a tablet, one finger making a flicking motion every few moments. He doesn't look up when Loki sits down, but Loki knows that he's aware of his presence. "An early riser," he says.

Loki sees the plate of food on the counter and takes it without bothering to ask Nal a question that he knows the answer to. "Thank you," he says, sitting down opposite him.

"I do hope that you are a fan of turkey bacon," he says, finally looking up at Loki. "It is much healthier than the alternative of pork."

He takes a bite and chews a few times, savoring the flavor. "No, it's fine."

There's silence as Nal reads and Loki eats, and it's only broken when Nal locks the screen and sets it aside, turning his attention to Loki.

"I assume you wish to know what happened of your grandmother. I am happy to inform you that she is fine and lives in Iceland. She's in perfect health now that she is free from Father's presence. I have fairly regular contact with her, and we oft talk about you. She is eager to visit you this summer, which means that there is a possibility of some conflict between her and Father. I do hope that they choose different times, but hope is pointless."

"You all have the same eyes," Loki says. "It's unnerving."

"'You?'" Nal laughs. "I think you mean 'we' since you are in possession of the same eyes as we are. It makes your grandfather wistful during calls. He always remarks how much your eyes are like hers, and it's quite pathetic." He takes a sip of his coffee. "Finish so you can go get ready. We want to get your there early enough to miss the morning rush."

When Loki comes back downstairs in only a sweatshirt and jeans, Nal seems disappointed that Loki didn't elect for the Versace slacks or Dolce and Gabbana oxford.

As if compensating for Loki's casualness, Nal leads Loki to a car in the garage that would make the average car enthusiast rabid. Loki sighs because he knows that there is no way attention will not be drawn to him when he's dropped off in a Bugatti Veyron.

"Oh, yes, I forgot. You don't have your blazer," he says, slipping into the driver's seat.

Loki buckles his seatbelt. "I have a feeling that won't be a problem." He does not allow himself more than that, pushing all thoughts of _him_ to a corner of his mind.

Civilians turn and look at the car as it passes, eyes widening and fingers pointing. If this is what they're like, SHIELD is going to be quite fun.

Loki slides down in his seat when they pull up to the school, unbuckling his seatbelt as fast as he can.

Tony and Steve stand at the stairs, Tony coming forward as Loki shuts the passenger door.

Tony bends down to peer into the window. "Stealin' my thunder, Laufey-brother!"

Nal stares at Tony, and Loki almost laughs at how obvious his contempt for him is. "Hm," he says, "Loki, goodbye." He pulls away fast enough to make Loki's hair whip in the breeze, and he frowns after the car.

Thor drops his blazer into his arms when they encounter each other in the hallway, and he thankfully doesn't say anything other than the cursory hello. He nods the three of them a goodbye and leaves without a glance backward.

"Did something happen or-?"

"We're fine," Loki says. He goes about his day with an uneasy feeling in his stomach, and that gets to the point where he stares at his food at lunch with distaste. He could not eat if he tried.

"Loki, do you have a moment?" Reed doesn't wait for an answer, taking a seat where Steve usually sits. Tony gives him the side-eye, but he doesn't notice. "This morning, I happened to see who drove you to school in that flashy car everyone is talking about."

"It's just a Veyron, Richards," Stark says as something on his tablet screen grabs his attention. "Not even that great of a car."

Reed ignores Tony, leaning over his back and toward Loki. "I must say that it's almost shameful how long it took me to put the pieces together. Nal Bergelmisson is your paternal uncle which means that Laufey Bergelmisson is your father."

"There must be some point to this, Richards," he says.

"Of course there is, Loki. All of my actions have a purpose. Now, with this information, I realized that my previous thought from your first day of school was correct. Nal is acting CEO of Jotunheim Aviation and Arms, succeeding your father after his untimely death. Your father was _the_ Laufey, the ingenious weapons industrialist who picked up where Bergelmir left out without issue. In fact, his legacy over the arms industry lasts until this moment.

"It's fairly known that your uncle wants nothing more than to hand over the reins to the company, and Loki, you're the one he wants to give them to." Reed points a finger at him, beaming. "From the talk that I've dropped in on from time to time, the mysterious son of Laufey is going to surpass even Laufey himself. If you can understand, Laufey surpassed the precedent that Bergelmir set. The expectations are astronomical!"

He feels his hands clamming, so he pushes the actual processing of that for a later time.

"Why didn't you tell me your dad and Richards' pops were buddy buddy?!" Tony demands, holding up an article with two men on it.

He takes the tablet from Tony's hands, and he almost drops it onto his lunch in shock. It actually is his… "This is my father," he says aloud, studying the familiar face standing next to a man who looks a lot like Reed if he had brown hair and a beard. That's his father, a man whose likeness he hasn't seen in months.

The actual headline of the paper says "WEAPONS INDUSTRIALIST AND PHYSICIST TEAM UP FOR PROJECT" and the caption is, "Physicist Nathaniel Richards (L) stands next to close friend and associate Weapons Industrialist Laufey Bergelmisson (R).'

Loki never knew that his father knew Richards' father. He never knew much about what his father did except that it was rather important and knew many important people. He was never curious, pushing father-related thoughts somewhere else.

"Why didn't you tell us you two were family bros?" Reed gives Tony a confused look. "Jeez, Richards, I mean like we're all brothers from brothers from different mothers. Our dads were bros, so it isn't that far off that my dad and his dad liked each other. Nal knew my dad."

"Oh, Stark, why didn't you just say that?" Reed says. "Of course they were friends. You of all people didn't know this?"

"No, I expect my friends to inform me of these types of things!" Tony tries to take the tablet from Loki's hands, and Loki lets him, still shocked at this new revelation. His father manufactured weapons? Why didn't his mother ever tell him?

"I actually tried to discuss the matter with Loki, but Professor Lensherr's obstructionist ideals disabled me from doing so."

Loki looks up at him, and Reed looks completely unaffected. He's know this entire time, would have told Loki if he hadn't been interrupted that time in Chemistry.

Thor sits down beside him, a hand ghosting over Loki's back, and Loki only finds himself staring blankly at Reed and Tony. He doesn't—he cannot process this.

He stands and leaves the school, not looking back as he hails a cab. His teeth feel as though they are liable to break under the pressure of his jaw.

Every red light makes him grow angrier and angrier until he's throwing open the front door and shouting his mother's first name at the top of his lungs.

She is found in the kitchen wearing her running clothes and looking tired. "Loki, what are you doing home so early? Why are you screaming? And my first-"

"I demand answers," he says. "You owe them to me."

Her face falls, and she lowers the bottle of water. "Loki, is this…? Did your uncle say something?"

Loki exhales in disbelief. "Actually, Reed Richards was the informant. He so kindly told me of my father's role in arm's manufacturing. Oh, yes, he also told me that I was supposed to take over this company that my uncle happens to run due to his absence from being dead!"

She grabs his arm and pulls him down the hallway into Odin's office, shutting the door behind her. "Let's calmly discuss this like-"

"Mature adults?" he asks, crossing his arms. "I thought mature adults did not keep such things from their children."

"Loki, I… I wanted to wait until you were 18. You don't understand how… hard it was to keep it from you. I wished for you to have a normal childhood unlike your father," she says, futilely trying to sound remorseful. "They want things from you."

He levels a glare on her. "And that worked oh so well, Mother. My childhood was the peak of normality, barring my father's mysterious death, which you must elaborate on one of these days. I cannot believe you kept this from me!" he shouts. "Why, Mother? Why?"

"Loki, calm down for a moment to tell me why you are so angry about this."

"What I'm going 'angry about?'" he replies, holding a hand to his chest. "My father was this respected warmonger, who left a legacy for me that I was unaware of! How can I not be angry?"

Suddenly, the pieces fit together in ways that Loki was too blind to see: the cocktail parties with people who always looked down at Loki with looks of awe, telling him how much of a great child he was; impromptu business trips that left Loki alone for days, business contacts that were all too joyed to meet Loki when she was forced to bring him along before adolescence. His mother's insistence on keeping her work life separated from Loki seems to be too much of a coincidence.

"Tell me, Mother, what is this elusive company you work for? I have been to many dinner parties, and they all have been quite full of… evil, wealthy people. The kinds of people that seem attracted to the defense business."

She frowns but answers anyway, sighing. "Jotunheim Aviation and Arms," she replies. "Loki, I-"

"Do not say you thought that I knew because you were well aware of my ignorance." He pinches the bridge of his nose and inhales. "This is why we moved, isn't it? You and Odin could have stayed and had a family in Sweden, but you had to come here for your job. Why haven't I been contacted? I know that Father was not particularly fond of me, but he left me something."

"Loki…"

"Answer the question, Mother," he replies. "No evasion."

"You are to inherit the position of CEO and primary control of the entire company when you are of age provided the majority shareholder thinks you're competent enough. Your grandfather is still the majority shareholder." His mother exhales. "He requested that you come here, but the decision was ultimately ours."

It feels as though he's been duped. He's been blaming her for uprooting him when the entire time it was actually his doing. Unknowingly, of course, but still it's his fault.

"You—I never asked for this!" he screams, lashing out on the nearest thing. It's a shelf of books, and they all come tumbling to the ground. He raises his fist to strike out against something else.

"Laufey, calm down!"

It hits Loki like a large vat of scalding hot water, snapping him out of his anger-fueled haze long enough to realize the implication of her calling him _that_. "How dare you address me by his name?" he asks, taking a step backward. "How dare you?"

Her face crumples for a moment before she regains her composure. "You were acting like him," she says, taking a step forward.

Turning around, he dashes around an entering Thor and up the stairs, tearing the bottom drawer of his nightstand open and pawing through the organized chaos of its contents. It should be there, third from the top, but it's not. The picture of a contemptuous-looking Laufey holding a three-years-young Loki in his arms is missing, and Loki has only just realized its absence.

Perhaps he should blame the fact that he doesn't venture in his drawers for much other than clothes, but everything is in the place he put it, its location known in his mind like the lines of his palm, and a missing picture of something so significant should have been a lot harder to miss. It feels bad, worse than it should.

"Loki, what's-"

He turns around to face Thor. "It's gone!" he shouts, gesturing to his drawer. "It's gone. The picture is gone."

Thor stares at him in confusion, looking at the drawer with curiosity. "What picture, Loki?"

"My father and I," he replies. "It's my picture. No one—it belongs to only me."

A relieved expression comes over Thor's face that makes Loki want to shout at him. "Loki, calm down," Thor says, taking a step toward him. "I know where your picture is."

"Where?" he asks, pushing past him and out of his room. "Show me, Thor. Show me now."

Thor leads him downstairs, far too slow for Loki's tastes. "Loki, I have to admit that I'm surprised you haven't noticed," Thor says, going into the living room. "Look, it's fine. We simply framed it."

Loki stares at the picture on the wall next to the archway, it hanging in a row of other pictures.

"How did you find it?" he asks, taking a step forward up toward the shelf to get a better look at it. He's seen it multiple times before, but it feels new. "I mean, when?"

"Your dresser broke when we were moving," Thor replies. "We got a replica, but my father found that picture when we were cleaning up. He asked what I thought we should do with it, and I suggested framing. It's perfect where it is, next to my mother and me."

Loki's eyes shift to the picture beside it for a moment and take in the infant Thor and his mother, red and gold as he described her before, in a position similar to the one in his and his father's photograph. He should respond that it belongs with him, but it looks fine where it is. It's safer there, somehow, and the chance of it getting ripped is nil.

"Thor, Loki, what are you-" His mother stops and notices where he's staring. "Oh, you've finally seen it."

"Nal came here for that, didn't he?" he asks, still staring at the picture. "He came to examine me."

"No, he came because he wanted to, Loki," she replies. She's defending Nal? "He only wanted to make sure that you were being raised the way Laufey would have wanted you to. He cares, Loki. We all do."

Loki feels the strange heat from Thor's skin and automatically takes a step to the side. He must not let this change anything. Thor made the decision to frame the photograph before he and Loki even knew each other like they do now. It's as if a stranger did it.

When Nal calls later that night, Loki simply answers with, "I know," and Nal makes a pleased sound.

"It's about time that she informed you," he replies. "It is still far too late for my tastes, but… How are you taking this information?"

He chuckles. "I found out that it's indirectly my fault that we even moved here. All of my problems stem from my birth or my father's death. Life is treating me well as of late."

"Loki, you must understand that not everyone gets what they want in life. You are aware that your father was very dissatisfied with the path he was taking. Death was a mercy of sorts though it left a large fallout." Nal sighs. "I hope that you find a way to learn to… like your life. There are certain aspects of my life that make it worthwhile even if I would rather be somewhere else."

If Nal understands so much, why is he asking so much of Loki? The sacrifices he's made for "the greater good" and all of those Marvinims are taking a toll on him. Letting go of Thor is going to be the final straw. He's not sure he will ever learn to love anyone else after him or forgive the people who allowed this to happen.

"Do enjoy your adolescence, Loki," he says. "You have experience with death. We will see each other soon."

Loki doesn't sleep. He only lies there, wishing to hear the footsteps that never come.

In the morning, he's not physically tired, but emotionally, he's run many marathons in the past 48 hours. He is completely drained of any reaction, so he defaults to indifference to everything and everyone.

They don't talk or interact more than necessary, but they don't go out of their ways to ignore each other either. It's as if they are strangers sharing the same living space. Thor goes about his own duties. Loki does his. There's some overlap, but it ends there.

When Thor happens to look up at the same moment he does or walks in the same direction, he catches himself before he turn to talk to him as he usually would. Or would when they were… They're _different_ now, so Loki can't fall back into their old routine because he wants to. He has responsibilities.

As if working to put him into a tight situation, Clint asks him to relay a message to Thor or "his lover" as he calls it, and Loki doesn't decline. He's stupid for even thinking he would be able to do it. He pauses when he sees Thor on the other end of the hall talking to a blonde girl and tries to summon up all courage to tell him what Clint said.

Harry passes him, and he could tell him to do it instead. There's the problem of their shared lunch, so it would be a miracle if Clint didn't mention telling Loki to do it. That would start another path of problems.

"I mean, I hope I'm not like boring you-"

"No, no, it's fine," Thor replies, and he looks up, eye contact instant.

His heart leaps in his chest and it's a given that he makes it there.

The girl turns to him with a grin. "Oh, hey, I'm Bobbi," she says. "You're the cute guy Loki that Rick says is cool. He's a fan, but Bruce beats you by a mile. Would not be surprised if he had a shrine dedicated to him or something."

He manages a smile though his heart is in his throat. "Thor, Clint told me to tell you that, and I quote him, 'Serpents kicked major ass, but Eagles will tear their snake-asses apart.' Um… 'Practice at Lee Field at 9:00, no le sexy time for you. Eagles are a natural predator of snakes.'" He feels like an idiot just saying it, but they are Clint's words.

"What a weirdo," Bobbi says. "He's cool though. Kind of cute too, but please don't tell him that…"

Thor lifts his hand as if to touch his shoulder but drops it midway. "Okay, thank you."

He tries not to run, but his heart is still racing in his chest when he makes it Ancient History. He wills it to slow down and tries not to read into Thor's attempt to touch him and the ensuing retraction.

Billy stops him just outside Earth Science and asks if he would be interested in changing seats. He stares at him as if he expects the answer, and Thor enters the classroom without a second look at him. "Please?"

He nods, and he feels as though he's digging himself into an inescapable hole with every step he takes to distance himself from Thor. He buries his head in his arms for the duration of class, thankful when Mrs. Munroe sends him a sympathetic look instead of telling him to sit up.

Gwen pulls him into a hug before launching into a story of when her father would come home after losing a life on the job and tell her to treasure life and everyone around her. It's sound advice, but Loki doesn't follow it even though he should. She hugs him again after she finishes with a murmured thank you, and Loki only nods in return.

Harry brings up the subject of college at lunch, and the glares he gets from Natasha shuts him up immediately. It still leaves Loki with a sinking feeling in his stomach, and he excuses himself from the room to seek solstice in Erik's classroom as he and Charles write lesson plans.

Gwen's in another morose mood in newsletter, but Loki can relate in more than one way. She watches him as he takes a seat at the empty table to wait for her to talk.

Gwen sits down on his lap, and Loki only sits limp as she stares down at his chest and fumbles with the collar of his shirt. She's childish like this, but in the different way: small, innocent, and weak. She wears her vulnerability on her sleeve, and it's a mistake that Loki has made recently.

He looks up at her face and sees the tears staining her cheeks.

"Can I ask you something? When does it… get easier?"

He's waited for Gwen to ask him about his own experience with paternal death. "It doesn't," he replies. "It only gets easier to ignore it."

When Gwen kisses him, he isn't sure of the protocol on this situation. It's not a normal kiss that's filled with the usual lust, but something filled with fear and so many other similar emotions. Knowing that, he doesn't do anything, just takes in her frazzled hair and the smeared make-up around her eyes.

He catches red hair in his periphery, and his hands come up to pull her away from him, the wetness now on his cheeks as well.

Pepper stands there with her mouth agape, and she flounders for words, eye flickering between Gwen and Loki. "I didn't know—I—sorry." She disappears from the doorway, and with her absence, there's a realization in the air of what's just happened.

Gwen hurriedly stands up from him and straightens her skirt. "I'm so, so sorry," she says. "I shouldn't have—I should not have done that."

He wipes the lipstick away with the back of his hand and leaves the room without another word. He doesn't want to reassure her that it's alright because he's unsure himself.

"Loki." Pepper pushes away from the wall and walks up to him. She's frowning, and there's a fire in her eyes. "What the hell was that?"

Loki exhales. "She kissed me," he replies. "I let her expel her emotions on me."

"That's—you can't do that when you have Thor!" Pepper shouts. "You have to tell him, Loki, or I will! He doesn't deserve to have you running around with a, a girl nonetheless. You're… you are despicable."

He watches her stomp away from him, and as she goes, Loki decides that this is the end of his and Thor's relationship. She knows and intends to tell him, and this will be the end-to-end-all if there is one. There is no way Thor will forgive him for this or hear his "lies" about the kiss not being sexual. This is how The Boy Who Cried Wolf felt.

Thor gives him a confused look when he murmurs, "I need a walk," and Loki tries his best not to betray how angry and sad he is, walking away with a calculated step. He doesn't know what happened, and he doesn't know that whatever they had left between them is gone.

He gets home as late as he can without rousing any suspicions. He's too numb to even try to cry himself to sleep, and he continues his routine as usual the next morning. He dresses his usual way, not wanting to draw attention to himself with a dress-down day, and he prepares.

The car ride to school is the last time that Loki thinks Thor will look at him and see anything resembling love. As they walk in their group to lunch, Loki begins to slowly inch away from beside Thor as if to mark their drifting.

One meeting with green eyes, framed by gingered hair, and Loki makes the decision in the next second.

"Gwen kissed me," slips out of his mouth in a matter-of-fact tone, so conversational that it sounds as if Loki is pointing out the color of the table.

Thor turns to look at him, and even though he's calm, Loki knows that he is dying to strike him. He would not blame him if he did, but he can't say that he would not use it as an excuse to retaliate and show Thor how much he's hurting him.

"How are you so calm?" Tony shouts. "How?"

Thor inhales and looks away from Loki. "What do you expect me to say, Stark?" The resolve in his voice makes Loki want to run as far as he can away from this.

"I don't know!" Tony stands. "Something! Gwen Stacy, one of the hottest chicks in this school, planted a big one on him! Do you not care or-?"

"Tony, stop," Loki says.

"No—don't." Bruce stands up on the other side of the table. "You two—I think I—Tony's… right. I know that it's like to just watch your relationship disintegrate, and I… care about you guys too much to just… sit here!" His eyes widen, and he clenches his fists, a brief flash of neon green crossing his eyes.

"Bruce, calm-" Natasha starts.

"No." He exhales loudly. "Tony, come on."

Steve gets up and follows the two of them, and Loki can only watch as his table divides into smaller pieces.

Clint shakes his head as he stands up, and it's no surprise that he's with Stark and Bruce. It is a surprise that Natasha gets up and follows him without little hesitation, and she doesn't as much as send a look back in Loki's direction.

The pieces of his life are far too spread for him to even feign surprise when Thor stands and turns to leave. Thor should have left as soon as Loki said anything, but it seems his hope has made him a fool.

Yes, it has, Loki decides, when Thor turns back around. His eyes are pink now, and Loki chants in his head _please don't cry, please don't cry_ as he stares at him. "I… I'm sorry, Loki."

Not being able to stand the sight of Thor anymore, he casts his eyes downward and draws his knees up to his chest. "You shouldn't be," he replies. "I'm not."

He doesn't see Thor for the rest of the day and resists the urge to type out simple "Are you okay?" to him. It's no longer his sole concern. He must assume that Thor can fend for himself like Loki can.

Six words. Six words made the structure of Loki's world crumble. Emotional stability has never been something he's expected to achieve, but he was sure he was close. He was sure, and he was stupid for even thinking so. Good things like happiness do not come to Loki without a price. The price this time is that he has to give it away as fast as he's gotten it.

The days are filled with rain and thunder as if reflecting the somber mood within their residence. Dinner is composed of his mother and Odin carrying the conversation as Loki and Thor act as if the other does not exist. He would rather not if this is what his life is going to be like.

He knows life isn't fair, but why? Why do people like… Clint and Natasha get to have this eternal love between them while Loki is relegated to falling in love with someone he can never be with? The gods are punishing him more than necessary that's for sure. His harmless pranks during childhood should not earn him this miserable existence where he has to live under the same roof with the—the love of his life.

His mother is none the wiser to Loki's inner turmoil and seeks him out to discuss the romantic affair she's wants for her wedding. As if blind to Loki's mood, she one day asks him to help plan her wedding because he's the "most ingenious person" she knows. Like the good son he is, he nods and gives her a fake smile as she engulfs him in a hug and praises him.

He blankly stares over her shoulder, and when Thor passes by the open door, they make brief eye contact. Loki only blinks as Thor looks at the two of them, and his disappearance is a relief on the thin threads keeping Loki sane enough to function as a normal member of society.

Even in their state of limbo, Thor's still heavy on his mind, and with the heaviness, comes the realization that they've forgotten something important. Sunday, he summons the courage to go confront Thor about the long-forgotten concert tickets and finds him ending a call in the kitchen, the deep red envelope Loki gifted him in Christmas in front of him.

"Yes, Loki?" he says, bracing his arms on the counter. The muscles in his arms flex, so he focuses on the counter instead. "You want something, correct?"

"No, I don't want…" He makes a gesture to the tickets. "I remembered. I wanted to be sure that you did as well."

"Of course I remembered. They _are_ Sigur Ros tickets, not an experience that I find myself eager to forgo." He senses Loki's uneasiness and stands. "Do you intend to accompany me?"

He simply stands, unsure of whether this violates the terms Nal has set up for him, to not influence Thor's decision. Sigur Ros doesn't relate to college in any predictable way, so it's safe. Yet he does not immediately answer, wanting to know if Thor wants him to come.

"You are not obligated to go," he says, glancing up at him. "I could ask someone else if you would like."

"No, I mean—yes, I would still like to go." He shifts on his feet. "Tomorrow then?"

"Yes, we will leave before 7:00." Thor stares at him, the corners of his lips upturned ever so slightly.

To the best of his effort, he does not think too much about what could happen tomorrow, but that's because he's too busy worrying about being in a crowd of people like those two people at the café that day.

With that in mind, he dresses as he would if he were going to an Oh Land concert: jeans, converse, a cardigan in his normal green and black hues. Then again, Loki can see his own pretention at times. But he shrugs and grabs his phone, finding Thor texting in the foyer.

They aren't the earliest or the latest, people in tight jeans and band t-shirts already in their places around the arena. The looks that Thor is given make Loki direct glare after glare in many directions. They are not officially broken up, and none of these people are remotely good enough for him.

Getting emotional over a falsetto voice and minor chords was not Loki's goal, but he feels his eyes glossing over halfway through the concert as he both listens to Jonsi and stares at Thor watching with open eyes, his soul out for display.

His mouth moves to the lyrics as if testing, but the focus in his eyes speaks of his admiration. Admiration like others feel for Thor, Thor feelings for them.

Thor's eyes flicker to his, and they watch each other, the scene on the stage reflecting off of Thor's pale eyes. His hand grasps Loki's as if promising, promising the stars and the moon to Loki.

Such impossible promises should never be made.

Loki pulls away and turns forward, ignoring Thor in his periphery.

They do not talk afterward, and it's for the best. Any words said would only be reiterations of what they both already know. The mess of their relationship will dissolve in time, and they will go about their separate ways, however strong the desire to find the other is.

He continues to makes himself scarce before they can try to drag him off to lunch, seeking out Erik and letting the man walk him the few blocks to a new restaurant he discovered. Erik's silent for the most part, only talking in statements when he does say anything to save Loki the hassle of replying. It's obvious that he would rather not talk at all.

It's easy for him to return to being a single party, so easy that Loki wishes he would have showed them his true self earlier. They know the Loki inside, and they seem to not want anything to do with him. He doesn't blame them. He does not want much to do with them either.

Loki walks to Psychology alone as he's been doing for the past week.

"Loki!" It's Stark's voice not far behind him. Loki could wait and still make it on time.

Loki keeps walking.

"Loki, wait!" Stark's footsteps speed up until they're loud and rapid in the corridor, so loud that Loki hears the exact moment he reaches him. "Didn't you hear me?"

He glances at him briefly as he continues forward. "Yes, of course I did."

All of the breath is knocked out of his lungs as he's spun around and slammed into the wall. The element of surprise is what enables Tony to even do so. Loki knows how much stronger he is than Stark.

Stark tries to pin him to the wall by his shoulder, and Loki humors him, not attempting to break free. "I need to talk to you," he says. Oh, look, it's the serious face. "We all know that you want space to do your own thing, but it's against my better judgment to let you roam these halls alone! You need other people in your life, Loki. You need friends."

He throws his head back and laughs. "I don't need anyone!"

"You need Thor." Tony knows what buttons to push. "You're losing him. You haven't lost him already—what a miracle that is—and there's still a chance for you to make this alright again. You just abandoned any hope of fixing it, Loki! You've gotta try!"

"Why?" he asks. "Why should I fix something that has planned obsolescence? You're the genius engineer. You should know!"

"This crap between the two of you is affecting us all!" Tony shouts. "We're all feeling the somber vibes, and even if you both try to play it off like you're all okay, you're not. You two need each other. He's just too sad to see it, and you—you're just a coward!"

With that, Loki finally shoves Stark away. He stares in confusion at his hands, confused as to why such a stupid word could hold so much power, but it's too late. The fury is coursing through his veins, and he fully intends to act out his aggression on the nearest enemy: Stark.

"What? Can't hear the truth?" Stark takes a step backward when Loki comes forward. "You're craven, Loki! You're a fucking coward!"

He bares his teeth as he prepares to lunge forward, but he's stopped by a hand to the chest. Yet again he's left gasping for air.

Dr. Lactus takes a neutral look at the two of them. "Mr. Stark, Mr. Laufeyson, if you would both please follow me. I'm sure that you are in no hurry to get to Psychology with Dr. Strange, are you?"

The fury is no longer there, but there is a shitload of confusion in its place. He has no idea what came over him. Loki does not use his fists to resolve problems. He uses his mind and mouth. If Dr. Lactus hadn't stopped him, he would have done something incredibly stupid.

He sits the two of them down in the front row of his classroom, a seat between them. "I do not care for your petty teenage conflicts, but I would like to hear the rational between the two of you fighting. What would such violence have solved?"

Loki knows the answer: nothing.

"Exactly," Dr. Lactus says. "Now, you two will talk out your problems while I go find something remotely productive to do. If you devolve into physical violence, I do hope that you manage to finish each other off before I return."

Loki pinches the bridge of his nose. His life has become an absolute mess.

"You're still a coward." Stark turns to him in his periphery. "You're as afraid of loving Thor as you were before. Don't worry. You made sure to tell me when I was I the same boat. It's my duty to do the same, right?"

He turns to stare at Tony. "You don't even know, do you?" He shakes his head. "Of course not. Steve is in our grade, and any college plans have time to be made. Stark, tell me with your words of wisdom, what logic is behind me continuing a relationship with someone who will be across an ocean?"

Tony frowns and blinks rapidly. "I… I didn't know."

"You didn't."

"Loki, you should've mentioned it to _someone_," he says. "This is like… serious."

"My uncle provided the perfect solution, Stark. This is not up for discussion. You are quite aware of who my uncle is and what he is like." Loki shuts his eyes and leans his head against the back of the chair. "I would not call him reasonable though he is right. It was fun while it lasted."

There's silence between them.

"This still sucks."

"It does."

Tony slides into the next seat. "Want a hug?"

Loki sighs and turns to face him. "Fi-" He hasn't had an actual hug since his mother's proposition. It's quite strange to hug someone other than _him_, but Loki isn't completely adverse to it. He will have to adjust to the extreme lack of muscles.

He lets Tony talk him into coming to Clint and Bruce's party on Friday though he would rather spend his vacation moping. He rolls his eyes when Stark pulls him in for another hug with a whisper of "everything will be okay."

Upon arrival home, Loki immediately hears the shouting above and makes his way up the stairs. He recognizes the voices as Odin and Thor and dread fills him as he edges down the hallway to the open door of their parents study, a room he's never been inside.

"…some passing fancy, not something for you to give your future up over!"

"I am I love with him, Father! You know nothing of love!"

"I know that you are a confused boy, Thor! I tolerated your… same-sex love in silence, but this is not remotely fine anymore! It is more than the fact that he is your step-brother, Thor! He is—a villain, a snake not to be trusted. You made the mistake of trusting him before, and he got on drugs. Yes, Thor, I knew, and I waited for you to come to your senses and see that he was not worthy of your love. You still have not seen his true form like I have.

"He will be your end, the one that finally marks your descent into the darkness. Do you wish to give up your future for someone like that? A boy who treats your feelings like another one of his games?"

"Father, I am not giving up my future for him! I do not wish to follow your dreams but to follow mine. Loki happens to be a part of my dreams now, and for you to ask me to renounce my love because of your desires… I know not the man who stands in front of me. He is not the one that I grew up loving and admiring. He is a shadow of who he was."

"Thor, I do apologize that you feel that way, but it does not change the fact that you cannot ignore the path you must take. You will do as I command, and you will learn that disobedience will no longer be tolerated."

Loki pushes open the door and steps into the study before anything can happen.

Odin stops a few steps away from Thor and turns to him, his narrowed eyes widening in surprise. "Loki, I-"

"You are correct," he says. He takes a brief inhale to prepare himself for this, what must be done. "It… was simply a passing fancy. There are no true feelings between us. It was merely… lust, and I have gotten over those feelings. Thor is still confused, but in time he will see that it was a… mistake."

Liar. Liar. Liar. The words repeat in his mind.

"Thor's simply confused about his feelings. He does not love me." He almost sobs but keeps staring at his shoes. "I do not love him."

Fucking liar.

Thor stares at him as if he's finally smashed his heart in his hand. It's the look from his dreams, the one he never thought he would see in reality. But it's here, and Thor is directing it at Loki. He raises his fist as if to hit one of them before dropping it and storming off. The slam of his door marks another chance of them ever reconciling lost.

Odin stares at him with contempt, and he has no right to direct that at him."Hm, it is good to see that one of you has some semblance of sense."

"I will never forgive you for this," he replies before he leaves the scourge to continue about his pitiful excuse for an existence. It's too bad that he's also scourge with his continuous stream of lies. Those who are similar do hate each other. It explains why he and Odin are always at odds.

Both of them keep hurting Thor.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** I hope this makes the wait worthwhile, finally a diagram showing who likes, dates, hates who as of the beginning of this chapter: (BE SURE TO REMOVE BRACKETS) [i.]imgur[.co]m[/]QK9[Fo]1T.p[ng]  
It was kinda slapped together, but I hope things are clear.  
If you guys like it, I'll make another for the next chapter with more relationships and people.  
Also, sorry for the wait. I've been writing a few chapters ahead and jumping around.

* * *

Erik Lensherr: Understanding Instructor?!

"So, it's a break?" Steve asks, rolling the apple around the table with his palm. "You are still together?"

Loki shifts his chin on his knees and adjusts his sleeves around his hands. "Yes, a break."

If he's lying, he doesn't wish to know. A break implies that there is still some chance that they will come through this unscathed, a fraction like they were a month ago.

A month and things have gone from whipped cream requests to only seeing each other around school. For any normal couple, that's supposed to be the way it is. Thor and Loki live together, rooms side by side and only a slice of drywall separating them.

"Good," Tony says, "there's hope then. I don't want my thunderfrost feelings to be screwed because you two are finished. I even made a breakup mix." Tony pulls out a CD and sets it on the table. "Tony Stark doesn't fucking use CDs. He uses ISOs."

Clint grabs the CD and reads the handwritten track list. "'Love, Save the Empty,' 'Not Over You.' Stark, these are all girly pop songs."

"What's wrong with that?" Natasha asks. "Don't be so misogynist. Music cannot be girly unless it states 'girls' in the title."

"'Big Girls Don't Cry,'" Clint says, pointing at the CD. "Girls, Tash! Who's misogynist now?"

"You still are," Bruce says. "We should all be thankful there's no Coldplay on there."

Harry's renewed relationship with Peter has benefitted the table dynamic though Thor's absence makes the problems with their relationship clear to all aware. The topic is unavoidable, and Tony pointing out Thor's empty seat at the beginning of lunch opened a door unable to be closed.

"Have I told you that you ruined Coldplay for me?" Tony sings a line of "Paradise" in an annoyed voice, and everyone makes sounds of exasperation. "Yeah, yeah, thank you, Mischief. I loved 'X&Y' until you hummed the shit out of it. I couldn't bring myself to put any song of it on there, and you know how the music they make is good for breakups."

Loki pushes his hair out of his face and straightens up in his seat. "Thank you for that small mercy."

He claps him on the back. "You're welcome, god of breaks."

Dr. Strange announces that their evaluations for their in-class performance from the past few months are in, and Loki opens the report with the expectation of a perfect grade.

"97?" he exclaims. "How did I get a 97%?"

"I got a 52," Tony says, shrugging. "Was never good with emotions anyway. Still going to pass the class, so I couldn't give a fuck."

Steve frowns down at his tablet. "I expected something more than an 88. I was under the impression that this glass was graded based on participation. You all know that I participate."

Thor hands Dr. Strange a metallic slip before taking his seat. They all watch him in wait for his results, letting out shared groans when he beams. "100."

"100?" Loki snaps his mouth shut when Thor turns a glare on him. "Congratulations."

"Many types of green suit you, but envy does not," he replies before turning around to accept pats of congratulations from Jane and Pepper.

"Oh, burn," Tony says, and Steve slaps him on the arm as he gives him a sharp look. "Wow, Loki, got anything to say back to that?"

He grits his teeth and crosses his arms, meeting Natasha's eyes and looking away.

Thor walks with his arms around Jane and Robert's shoulders, and Loki moves around them as quickly as he can, ignoring his quip about Loki being in "one of his moods." If he is going to pretend that everything is fine, Loki can do the same.

Pretending is a part of his act, the one he stupidly wished to retire because of some boy he's in love with.

He falls onto his bed with a sigh and pulls _Lolita_ from its placed untouched on the nightstand. There's nowhere he wishes to be right now, so he can further his knowledge on pop culture references in America and take his mind off of things.

Perhaps the comparison between Humbert Humbert and Erik is wrong. His professor has not displayed any signs of obsession with him. Now with Charles? If they're into that fetish, good for them. Everyone has their preferences though Loki's are inhuman weight-lifting capabilities and being dominated.

He looks up from his book at the sound of the door opening and stills when he sees the waver in Thor's movements. He watches as he shuts the door behind him before speaking. "You're drunk."

There's a low chuckle that sends goosebumps up his arms and legs, and he pulls his t-shirt over his legs reflexively. "Mm, always the observant one," Thor replies as he walks to the bed.

Loki looks up at him and clutches the blanket. "I…" He has no idea why Thor is even here, but he knows that he shouldn't be. There's a look in his eyes that makes Loki very uncomfortable.

He sits down and slides until his side is pressed against Loki's shins. "What? Nothing to say with that silver tongue of yours?" he asks, running his fingers up Loki's leg.

He tries to slide the book away as quietly as he can, but Thor sees it and grabs it from him.

"_Lolita_," he says, flipping through the pages with a smirk. "Suddenly realizing what you missed out on with Professor Lensherr?" He drops the book onto the ground with a laugh. "Loki, Loki, Loki, you are just so…" He yanks his knees apart and presses his body between his splayed legs. "Innocent no matter how tainted you think you are. A misguided angel but no demon. _Vacker_."

He should not be finding anything arousing about this situation, an obviously hurt and drunken Thor waxing romantic to him, but he feels his blood making a journey southward. His grip on the blanket loosens and the tension in his legs relaxes. Gods, this cannot be happening.

"Maybe you were right," Thor says as his finger brushes over Loki's trembling bottom lip. "Perhaps it was simply _lust_ as you put it. I am the one with all of the feelings confused because I 'do not love you.' Right, Loki? That is what you said yesterday night."

Loki blinks and feels a tear fall down his cheek. He slowly nods, feeling ashamed of his past words.

Thor's hand brushes inside the leg of his boxers and slowly makes its way upward. "For old times' sake then?" He smirks. "I know you want it as much as I do, Loki. If we are not in love, it's simply… sex. If you don't care, I will not either. Our little secret."

Loki shuts his eyes tight when he hears the sound of something crinkling and tries hard not to think of the reason why Thor would have a condom on him.

They simply fuck. There's no kissing involved, and Thor spares little mercy on Loki comfort wise. He only knows when Thor cums because of the characteristic way his hands tighten on Loki's hips.

It comes as no surprise when Thor leaves afterward, but that doesn't stop the feeling of emptiness as he lays there.

Natasha and Clint pick him up, ensuring that Loki has no other choice but to attend Bruce and Clint's joint birthday party. Clint beams when Loki slips him a wrapped gift as he slips on his Converse, and warns Loki that his gift "better be better than Bruce's."

"Alliterative," Natasha says, nudging Clint with her elbow. "He meant to thank you. He's awfully… excited about this thing."

"How generous of Stark to lend you his home," Loki says as they enter the green and purple decorated Stark Manor. He dodges a launched streamer from a doorway. "I see why. Fun."

Clint picks up the streamer and throws it back, a shout of pain coming from the doorway. "Victory for the belated-birthday boy, bitches!"

Bruce pats him on the shoulder after he gives him the gift, a collection of starter books for the Poe collection that Bruce doesn't have but needs. He grins and sets the bag above a cabinet. "I'll give him a chance since you love him oh so much."

"Poe is a master of prose, Bruce." He inhales and joins their classmates, friends, and acquaintances in Stark's "party room." "You have to give him a chance. I command it."

As soon as a game of Truth or Dare starts, Loki excuses himself and goes outside for air. He sits down on the front stairs and watches the sky turn from blue to gray in a matter of minutes, continuing even as the rain soaks his clothes.

Thor opens the gate and walks in, his normal gait more of a saunter.

"You're late," he says, blinking away the raindrops.

"I had other plans." He grabs Loki by the shirt and practically drags him inside the house. He shrugs off his coat and puts it over Loki's shoulders. "Why did you do this? You are going to get sick," he says, his voice hushed.

Loki averts his eyes. "I like the rain."

"That doesn't permit your blatant disregard for your health," he says. "Learn to be less selfish though I know that's hard for you to understand."

"Thor, you're here," Bruce says. He notices Loki's wetness and frowns. "Loki, come here. I could help-"

"I have got him," Thor says as he grips Loki's forearm. "His problems are not your own."

Bruce gives Thor a suspicious look. "No, Loki, come here," he says. "I know where the towels are."

Loki nods and follows Bruce, tugging his arm out of Thor's grip. He notices the way Bruce's arms are flexing and puts a hand on his shoulder once they reach the privacy of one of Tony's expansive supply closets. "Bruce, it's fine."

"No, it's not!" he shouts, grabbing a towel down. "Loki, is he hurting you? If he is, I will-"

"No, no, Bruce, he's not," he replies. "He's just… Bruce, I did something bad, worse than letting Gwen kiss me."

Bruce drapes the towel over his shoulders. "Loki, what did you do?" he asks.

"I told him that—that I didn't love him." He holds his hand to his mouth to stifle a sob. "Oh gods, Bruce, I told him that in front of his father who disapproves of whatever is—was going on. I even told him that he didn't love me, that he was just confused."

He shakes his head. "Loki, take a deep breath in. Ready? In. Now out. Yes, exhale." He takes the towel and dries Loki's hair. "It's… what you did was pretty bad, but you can't let him talk to you like _that_. You have to defend yourself."

"I can't. I'm afraid I might say something that will betray how I really feel. Bruce, I love him, but I can't tell him that. We can't be together. I'm holding him back."

"Shut up!" he shouts. "Just shut up, Loki. You know who said the same thing? Captain Ross to Betty, and he convinced her that she was right! She was wrong, Loki. If anything, she was holding me back, but I would never blame her for that. You can't blame yourself for things like that."

"I had sex with him," he says as he stares at the puddle around his feet. "He came in and—Bruce, I should have told him that it was a mistake, but I wanted it! I was selfish, Bruce, and now our relationship is worse off than it was before!"

There's a knock on the door. "Um… if you two are done in there, I'd appreciate it if you kind of came out of the closet." There's a snicker. "Wait, wait, sorry, that was not funny. We're about to cut the cake, so hurry up. Tony Stark needs some cake in his tummy, science-bro!"

"You know what, you and I are going to get through this, Loki. You need to spend as much time away from him as you can if you truly believe in the bull you're saying. Your relationship is unhealthy, and I can't stand to see one of my best friends in such misery. You would do the same for me."

Loki nods. "I would."

They join the rest of them in the dimmed dining room, and Bruce keeps his arm around Loki's shoulder, pulling him next to him and Clint.

"Ready, bitches?" Clint asks. "Okay, sing this like you know how! Better be good!"

Loki makes eye contact with Natasha across the table and grins. He inhales and begins to singing a normal version of "Happy Birthday" with his friends. Of course that doesn't last long because after the last line, a few people start to sing the song "Birthday Cake" with a few ad-libbed lyrics such as "But it is their birthday" in place of the original ones.

He and Bruce retreat to the living room after getting their slices, Loki only accepting one after Bruce gives him a look.

Karaoke starts with Tony and Rick singing "Birthday Sex" as Bruce forks cake into his grinning mouth and Clint dances with cake in hand.

Somewhere after Johnny and Ben sing "E.T.," Clint jumps onto the stage and excitedly says, "I have a song for my Nordic friends, and I dedicate this song to my sexy self." Clint starts to sing the lyrics to "Get Some" as he dances a mixture of burlesque and contemporary.

He tugs Bruce from his seat when he spots Thor and a giggling Billy dancing. Thor grins, dipping him down as Theodore stares on with amusement, but Loki is not going to watch them dance to _this_ song and not feel jealous.

He has an idea of what Thor's "other plans" are, and granted, they're simply paranoid thoughts, but his intuition has led him thus far without being wrong. He has every right to assume "other plans" means other people.

Loki steps onto the stage with Clint, pulling Bruce up with him. He takes ahold of the microphone and holds it between him and Clint, joining him in the chorus before devolving into his own mixture of contemporary and belly dancing.

In his periphery, Thor dips Billy down low, the two of them grinning with their faces only inches apart.

He grabs ahold of Clint's shoulder and puts his leg around his waist, hanging from his body as he sings the last line.

Bruce holds him by the shoulders from behind, staring down at him with narrowed eyes nearing a chemical green. "We really need to have another talk," he hisses as they leave the stage.

When he spots Thor happy with Theodore and Billy, Loki leaves Stark Manor without another word.

He seethes and paces his room, frowning when Thor walks in. "What could you possibly want?"

Thor steps up to him, eyes narrowed to slits more black than blue. "Bruce Banner has proclaimed himself your new protector, hm?" he says, hand coming up to cup Loki's chin. "Banner does not see the effect you have on others who fall for your spell, does not see the downward spiral that I, myself, have fallen into because of your tricks."

Loki keeps his head up as Thor's thumb plays with his bottom lip, only reaching up to bat his hand away when his fingers start to prod between his lips. "Bruce has my best interests in mind," he says. "He is the only one who does other than my uncle of course."

"Nal has your best interests?" Thor asks, smiling. "Are you suddenly going to tell me that you are no liar, and I am not a fool?"

He smiles back at him. "He's protecting me, protecting the future pain of getting hurt because of stupid teenage naiveté."

"Naiveté?" Thor bares his teeth. "Being in love is no more naïve than attempting to eradicate said love with the use of avoidance. Oh wait, I must have forgotten." Thor chuckles. "I am not in love. I am merely confused and only in lust with you."

"Cannot hear the truth, Thor?"

Thor attempts to touch his face again, but Loki grabs his wrist. "No, you are the one acting on paranoid thoughts of abandonment. You are confused and stupidly so." He pulls his arm from Loki's grasp. "I cannot bare to hear the lies spun by that silver tongue."

"But you enjoy the way my silver tongue and lips wrap around your cock, don't you?" He falls to his knees, sneering up at Thor, and he shoves his pants down his hips. "Projecting your desires through rage does nothing to ease the pain of knowing that I do not want to touch you at every moment of the day."

He's temporarily gagged by Thor, staring up at him as he takes inch after inch into his mouth.

Thor throws his head back and chuckles at something. "But I do know the truth, Loki. I know that you want me as much as you used to when you spent nights stroking yourself to the thought of the step-brother you were sure you would never have. You want to know why?"

Loki blinks up at him, hands and mouth pausing around Thor.

"You are on your knees," he says, "where you went willingly."

He could simply unsheathe his teeth and hurt him where even Thor would feel pain, but he doesn't. Instead, he pushes his gag reflex to its limit, stopping when his hands are on Thor's bare hips because there's not enough left for him to grasp.

He pulls out to the tip, repeating his previous action as he stares unblinking at Thor.

For the first time, he swallows it all.

"Satisfied?" he asks, sitting on the edge of his bed with his legs crossed.

Thor runs a hand through his hair as he tucks himself back into his pants, Loki catching the slightly tremble in his hands. "Expecting nothing less from the silver-tongued god," he replies. "The next time Lady Jane asks me the reasoning behind our continued relationship, you know with my impending leave, I will be sure to remind her of your talented mouth which is quite capable of doing other than lying."

He pulls himself off in angry strokes, remembering Thor's words about Loki's past doubts of their plausibility as a couple when he watches his cum circle the drain.

His anger quickly turns into irritation overnight, and Loki is disappointed to see Thor present at breakfast for the first time in days. He sits down next to him to prevent his mother from getting suspicious, but he shifts his seat as far away from him as he can.

Thor has the nerve to greet him, and Loki clenches his fists so tight that he doesn't realize his palms are cut until his mother points out the blood on his hands. When she asks if he's alright, he nods and replies, "I have 'other plans,' Mother. Do have a good day without me."

He shows up on Nal's doorstep with his hands covered in drying blood, and Nal only says, "I hope you did not ruin the upholstery," before gesturing him in, uncaring of the fact that he drove here. He follows his uncle with anger still flowing through him and only lets him clean the wounds after he sends him a sharp look.

"I think he's having sex with other people," he says as Nal finishes the gauze on his right hand.

Nal doesn't react other than a pause in his hands. "He should be as should you. I thought that you two were finished."

"We are," he says, keeping his breath steady as he can, "but we still… have sex."

"You do realize how foolish that is?" Nal is unnecessarily rough with his left hand. "Did he use a condom the last time you two engaged in coitus? Is that what prompts your worries?"

"Yes, and he was late to Bruce and Clint's party. He… simply said that he had 'other plans' before being rather aggressive with me. Bruce even noticed the way he talked to me. He was angry with Thor."

"Well, Loki, you did just break his heart, did you not?" Nal asks as he finishes. "He is a scorned lover, Loki. Some of those less controlled than we are display their confusion in ways such as anger. Thor is one of those people. If you give him time and stop having sex with him, the problem will resolve itself."

John arrives and gives him a scolding for driving, dragging him off for a quick lesson and dropping him home afterward. He keeps Loki's car as a precautionary measure, reminding him of his upcoming driver's exam.

Perhaps staying away from Thor is not good advice since they both live under the same roof. Thor gives Loki a look when his phone rings in his pocket, continuing to chop the potato on the counter with a smirk.

His uncle invites him to Easter dinner with him, John, and John's family. Seeing his mother and Thor in the kitchen preparing their own Easter dinner, he agrees.

"But, Loki, this is our first Easter as a family," his mother says, basting the ham.

"This is my first Easter with my other family in my life."

Her movements are filled with guilt, and he knows her answer before she opens her mouth: yes. "Okay, Loki, I guess I will see you tomorrow. Do tell your uncle I said hello."

Roxanne is the sunny woman from John's photo and John's two children Emma and Craig, 13 and 14, are a combination of their mother and father though Emma is more John and Craig is more Roxanne. She smiles and hugs Loki upon seeing him, gushing about John's retelling of the stories of his lessons.

John gives him two thumbs up when Roxanne mentions his love for Thor "the boy who also happens to be your step-brother," and Nal gives Roxanne an undecipherable look before suggesting that they eat.

Emma and Craig ask him many questions, most of which he doesn't answer—"Have you had sex?" "Have you watched porn?" "Do you even like girls?"—and John asks Loki about Thor, Craig and Emma drilling him about "this boyfriend."

Nal politely asks them to stop, and they do, Roxanne making a comment about Nal having a strange hold over them.

"He scares the shit out of them, Roxy," John says. "Ice is the only one who dares to try to stand to him. Look at him. He's freaking intimidating, but the chicks dig it."

Nal's mood is off after the three of them leave, and he excuses himself to bed immediately, Loki going to do the same.

He's back to his normal nonchalance and contempt the next morning and takes Loki out for a "much-needed shopping trip." Nal ignores the lustful gazes of the other shoppers in each store and treats the staffers with ruthless dismissiveness, and they're silent until Nal asks him about the restrictions of their relationship as Loki scans a wall of leather jackets.

"There are none," he replies, Nal sighing. "I never actually—I don't think that we truly need them."

"Trust me, you two need them very, very badly," he replies. "Has your relationship even gone through the teenage formality of 'breaking up?'"

There's a question that he would rather not answer, too aware of what his uncle's reaction is going to be. "No," he says. "I... ignore him. He ignores me."

"Do you intend to?"

He pauses in front of a jacket. "No."

Nal sighs. "What is it with you adolescents? I am so very thankful that my brother took care of the necessity of heirs with your conception. I have no intent on having any myself."

"Count that child lucky," he says, ignoring his uncle's narrowed gaze as he spots another jacket.

He pulls his sunglasses off of his forehead as they exit the store and makes the mistake of not paying attention to where he is going, leading to a near-collision only stopped by his uncle's hand on his shoulder.

"Pay attention for once," he hisses, grip painful for a second.

Loki pushes his sunglasses back up to take a glance at who his would-be assailant is. His mouth goes dry, one because of _who_ is it, and two because of him being covered in a sheen of sweat that would look unattractive on most.

Hero grins as he pulls out his ear buds. "It seems that fate has led my clumsy self to almost run into you."

"No, no, it was my fault." He away the gloss covering his eyes, averting his eyes up to Hero's still-attractive face. "I should have paid more attention."

"Thanny would disagree," he says. "I am 'The Other Titan' for a reason, and me being kind of clumsy is one of them. That boy has the grace of a ballerina, but don't tell him I said that."

"'The Other Titan?'" Nal asks, letting his presence be known again. "You are Hero Titan, Thanos' brother. It is nice to put a face to the name."

Hero takes his hand with a grin. "I hope it's a nice enough face though your nephew, right?—has displayed that it is more than."

"Ah, yes," Nal says, "and so I've heard. It is nice to see that today's youth see the joy of running. You seem to have had quite the workout."

"An unfinished one," he replies. "Another addition on my list of unfinished things."

He bites the inside of his cheek to stop from smiling, and Hero seems to notice, smirking. He should want to wipe that smirk off of his face, not stare at it like he is.

"Hero, I am afraid that my nephew and I must depart, but I think I will be seeing a lot more of you with Loki's lack of a relationship to bog him down as it has. Do tell your brother that I send my greetings and your father as well."

He wishes to snap at his uncle for putting him through that, but before he can, Hero calls his name. He turns to look at him.

Hero grins again. "You never got my number nor did I ever get yours." He holds out his hand, and Loki gives his phone to him with a sigh. "I am setting it to number one on your speed dial in the hope that if you do forget, you will accidentally butt-dial me. That would be a story to tell to the grandkids."

Nal snorts, and Loki sends him a glare.

"Text me since you're now free from the chains of a relationship." His fingers ghost over Loki's wrist. "I would be sure to not make you feel... bogged down though if being... restrained is your thing..."

"Hero, goodbye," he says, and he finally smiles at him. "I make no promises to text you, but... keep your phone near."

His uncle sends him a look as they get into his car. "It would be a good time to cut the rest of the chain, Loki. You are not one to... cheat, are you? But, you did say that perhaps Thor was seeing others. Still, do make it official soon, Loki. I hope I do not have to command you to do so."

Tuesday morning, Bruce answers the door disheveled and tired but invites Loki in. "Tell me about your weekend," he says as Loki sits down on his bed, so Loki does, trying and failing to ghost over the meeting with Hero. "Hero Titan, Loki? Really?"

"He's a friend." He pulls out _Lolita_.

"Nothing happened between you and Hero, right?" Bruce grabs the Poe book from his desk and sits down opposite him. "Right?"

"We exchanged numbers," he says as he finds his place from last time.

"You did what? Loki, why? I thought you were barely getting over Thor."

"I am never 'getting over' him, Bruce." He turns the page. "We're just friends. It doesn't matter."

"Whatever you say."

He's partially thankful that Bruce doesn't pester him for answers like their other friends would, but it does make him uneasy with the way Bruce sends him a look before shaking head every few minutes. He disapproves of Loki's handling of this situation, but the least he could do is put in a suggestion.

He leaves after dinner, but Bruce stops him out in the hallway. "Finally decided to say something?"

"Just, Loki, be careful is all I have to say," he says. "This could get messy."

He pats Bruce's shoulders. "When doesn't it?"

The sounds of "Marry the Night" carry him through the New York evening and through the streets as just another citizen. He feels complete—or as complete as he's going to get with the way his life is going—strolling among others who barely pay him attention.

Another shoulder collides with his own in passing, sending Loki's right earphone flying out and his body stumbling forward a short distance. Once he's regained enough of his balance, he turns to look at his inconsiderate assailant.

He catches the sliver of a smile that makes his left bicep tingle in long-gone phantom pain and hair like the moon.

He feels himself staring after his back and unmoving in the center of the sidewalk. With fake calm, he puts his right earphone in and resumes his journey home.

A million billion questions run through his mind at once as to who the boy was and why did Loki recognize him. It's someone he's met before for sure. The way he made no motion to move out of Loki's way reaffirms his gall, which means that he had to have some idea of who Loki was.

If he narrows his eyes a bit, it seems as if the boy did so on purpose.

There's a brief pause in his step as he passes Thor's half-opened door. It's enough to alert Thor that there is something "wrong" with Loki because he calls his name when he makes to go inside his own room.

Loki sticks his head inside the opening. "Yes, Thor?"

"Come in. Close the door behind you."

Loki drops his phone and iPod onto Thor's bureau as he passes. He knows the drill: he silently submits and Thor takes over the rest of the steps in this twisted dance of theirs.

It still doesn't make him yearn for Thor's touch any less when Thor's hands begin to undo his pants. Loki is willing to settle for what he can get, so he won't complain.

"Where did you go?" Thor asks as he begins to pull Loki's jeans and boxers down his legs. His fingers ghost over Loki's skin and send shivers.

His hands remain motionless at his sides, but they itch to just reach out and touch. "Bruce's," he replies.

Thor pulls his shirt off before turning Loki and pulling him down onto his lap. He's hard, extremely so, and Loki takes a deep breath in preparation for what he knows is coming. Bitterly, he thinks about the fact that there's not even eye contact. "That's a lie," he says, nudging Loki forward enough to pull himself out of his briefs.

Loki bites back a hiss as Thor's fingers breach him. "It isn't," he replies breathlessly. "I—we sit and read."

With the remnants of a healthy relationship, every need for Thor to treat Loki like porcelain disappeared. It's tightening how animalistic Thor becomes when they do this, but Loki's strong enough to shut his mouth and take it, however pathetic that is.

He bites into the heel of Thor's usually offered hand as he's assaulted by the burning and filled sensation below. He didn't put a condom on this time, and Loki feels both relief and confusion at that.

"That's stupid," Thor replies, but Loki hears that his heart isn't in it like most things he says nowadays. "Mm, so tight."

He doesn't spare any gentleness as he bites down hard into his hand as he climaxes. It's almost painful how his entire body clenches up around the intrusion that is Thor, and only weeks ago Loki would have thought of Thor as anything but that, an intrusion.

Thor does spare his comfort a thought by promptly pulling out after he cums seconds later, Loki's neck aftershock not amplified by Thor's being inside of him. He doesn't immediately push him away either, holding Loki's hips to steady him, and their breaths synchronize as they always do.

He avoids Thor's eyes as he collects his things. Behind the closed door of his bedroom, he simply sits in the center of the bed with his chin propped on his knees as he lets the waves of shame overtake him.

Loki could stop this and tell Thor how he feels—tell him what he owes him: the explanation of his behavior as well as the feelings inside of him. He could, but he can't. He's not selfish enough to put that burden on his shoulders. Loki is strong.

He goes with John to take his exam, Loki finding John's voice repeating the road rules in his head as he answers the questions to the various scenarios. When he exits and John asks him if he's "more cocky than usual," he shrugs, not surprised when he discovers that he's passed with a perfect score.

John returns his car to his possession, warning him that he will turn him in "to the law" if he catches him driving alone again. Loki catches the conspiratorial glint in his eye but nods.

He bores of sitting around, so he grabs his keys and goes to find something to do, encountering Thor in front of the door.

"Where are you going?" Thor asks, and Loki ignores him until he grabs his arm and spins him around. "I asked you where you were going, Loki."

He pulls his arm from Thor. "Do not touch me!"

"Loki, you know that I would never—I swear on the gods that I would never hurt you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," he replies, and he goes to leave, his breathe leaving his body when Thor grabs him and pins him against the door. "See?"

"I am not going to hurt you, Loki," Thor says, teeth clenched. "I told you that I wouldn't. Why do you never believe me?"

"I lie, Thor," he replies. "A liar knows when another is lying, and you-" He's cut off by Thor's mouth on his, hard and angry, and he pushes away, turning around in offer of something he can give to Thor.

Afterward, Thor leaves the house, Loki left alone until his mother's return.

The next time he and Bruce meet at Charles' coffee shop as per his suggestion, Bruce simply says, "You have to stop this, Loki," and Loki sits down with a sigh. "You can't just pretend that it's only sex when all of these feelings are involved."

He opens _Lolita _and sips his tea. "It's not up for discussion, Bruce." He sighs. "Nothing either of us says is going to change the fact that I'm in love with him."

The next few days he doesn't see Thor at all, and the weather is atrocious, rainy and cloudy to the point where one could mistake New York City for London.

Erik and Charles are already at the coffee shop when he and Bruce arrive Sunday, and they wave them over with surprised smiles. "Well, this is quite the shindig," Charles says, Erik cocking an eyebrow. "What?"

"You sounded as old as your sweater," Bruce says, and Charles scoffs.

Erik leans back in his chair. "What brings you two here? I hear you have been here the past few days from the barista."

"Thor problems," Bruce says before Loki can answer, and he shrugs when Loki glares at him. "They know. There's no point in avoiding it or lying, no matter how much you seem to like it."

"My choice in friends is terrible."

"Oh, yes," Charles says, nodding, "your recent break, right? Would you even call it that? You two did not go through any formal split."

"I often wonder how you know these things," Erik says. "But then I realize that I could care less as long as you stay out of trouble and share with me."

Loki rubs around the rim of his cup. "He's going off to college, and my uncle and I agreed that I should distance myself from him. That didn't go so well, so… we're on rocky terms. He hates me, I distrust him, and we have extremely great, extremely angry sex. That's the gist of the mess of my life."

"The life of the modern day teenager is getting quite strange, is it not?" Charles sips his tea. "Well, Loki, one can only say that you should take your mind off of things. Your step-brother's new appearance in the party scene says that he's been doing so." He shrugs at their incredulous looks. "I hear it from students."

"That explains things," he murmurs, thinking of Thor's recent behavior.

They venture to the record store that he and Thor paid a visit to last month after Charles mentions a need for more sensual music, Erik scratching the back of his neck awkwardly and Bruce and Loki chuckling at his expense.

He grabs an Armin van Buuren CD from the shelf and goes to the kiosk for a listen, but the previously scanned compilation CD gets ahold of his attention. He sets the other CD down and puts the headphones on automatically, tapping the play button on the screen.

He shuts his eyes and holds the headphones tighter to his head, listening to the strum of the guitar and James Morrison's voice. He pulls the headphones to his neck though he can still hear the music.

"Look at this one," a familiar voice says in the next aisle over. If Loki leans to the right, he can peek over, but he stays where he is. "Loki would like it."

There's a snorting sound that makes his heart stop.

"He already has it," _he_ replies. "I bought it for him. All of them actually."

Loki gulps as he realizes that he's in the same store with Thor. Oh gods, he is such an idiot for even agreeing to come here. He knew that Thor knew of this place. It's as if his mind wants to get him into inescapable situations.

"Dude, wait, stop," Robert says, and Thor pauses a few feet away from Loki, the top of his head visible over the shelf. "We should… talk."

"Robert, I do not care to have this conversation," he replies, "but I feel as though I owe you the time to expound your opinions. We both know ever so helpful they can be."

"Shut up." There's the sound of slapping. "Are you two still… together?"

Loki bites the inside of his lip as he wonders of Thor's answer. He's unsure of what his own would be. He pulls the headphones up below his ears to resume listening.

"I… do not know," he hears.

"It's really not that hard to answer, Thor. Okay, say if Loki were to go off and make-out with Thanos, would you be pissed? Wait—that was stupid. Obviously you would be. You hate the guy as much as I do." Robert claps his hands together. "Okay, let's try this again. If Loki were to start dating Hero, would you feel betrayed or feel like he was cheating on you?"

"Yes, yes, I would, Robert," Thor says. "Simply because we barely talk outside of pointless arguments does not mean he is not the love of my life."

Loki's bottom lip begins to tremble, so he pulls the headphones up the entire way to try to drown out the conversation. When the chorus starts again, he drops them around his neck again.

Erik approaches him and leans to hear the barely audible music. "Wow, alternative rock songs about breakups," he says. "I am not very surprised."

"Thor, just get it anyway-"

Loki tries to shove Erik down the aisle as Robert and Thor emerge from the other one, but eye contact with Thor is instantaneous like he feels a gravitational pull to Loki's eyes as Loki feels for his.

"Lok-master!" Robert exclaims as a grin breaks out across his face. "Was not expecting to see you!"

Thor's holding _Viva la Vida or Death and A ll His Friends_ in one hand and _Discovery_ in the other. A month ago, he would have pointed out Thor's evolving taste in music courtesy of him before reminding him of his dance to "One More Time."

"Professor Lensherr, Loki," Thor greets, face neutral. "I am not surprised to see you two here together."

As if Charles was waiting for his cue to enter, he comes to them. "Loki, I know that you are probably not a fan of fate-" He stops and grins at Thor and Robert. "Hello, Mr. Odinson and Mr. Reynolds. This is quite the affair. Bruce, come and join us!"

"Coming, coming." Bruce stops and stares at them. "Oh, um, hey, Rob." He frowns and places a hand on Loki's shoulder. "Thor."

Charles yanks the jack of the headphones out just as the opening measures of "Lovers In Japan" play, and Loki thinks of past-him flinching at the sound of the song from Thor's phone, Thor having thought it funny to sit a room away and ask him inane things. "Yes, yes, 'fate.' I actually quite like this song," Charles says, and he smiles at Erik. "Erik-"

"Charles, please, can we not-?"

"No, dance with me. I am going to enjoy this moment, Erik, and you are going to enjoy it with me."

"Banner, come and peruse the tunes with me," Robert says, and he sends Thor a look that means Loki is in for quite the treat.

"'Lovers in Japan,'" Thor comments, blinking.

Loki glances to where Erik is dipping a giggling Charles down. "I was listening to something else before… _Viva la Vida_-"

"I do not own a copy for myself. I never knew you to eavesdrop."

"It's not eavesdropping when one is talking too loud." He goes into the next aisle, knowing that Thor will follow him. "Charles and Erik make a cute couple."

"'Cute.'" Thor chuckles, and Loki pulls a Radiohead cd down to occupy himself. "And what does that make us? Adorable?"

"_Does_."

"No, we make—made a beautiful couple, Thor. Get it straight before you insult me or that oh so majestic face of yours." Loki scans the CD and puts the headphones on. "You should know that I can never _be_ with anyone else. Even if I tried, you've built up unrealistic expectations for me, but I have no… desire for anyone else."

He turns to look at Thor and sees him bent down and looking at a bottom shelf. "I am listening, Loki."

"I know, I just—I'm done talking anyway." He turns up "Optimistic" to shut off the outside world. That is not the response he wanted from Thor. He feels himself growing angry, so he tries to make Thor feel the same. "Nal told Hero that we were broken up. He wants to pursue me, and I have his number..."

He turns and sees that Thor is staring a hole into an Oasis CD. He pulls the headphones from his ears, and Thor turns to look at him.

"I didn't think that you'd care," he replies nonchalantly. "You did agree with my assumption that you didn't love me, so I figured that you didn't really care. You've been with other people, so I think it's only fair-"

"Other people!?" Thor shouts, advancing on Loki.

Loki walks backward automatically.

"_I_ have been with no one else, Loki, though people throw themselves at me from every angle! Do you know why? You have ruined me and any chance I have of finding happiness with anyone else! Does that satisfy you, Loki? Are you happy now? You wanted me for yourself." He grins and gestures to himself. "Well, now look. You can have me."

Thor kisses him., but Loki shoves away from him. "Thor, I can't!" he shouts. "I can't do this! As much as you claim that, it doesn't make it true!"

"Why, Loki? Have you tired of me already?" He chuckles. "I should be the one accusing you of infidelity with your penchant for kissing other people. Professor Charles Xavier? Tony Stark? Gwen Stacy?" He looks behind Loki, and something flashes across Thor's eyes. "Loki, tell me. When you were on drugs, did your kissing turn into something more?"

He hears himself hyperventilating. "I… Thor, I don't… I didn't," he replies. "I didn't want to." He thinks of the grin and the tingling on his arm and brings up a hand to his left bicep. "I didn't want to, Thor. I didn't want them to."

"You're a liar, Loki," he says. "Why should I believe you?"

He thinks of red and confusion and loneliness, and he feels himself getting angry again. "I didn't want them to, Thor! But you know what I did want?" He jabs a finger into his chest. "I _wanted_ to spend the rest of my life with you! I _wanted_ to grow old with you! I _wanted _to trust you! Wanting and getting are two different things, Thor!

"I _wanted_ you, but you're going off to college. I can't stand in the way of your dreams, your destiny. I want happiness like everyone else, but it looks like I'm not going to get that with you." He grins at Thor's frowning face. "The one thing about drugs was that they made me forget, Thor. I forgot the great conversation your father and I had about me standing in the way of your dreams, and wow did it feel great. I wish I could forget all of this. I wish I could forget _you_. I hate you, Thor. I hate you for doing this to me!"

"You do not mean that," Thor says.

"I know," he replies. "Like the idiot I am, I _want_ you, Thor, but I cannot have you. You are leaving for this new, faraway life…" He looks over at a staring Bruce and Robert. "And I will not be the one that you resent if you stay. Love fades with distance, Thor." He points at him again. "So you should stay away from me."

Thor grabs his wrist. "You know that is impossible, Loki."

"I thought that you and I ever being together was impossible too," he says. "Too bad I was wrong about that."

"Shut your mouth, Loki," Thor replies. "You think that pushing me away is going to make it any easier, but It is not. You are being selfish. You never think to share your feelings with me until they get to this point where we are screaming in a record store! What about my feelings? You have not considered how this has been affecting me!"

He picks up a CD. "I have to be selfish sometimes, Thor. I have to protect myself."

"From me? I love you, Loki. I would never intentionally hurt you though you seem to take pleasure in doing so to me."

"You just don't—Thor-" He inhales in preparation for what must be done. "Our romantic and sexual relationship is…"

"Loki, are you attempting breaking up with me?"

"Yes, Thor, it was bound to happen," he replies as he starts to walk away. "Our lives are diverging. It is only right that I take the liberty to end this before it gets any worse."

"No."

He turns and cocks an eyebrow at Thor.

"No, we are not."

Loki laughs nervously. "Thor, what are you-?"

"We are not breaking up. I will not let you go that easily," he says, grinning. "I told you that you had ruined me romantically and mentally, Loki. If you think that I would be so stupid as to let the _one_ leave my grasp without a fight, you did not much pay attention during our relationship." He takes the final step up to Loki. "My appetite for you is insatiable, and I do not plan on letting myself starve."

When Thor kisses him this time, he doesn't push away and stares down at the ground when they break apart.

"Loki, we must try."

He blinks, his eyelashes rubbing against Thor's cheek. "We shouldn't."

Thor's eyes find his again. "But we will," he says. "You have not been one for upholding rules, and I have witnessed your stubborn streak recently. We can do this, together."

A clap comes from the aisle over as Robert raises his hands above his hand and mock cries, praising Thor's bravery and ability to "fight for his man."

For the first time in weeks, their argument does not turn into mind-blowing and emotionally draining sex though the following hours spent with a passive Bruce and an excited Robert do hinder any chances of that.

"Things do work out then," Bruce says, pausing in the doorway.

"Bruce, there's no need to be so…"

"Pessimistic?" Bruce cocks a brow. "Well, Loki, you know as a man of science, I'm a realist. What you two are doing is… stupid, ineffective, prolonging, but I also know what it's like being in love with someone you shouldn't." He pats Loki's shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow."

His uncle is standing in the hall in wait when he arrives home, immediately telling Loki that he will be staying at his house.

Loki knows when to put up a fight, and the tension between his mother and Nal so obvious. He ducks into Thor's room after he grabs his blazer, quickly explaining the storm brewing downstairs.

"I hate him," Thor says, crossing his arms. "An obstructionist of Cantor/Ryan standards."

He cocks an eyebrow. "Thor, are you referring to American politics?"

"Yes, is there something offensive about that?"

"No, no, I just—Robert and Luke are rubbing off on you," he says. "Maybe you'll even end up going to Columbia with them this fall." He exhales and looks away from Thor's suddenly hard eyes.

"Loki!" Nal shouts.

He bids Thor farewell, finding his mother and Nal engaged in a stare down. He kisses his mother on the cheek and grabs his uncle's sleeve, pulling him out of the door to prevent an incident.

After Nal calms down enough, Loki asks him what the problem is with his mother since the two of them "were a super duo not long ago."

He sends Loki an amused look. "Your mother finds your recurring absence to be worrying," he replies, leaning against the doorframe. "She concerns about you more than needed. It is a trait that all Bergelmirson wives seem to have. I, myself, would never seek out such a woman, but… Laufey and Father are both…"

"Fools for love?"

"Yes, that too though I was going to say 'mother's boys,'" he replies, the corners of his lips quirking up. "I will see you in the morn."

Spending time with his uncle is making him feel a lot more indifferent to the small problems in life. Waking up at such an early time no longer causes him to feel cranky, it's simply a misunderstood advantage that he's learning to adjust to. Perhaps if his uncle had been more active in his childhood, he would be like him by now, uncaring, cold, aloof.

But would that truly be a good thing?

"I will see you after school," Nal says, actually waving him a goodbye. Progress.

Their friends vibrate with excitement as he and Thor carry on an actual conversation at lunch, the topic something safe , astronomy, and Loki smiles himself when he and Thor walk shoulder to shout to Psychology. Again, more progress.

As he walks to the waiting Bugatti Veyron, he remembers his mother's reminder that she has a meeting with a bakery for cake designs. He opens his mouth to say so to Nal, but his uncle is thirty steps ahead as always, telling him that he will pick him up afterward.

"Loki, you came," his mother says, pulling him into a hug. She sends a dark look at Nal before taking Loki's hand and leading him into the shop. "I have missed you."

"It has been a day, Mother."

"A day too long, and as you said, I am your mother." She introduces him to the baker, and Loki sits through the talk about what she wants—"gold, blue, white"—and tries to seem interested because he is even if his mind is elsewhere. He's just not in the mood.

After he makes up the excuse of homework, she tells him he can go home, and Loki goes outside to call his uncle, noting to call his mother and tell her that he didn't in fact go home later. His uncle is curt in his agreement, and Loki listens for any annoyance but hears none.

As he stands there, a black-haired boy walks up to him, hands in his pockets, and Loki's first instinct is to take a step backward, but he doesn't.

He slips his phone back into his pocket and turns to the boy, brown cocked. "Do I know you?"

"Well, you do now." The boy holds out his hand with a smile. "Marvin."

He shakes the offered hand. "Loki."

"I know," he replies.

"Why are you here, if you don't mind me asking?"

Marvin shrugs. "Someone asked me to make sure you got where you needed to go alright, and I accepted. I just need to make sure everything's cool. Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you. If I tried to even touch you, he'd have my balls cast in gold and put on his mantle. Someone else made that mistake and I should inform you that they're probably not making any children anytime soon."

He stares at him, thinking of Flint, Carny, and the other boy, and lets out a sigh. "Whoever this is… should I thank them?"

"Well, them, and your friends," he says. "They, um, pretty much took care of the job, but he still got revenge." Marvin pulls out a cigarette and lights it. "I hope you don't mind-"

"No, no," he replies, spotting Nal's car, "it's fine. I must go, but-"

"I'll see you soon," Marvin replies. "Have a good week."

"Who was that?" Nal asks as they pull off, Marvin staring after the car with an impassive expression.

"Just a friend." It's easy how HYDRA-connected people become his friends these days, unsettlingly so. Perhaps his mention of the three of them getting what they deserved is what makes Loki not mind him. He didn't seem very annoying though his impromptu visit was unsettling.

"How are you faring?" Charles asks Thursday evening, setting his tea aside look up at Loki. "You have been fairly quiet in school, but you never were very loud."

Loki takes a piece of Charles' uneaten muffin. "No, I think I'm fine," he replies. "The incident at the record store put things in perspective for both of us. We are… trying."

Thor's absence from him has lowered, but their interaction is still quite stiff. On the other hand, sex is… great again though lacking the anger and force.

Erik sets his tea down. "I hope you know that we are both on your side. You are my favorite student by far, replaced Summers Two and Anna when you waltzed at formal."

"Erik, we're not supposed to show favoritism."

"I don't care for rules," Erik replies, smiling as he takes a drink from his mug. "And Charles agrees. He's just too scared to say so."

"What? There is no such—Loki, I am on your side of course, but-"

"A-ha!" He points at Charles and grins, putting a kiss on the reddening man's forehead. "Now, let us talk literature and the terrible state it's in today."

His uncle actually eats the muffin Loki brings back for him though he makes comments about it being "far too soft" for his tastes. He warns Loki that they are to go for a run the next day, and yet again, Loki thinks of the progress his uncle is making on the front of being a good uncle.

Marvin is waiting for him outside the bakery again Friday, smoking his cigarette and looking like a rebellious teenager into gang violence. He explains that he's a 12th grader at HYDRA to no surprise, and his best friend is "a megalomaniac with aspirations of ruling the world."

"Thanny is quite the person, isn't he?" Loki says, smiling.

Marvin laughs. "Well, he's made the impression on you, hasn't he? That must say something." He blows out smoke. "He's cool though. I like him."

Thor's brow furrows when he sees Loki, and he sniffs. "Loki, what were you doing? If you do not mind me asking."

He shrugs his jacket off, catching a whiff of cigarette. "Oh, um, I was standing next to someone who was smoking," he replies. "It was a mere inconvenience, no problem."

"Loki, if there is something-"

"Thor, I am not smoking if that's what you're implying." He inhales, pushing the red back to a corner of his mind. "I swear I am telling truth, on my honor as a step-brother who cares deeply about you and is attempting to respect your feelings."

He chuckles as he shakes his head, bringing the butcher knife down hard. "Yes, I believe you, Loki. You must share with me your mother's choices for wedding pastries."

Loki groans and sits down across from Thor. "Please, I would rather not, but if you insist, there is this peanut butter and cream cheese cake that is simply decadent," he says, moaning. "It melts in your mouth and tastes like liquid gold."

Thor smirks. "Perhaps I should come along and witness the live reaction to this cake next time."

Leather, sweat shirt, and a cigarette pops into his mind, so he tones down his cake-induced "foodgasm" as Clint so affectionately dubs it. "Oh, well..."

His mother enters the kitchen behind Thor, her eyes finding his immediately.

"The next meeting is a dress fitting," he says, widening his eyes enough for his mother to understand what he is attempting to communicate yet small enough for Thor not to think anything of it. "Tuesday?"

Thor nods a greeting to his mother. "Sounds swell."

When Thor leaves, his mother pull him into the dining room and rewards him with a stern look as she pulls out her phone. "Loki, you will tell me why I am scheduling a dress fitting."

He smiles and puts an arm around her shoulder. "I wished to spend time with my wondrous mother."

"Nope, wrong answer," she says. "This is about that boy, is it not? You do not wish for Thor to meet him."

He curses his mother's intuition. "Oh, mother, you've caught me again," he says, rolling his eyes. "Yes, you are aware of the distaste SHIELD students hold for HYDRA students, correct? Did my uncle inform you of this when you two were scheming over my academic future?"

She rolls her eyes as she talks on the phone, and Loki leaves her there with a satisfied smile.

"It's going to be SHYDRA Week in a little over two weeks," Erik says Saturday. "I know that you have some friends there."

"SHYDRA week?"

Charles sets a muffin down in front of both of them before sitting down. "Oh, SHIELD and HYDRA come together to celebrate their anniversary since they are sister schools though they seem to forget that."

Erik shakes his head and grins. "The different teams from each school are coming together to compete, and it never ends well. The festival at the end is just a big attempt to one-up each other's artistic abilities."

He smiles as he takes a bite of his sandwich, thinking of the various HYDRA students he's met. "I look forward to it."

"You say that now, but you haven't seen Reed Richards try to tell Alec Thorne that he's wrong," Charles says. "It's a nightmare of mine come true. Two kids too smart for their own good, and that's coming from a self-acknowledged know-it-all."

"Come on, Charles. Don't try to suppress their need for knowledge." Erik takes a piece of Charles' muffin. "They simply need to learn to control it."

"Well, SHIELD tries to help, but I don't think HYDRA is in any hurry to stop their alumni from becoming villains by default," he replies. "Not to offend your friends, Loki-"

"It's fine," he says, and he takes a bite of his muffin to shut himself up.

"You do have to come in on a Sunday," Charles says. "The students don't seem to mind though."

On Monday, Dr. McCoy pulls him aside after class, looking as frantic as he did on Loki's first day. He has managed to tone it down though Loki figures Steve's change and resulting class presence is a part of that. "Loki, I have something really, really big to ask of you."

Loki stares at him.

"See, with SHYDRA week coming—I need another person on the mathlete team," he says. "You, you're brilliant at math, practically a magician, but our team is great and all, but there's Alec Thorne and Ivan Vanko. Our resident geniuses are good at math and all, but they're not good with the technical aspects. Put it in the equation to make a toaster and we've got a win, but some random equation and they look at you as if you're speaking Catalan.

"So, Loki, will you please fill in the spot? We really, really need you. Please?"

He needs to take his mind off of things, and what better way is there than math? "Yes, I would be charmed," he replies, and Dr. McCoy pulls him into a gangly hug.

"I—sorry, I am just so-"

"It's fine," he replies, and he listens to McCoy inform him of the meeting after school each day though they have picked up a Saturday practice as well.

At the end of the day, he kisses Thor goodbye and goes to a multipurpose room on the third floor, discovering a few arrived students there with Dr. McCoy.

"Loki, you made it," McCoy says with a grin. He caps his marker, having just written: "Mathletes Meeting 022" on the wall length whiteboard. "You can go take a seat."

Jane, Steve, and Betty enter as he sits down next to Peter, Steve grinning as he takes a seat beside Loki.

He looks around the semi-circle and takes in the faces, most he knows though there are some he doesn't.

"I have successfully recruited our last member, Loki Laufeyson, so if you all would introduce yourselves."

Only two people in the semi-circle say their names, a tenth grader David Alleyne and the girl Loki recognizes as Tony's ex, Mya Hansen. After the short introduction, Dr. McCoy splits them into teams chosen by the number they guess, Loki's "7" making him team up with Steve, Mya, and Jane.

Dr. McCoy asks them a question that boggles Loki's mind at its easiness, Loki hitting the buzzer as soon as he finishes the question. "Yes?"

"The answer is 'e+1,'" he says.

Dr. McCoy grins. "Correct."

He should give the other team a chance to answer, but his hand keeps coming down on the buzzer before they get a chance to, Loki spitting the answer out with a strengthening smirk. He shakes the hands of the other team after practice, inwardly laughing at their 50 point margin.

His mother picks him up afterward, looking as satisfied with herself as Loki is himself. This competition she's having with Nal is getting teenage. "This friend of yours, Loki, you should bring him inside. I could use another opinion."

Loki looks at her and sees _that _look, the one that states her matchmaking gloves are on. "Fine," he says, and he sits near the window in wait for Marvin to show up.

When he does, Loki doesn't bother asking how he found him and invites him in, giving Marvin his best innocent eyes when he starts to protest being involved with such "chick-ly things."

His mother beams and takes Marvin's hang, eyes twinkling. "Hello, I am Farbauti."

"Marvin," he replies, and as she disappears back into the dressing room, he leans over and whispers, "You didn't tell me your mom was… sorry if this is weird, hot."

Loki chuckles, remembering Bucky's own reaction to his mother. "I am gay, and she is my mother," he says. "How am I to know she is 'hot?'"

"Wow," he says as his mother exits in a white and golden gown. "Dude, wow."

"Do you plan on attending the ceremony?" she asks as she adjusts the neckline of the dress. She looks like a Victorian painting, all perfect curves and glowing skin.

Marvin shrugs though the glint in his eye gives a definite answer. "Maybe."

Loki informs him of Thor's attendance tomorrow, and Marvin promises to see him the next time Thor's not around.

"He's cute," his mother says, "but straight. Too bad."

Thor and Tony stay for practice, and Tony crosses his arms and regards McCoy with condescension after making it a point to kiss Steve on the lips. Mya gives Tony a look when he comments on Steve's ass as he bends over to pick up a pencil, and she crosses her legs, lips pouting.

Dr. McCoy announces that they're no longer being split into teams, giving Loki a look as he tells them so. Loki shouldn't be punished for his mathematical skill, but he sees McCoy's point.

"If you could all settle down, yes, thank you," he says. "Today we are going to move onto integrals. This past week, we have been doing fairly easy problems. Now, if I could have a volunteer come up to the board. I will give you a problem and an hour to do said problem while your teammates will take notes and solve it themselves."

David and Hank raise their hands, shooting each other sharp looks.

"You are a tenth grader," Hank says.

"Exactly," he replies, "my mind is younger."

"I'm not good with these long problems," Betty says.

"Ditto here," Peter says.

"Can we vote?" Jane asks. "I would like to vote. My vote is for Loki."

"What? He always answers!" Hank exclaims, and David nods.

"Same here. I agree with Jane," Steve says. "He is the most able of all of us, and we could learn a lot."

Mya nods. "Loki for me as well."

"Loki," Betty says.

Peter claps him on the shoulder. "Your my bro, remember? My vote is for old green over here."

Dr. McCoy worries his lip. "Um, well, I guess we have a majority then." He gestures to the board. "If you would come to the board."

He grits his teeth and sends all who voted for him a look, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his ear buds and iPod. "Forty minutes is a long time, and I require my focus," he says as he puts them into his ears.

Dr. McCoy taps something on his tablet and the whiteboard illuminates, a problem almost as tall as Loki and three times as wide appearing on it. "Whatever works however you should know that at the competition, we will not be allowed such luxuries." He hands him a stylus. "Forty minutes in five... four... three... two..."

"Go, Loki!" Tony shouts.

House music starts playing in his ears as he takes in the problem, running the basics through his head before he attempts to tackle it. He takes a deep breath and shuts his eyes, getting lost in the music to the point where he's nodding his head.

One touch of the stylus to the board and he's off, his wrist flicking and rotating as he writes out numbers and letters, getting closer to the solution with every new mark. He steps back briefly at once point, and the song changes, allowing him to hear murmurings of "is he about to choke?" behind him. At the start of "Perfect," he goes forward again, his movements faster than before. He grins as he writes out the last calculation, one stroke of the pen and he's stepped backward and pulling his ear buds out.

"Finished."

Applause starts and he turns to see everyone staring at him with awe or hesitant admiration.

"You ended up with the correct answers," Dr. McCoy says. "Great job, great, great job."

He nods, stopping his hands from tapping out the beat to the music still playing around his neck. "How long did I take?"

Dr. McCoy beams. "Twenty minutes."

Loki frowns. "Twenty? Oh."

"You sound disappointed about that," Peter says.

"Twenty is quite a long time."

"Modesty is not a good trait," Hank says. "Accept your intellect or you're making a mockery of science."

"Shut up, Pym," Tony says. "You sound like Richards."

"You make that sound as if it's a bad thing. Reed is very..."

Loki tunes him out, finding Thor staring at him with... awe. He rolls his eyes and grabs his things as McCoy calls an early practice.

Thor keeps sending that awe-filled look as they head to the bakery, finally saying something when they stand and wait for the light to turn red. "That was... magical."

He cocks an eyebrow at Thor. "I was only solving a problem."

"Yes, but it appeared that you were doing so much more. You talk aloud when you calculate, and it sounds as if you are casting spells though anything you say does have the effect of sounding... mellifluous."

"Wow, Thor, that's..." He lets out a laugh. "Thank you though you should know I feel the exact way toward you."

"I do know." Thor smirks and holds the door open for Loki.

He almost forgets why Thor came until he is tasting a mint and crème fraiche cake and moaning aloud, Thor pausing in the middle of his sentence and turning away from his mother. He lets out another moan before he swallows, feeling heat spread up his neck as Thor watches him, eyes blackening.

The baker brings out cupcakes in the peanut butter and cream cheese flavor and a mint julep for Loki.

Very slowly, he bites into the cupcake and lets out a moan, his taste buds assaulted by the creamy and fluffy concoction. He dips his finger into the julep and cleans it with one swipe of the tongue, keeping his eyes innocent as he does.

His phone starts to ring in his pocket, so he excuses himself, taking the cupcake with him.

"I thought you could use the distraction," Marvin says.

Loki bites into the cupcake. "Hm, how thoughtful of you."

"Now, tell me what it's like. It's my job to know you're, like, okay or whatever." Marvin chuckles. "Like some amateur bodyguard or some shit."

He laughs into the cupcake, looking over in time to see Thor advancing on him. "Hey, I've got to go…"

"Oh, yeah, forgot about him. See you Sunday."

He slips his phone in his pocket in time to not drop it when Thor kisses him, his back pressing against the brick. He holds the cupcake away from them and raises his other hand to hold onto Thor's shoulder, kissing him back with equal fervor.

Thor pulls away first. "I told you that mint was my new favorite flavor."

"I know," he replies, taking a bite from his cupcake. He's surprised he doesn't split his head open on the brick when Thor surges forward to kiss him, the cupcake intermixed between them. He swallows it when they pull apart, blinking away the haze.

He brings Loki's hand to his mouth and takes a bite of the cupcake. "So, who required your immediate attention?"

"Oh, no one," he replies, immediately regretting the way Thor's eyes narrow. "No one that you, er, know."

"Who was it, Loki?"

"No one, Thor." He chews the cupcake hard. "He is a friend."

"A HYDRA friend, correct?" Thor shakes his head. "I am not surprised."

"What is that supposed to-?"

"There you two are." His mother walks up to them, a box of something in her arms. "I got more of those cupcakes you like, Loki."

Wednesday after practice, he sits on the stairs and waits for Thor, exhaling when the front door opens and he enters, wearing an expression that would make most run to JFK International Airport and board a plane with a one-way ticket to Tibet.

Thor looks up and spots him as he shrugs his jacket off, and he climbs the stairs with tension in his every movement.

"Why do we even try, Thor?" Loki asks when he reaches the step above him. "Things will never be the same. I pretty much guaranteed that when I emotionally castigated you and denounced our feelings for each other in front of you father. For two weeks, Thor, we engaged in -"

"I have homework to do." Thor slams his door, and Loki sighs.

It takes him 36 minutes to complete the problem at practice, and David finishes the following one in 22.

His uncle picks him up, informing him that on Saturday he is to attend a gala for some new partnership between Stark Industries and Jotunheim Aviation and Air. He gives Loki a look that erases all attempts to get out of going. "Also, you will need a date."

Loki shuts the door. "What?"

Nal rolls his eyes. "Someone to accompany you, or what you people call a 'date.' John is my date though we are friends. It is not a romantic thing, Loki. No need to fret."

He doesn't fret or do anything of the type. Getting a date is the last thing on his mind.

When the day comes, his uncle informs him that he took the liberty of getting Loki a date, not-so-covertly mentioning Thor's acquisition of a date without telling Loki, and if it's his intention of it being motivation to get Loki to accept the date, it works. There's also the fact that Hero is said date, and he hasn't attempted to call him. This should be some consolation for that.

Nal and John look at him when he descends the stairs in his tuxedo, both wearing strange expressions.

"Is there something wrong?" he asks, lifting each leg to check for this mysterious issue.

"Nope, you're just… calm," John says, craning his neck as Nal goes to adjust his bowtie. "Honestly was expecting you to be a freaking wreck about this. You know, seeing your ex with some other person and all that."

He exhales. "I can compose myself for a night," he replies. He notices that Nal's pocket square is slightly off and goes to point it out when John goes to fix it. He turns away from their mutual fixing of each other feeling like he's just witnessed something intimate.

Hero shakes Nal and John's hands, and as Loki watches, he thinks back to the three of them being some modern family. He looks up as if he senses Loki's presence, and he grins when their eyes meet. "Uh… hello, Loki."

He settles for shaking Hero's hand, but his fingers brush the inside of his wrist. "Hello, Hero," he replies, dropping his hand. He looks down at Hero's tuxedo before looking back up at him and realizes that he's biting his bottom lip, a sign Nal and John both know the meaning of. "You look excellent."

"Loki, you look amazing," Hero says. He looks over at Nal and John, clearing his throat. "Excuse me."

"It's fine," John says, waving his hand. "Ice looks great. You see that. Good, you're not blind, and you're both bound to get lucky tonight." He ignores Nal's disapproving look. "Let's head out."

Loki feels Hero's eyes on him throughout the ride but doesn't return his glance.

Stark Tower is exactly as advertised: Starkian to the core with its overuse of cyan lights, Stark logos covering every surface, and "tech" as far as the eye can see. The elevator itself is only a clear cylinder with a cyan button display, and if Loki were unaware of Tony's engineering perfectionism, he would be afraid of falling down the shaft.

"Hello, Master Laufeyson, it is always great seeing you," JARVIS says once they step out onto the fifteenth floor. "It is nice to meet you Master Bergelmisson, Master Blaze, and Master Titan. If you would all be so kind as to make your way to the ballroom."

Hero looks up at the ceiling and grins. "Wow, that's brilliant."

"It Is Tony Stark. You cannot expect anything else."

He looks at the Victorian decorum as they pass and thinks of Tony denouncing it as someone else's bad decision instead of his own. It's beautiful though the intervals of cyan-lit screens do create a vibe of artificiality. So it's safe to say that this is still somewhat Starkian.

Upon entry, Loki feels the air of pomp and snobbery, and it sends him a decade back to similar situations where he was surrounded by the world's elite as they flittered about and complimented each other. He meets Nal's eyes and sees understanding.

"Let the games begin," John murmurs as a man in a dark red suit approaches. "Hammer, hello."

Hammer smiles as if he's eaten a sour candy. "Oh, yes, hello men of the night. It is always a pleasure to see the Jotunheim boys," he says, and his eyes land on Loki. "Hm, it seems that we have finally been graced with the presence of _the_ Laufeyson. The resemblance is uncanny."

Nal puts his hand on Hammer's shoulder and begins to lead him away. "Yes, Loki is quite the remarkable young man. Now, tell me about Justin."

"Justin," Loki says aloud. "Justin Hammer's father."

"Bingo," John says. "He's a damn cretin. Stay away from him if you can. Poor kid Justin Hammer."

Hero pulls him to a crowd of people around the cyan colored fire—how is that possible?—inside the fireplace, and he's tempted to duck off into a corner to be far away from these people. "Mother, Father, I have someone for you to meet."

The crowd parts and reveals a dark-haired woman and a blond man standing in the center. The resemblance the man bears to Thanny is obvious though his hair color is different, and the woman is Hero through and through.

"Hero, you have arrived with your accompaniment," the man says, putting his hand on the woman's shoulder and urging her forward. "It is nice to finally meet Loki Laufeyson. I have heard much about you from both of my sons and my colleagues. It is not very often that someone causes such a stir in my world."

Loki nods as he stares up at him and shakes the hand he offers.

"I am A. Lars Titan," he says.

"And I am Suisan Titan," she says, taking Loki's hand after Mr. Titan finishes.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Loki, but I must be getting back to business conversation with my contemporaries," Mr. Titan says. "Hero, do find your brother tonight. He made himself scarce upon arrival. How unfortunate."

Hero nods. "Yes, Father," he says, inclining his head.

He stares at Hero's profile as they walk away and sees the downward curve of his lips. He should ask him what is wrong, but he honestly has no idea what the protocol is.

"Loki, my bro!" Tony shouts, pushing past a suited man. "Hey, how—whoa, was not expecting you." He stares at Hero for a few moments. "Um… Thor just came like a few minutes ago, so you should probably go hide somewhere."

"Shut up, Stark. He is my _friend_," Loki says. "Hello, Steve."

Steve puts his hand on Tony's shoulder and continues look around the room for a few seconds. When his eyes settle on Hero, he frowns. "S-sorry, I…"

"Steve, it's okay," Tony says. "He knows we are Team Thor, jeez."

Loki gives Tony an exasperated look. "There is no Team Thor. We're… fine, and Hero and I are only friends."

Tony grabs a drink from a passing waiter and downs it. "You say that now but…" He looks over Loki's shoulder. "Hey, um… run."

With a sigh, he pulls Hero along and away from the approaching Thor. He doesn't dare look back, knowing that his nonexistent luck with lead to them making instant eye contact. He does manage to encounter someone, but it's only his mother.

"Loki, there you are." She pulls him into a brief hug. "Oh, who is this?"

"Hero Titan," Hero says, pulling her hand up to kiss her knuckles. He's trying to get on Loki's mother's good side for a reason. "Ms. Laufeyson, you look beautiful."

He agrees, but Loki still rolls his eyes as his mother glances down at her blue dress and gestures to it.

"Thank you. You are gorgeous yourself." She looks between them. "Loki did always have great taste in clothes. It extends to men as well."

At that, Loki makes a hasty retreat to the other side of the room where he pulls Hero down beside him on the couch. He lets out a long breath and happens to glance a blond head talking to Tony near the refreshment table.

Mr. Stane comes into the room with Whitney in tow, and the actual party starts with his declaration of a brand new alliance between their two companies and all of that other warmongering fluff that rich industrialists spew out. He puts an arm around Nal's shoulder, and Loki chuckles into his hand at the way Nal's body tenses.

"Well look who it is," Thanny's voice says from behind them. "What subpar date did you—no fucking way."

"Hello, Thanny."

Thanny gapes for a moment before turning to Hero with a pointed finger. "How did you land him as your date? You didn't even finish fucking him, and he's giving _you_ a second chance?" He lifts his class and gulps it down. "It's the Titan genes. Has to be the reason."

Marcia leans down to whisper into Loki's ear, "He's jealous. Don't mind him, but it's nice seeing you again."

Hero and Thanny go off to sit with their parents at dinner, so Loki's left sitting next John and Nal and across from Thor. Their distance from him and Thor does prevent any unnecessary conflict, so there's an upside.

Everyone is fairly silent during dinner, the only talk going on between Odin, Nal, and Mr. Stane or at the other side of the table. But as soon as dessert is finished, the table erupts into chatter.

Hero comes over to him, and Loki stands up from his seat, Thor looking up at them curiously.

"Hero, join me?" he asks, and Thor grabs a glass of champagne to down the entire thing. He reaches forward to grab one himself. "I think we should go somewhere else."

"Mischief, hey, I'm joining you," Tony says as he takes John's vacant seat. "I heard about your Titan drama. Really, LOL-worthy."

"What's LOL-worthy?" Loki turns and sees Darcy standing behind Thor's seat. One second and he puts two and two together. She's Thor's date? Well, there goes any paranoia. "Loki, lookin' sexy."

"I know right," Hero says. "Can you believe Loki is _my_ date?"

Glass shatters and the champagne glass Thor was holding is now shards on the table. Of course his hand is fine.

"Whoa, look how strong he is," Tony says, looking at Hero. "Bet that was like crumpling paper. Imagine human bone—ow, Loki, rude." He rubs at his arm.

Darcy makes a face. "Hey, Thor, uh, wanna dance? You're not bleeding or anything, so-"

"Yes, Darcy, I would be happy to dance with you."

"Damn, that was cray," Tony says, Steve coming up to rest his chin on his shoulder. "Steve, you just missed some shit."

"Good," he says. "You know I hate conflict."

Loki ends up getting dragged into some business conversation with Nal, Odin, Mr. Titan, and Mr. Osborn about future plans. He keeps up with their business jargon, but he's bored of it all by the time they start talking about Loki's favorite topic: college.

"Odin, your son," Mr. Titan says, "is going to college at the end of the school year as well."

"Yes, yes, he is," Odin says, and his eyes land on Loki. "He will be going to spend four years in England as an international student."

"Oh, is that what he wants to do?" Mr. Osborn asks. "Harry's still in denial about his future. He'll realize soon enough that he has no choice but Harvard, but he still thinks he has a choice."

Loki clenches his jaw as Odin nods. "Yes, Thor is quite the same. He wants to be an Ecologist, but the idea of him foregoing the company in favor for plant life is absurd. There were other… factors that led him to believe he had another choice, but since then, he gotten wiser."

Nal finds Loki's eyes as he tilts his glass up to drink, and Loki is careful to keep his expression neutral.

"You know, this calls for a toast," he says. "Everyone, if you would please gather around the table!"

Tony comes to stand beside him as everyone trickles back into the dining hall.

Thor goes to Odin's side when beckoned, and his mother goes to stand on his other side. Bitterly, he thinks that they look the part of a perfect family without Loki there to ruin their picture. His absence is enjoyed by Odin for sure.

Loki takes a glass from the brand new tray on the table and raises it like everyone around him. He can hear his pulse in his ears.

"Cheers to my son, Thor, for he is to become an Oxford boy," Odin says, his grin blinding. "You have made your father proud."

"Hey, Loki, come on," Tony whispers. "Let's ditch this bitch."

Loki and Thor briefly make eye contact before he allows Tony to grab his hand and slip away from the table of celebrating people as silently as they can. He's simply numb to the knowledge that Thor is leaving. There was never any avoiding of the topic, especially with Odin's existence. He keeps doing Loki favors.

"Damn, he's a douchebag," Tony says once they're in the empty hallway. "Thor had to get his personality from his mom or something."

He raises his glass to his mouth and downs the contents, setting it down next to a statue they pass. "You're only noticing that now?"

Tony shoves him into the elevator and starts to hit the buttons as if entering a code. "Well, he's got good tech. Can't blame me for falling for the tech."

Odin's tactics of getting people into his corner are falling apart if Stark dislikes him even with his rare "tech." Good, they should all see the evil man that hides behind the Father Christmas façade and booming "voice of reason." Loki's always seen him for who he truly is.

They surface in a penthouse, and Tony instructs Loki to make himself at home. It's modern and sleek like the rest of the building, and fortunately empty save for the two of them. They're alone, away from all of those people.

He sits down in a chair next to the window and sees that the surrounding buildings sit much lower. The Empire State building is even shorter in comparison. He shakes his head and says, "Starkian."

Tony hands him a glass of champagne. "I'd like to see you try to get drunk off of that. This was designed by yours truly as a birthday gift from the board at 13. They said that the building could use some 'Stark Character,' so I jumped at the chance and made it the best pad in the city. Only those with the code can access it-"

As if JARVIS was waiting for an opportunity to be contrarian, he announces, "Hero Titan and Master Rogers are currently in route via main elevator."

"What?" Tony throws his hands up. "How did they-?"

"Master Rogers demanded that I take him to your location," JARVIS replies, "so I did as demanded."

Loki grins as Tony scowls his eyes at the ceiling. "The party is coming to us," he says, earning himself an eye roll. "That's my thing, Stark. You cannot steal it."

"Well, I am!"

Steve exits the elevator in an angry strut. "Tony, you can't just leave your own party like that!"

"It's not even mine! It's Stane and Nal's, jeez!"

Hero comes to him slowly, his hands in his pockets. "I was afraid that Stark had dragged you off somewhere."

"I would never abandon my date for Stark." That's a lie, but he will not openly admit his soft spot for Tony's antics. "You did find me. I am surprised that Steve allowed you to come."

"He didn't 'allow' me, just held the elevator door open for me to get in." Hero sighs. "Loki, it's obvious that you're not happy with Thor leaving, and I don't want to force you to be with me or anything. I'm not Thanos."

Loki opens the glass door and steps out onto the roof. "This is not really about Thor, believe it or not. It's his wonderful father."

Hero chuckles as he steps up to the ledge beside him. "Seems kind of annoying if you ask me, but don't tell Thor that. Would not want him to punch me in the nose again."

"JARVIS, give us some jams!" Tony shouts inside.

Loki excuses himself and goes inside in search of something that he can get drunk with. He grabs a bottle of tequila and some shot glasses while Steve and Tony face away from the bar and look out the window. He falls onto the couch behind them, looking up and seeing Hero coming inside.

"Shots?" he asks as he sits down beside him.

"Shots?" Tony turns around. "Of course you found the tequila, freaking alcoholic! JARVIS, you're failing me tonight!" He sighs. "Steve, if they're doing shots, we're doing shots."

Steve doesn't put up a fight for once. "Okay, Tony."

When the thought occurs to him that this is not going to be a normal round of shots, Loki almost panics. He realizes that he's single, and as a single young man, he can do shots off of whomever he wants. If that happens to be Hero, he owes no one an explanation.

"You know what? We're competing," Tony says after Steve and Hero divest themselves of their shirts. "Loki, you fucking alcoholic, you and I are going to do some speed shots off their bodies. I want to both get to lick Steve and get to rub it in that I'm more of a drunk than you are."

"Game," Loki replies, gulping down any guilt. It's simply shots, nothing more or less than that.

Hero and Steve lay salt-covered on Tony's counter while Loki and Tony stand opposite each other with shots lined up in front of them.

Hero slips a lime into his mouth, and Loki chuckles at the wrinkle of his nose.

"JARVIS, reset the clock, and…" Tony rolls his shoulders. "Start!"

He keeps his eyes open to prevent any images from a body shot he did a few months ago appearing in his mind. He goes through the shots autonomously, following the steps he knows, and it's too short before all of the shots in front of him are empty.

On the last lemon, he almost kisses him, he stops before their lips meet, seeing a flash of blond and blue in his mind.

Loki slips down to the ground and sees Tony's on his last shot and ignores the guilty feeling in his gut. "I won," he says. "I won, Stark."

"Suit & Tie" begins to play and Loki begins to sing along before he can stop himself. He realizes that they're staring at him but continues anyway, the buzz in his veins extra confidence he really doesn't need.

He pulls Hero to his feet as he continues to sing, shaking his hips with the beat. "Let me show you a few things," he sings, leading Hero to the open floor between the kitchen and couches.

Hero does one button on his open shirt. "About love," he sings back.

Loki actually giggles as they twirl around each other, not doing any dance in particular but still keeping rhythm. He grins at Hero openly and throws his head back to laugh at Tony and Steve dancing on the counter. For the first time in weeks, Loki wants to live this moment in a loop, barring the niggling of guilt he feels if he allows himself to think.

He feels his presence and looks over toward the elevator to see that Thor and Nal are standing and staring at Loki with expressionless faces. He doesn't stop dancing even when he and Thor make eye contact and turns to go back into his world of pretend where he doesn't love him and dancing with Hero is the only thing that matters.

The song turns into something anthemic and bass heavy, so he changes his dance accordingly.

A glance over and he sees that Odin, his mother, Mrs. Titan, and John have joined them at the elevator.

The music stops.

"Farbauti, go, I can handle this," Odin says. "You two can talk later."

Hero brushes his thumb over Loki's bottom lip, and Farbauti appears in his periphery.

"Loki," she says as she gives Hero a look, "we will talk later. Hero, it was nice to finally meet you."

He smiles at him after she boards the elevator, realizing what his mother thinks. "It seems that you have indirectly helped me." He lets out a shaky laugh, trying hard to not think about the fact that his mother is still unaware of his true love.

Odin's voice is loud in the now quiet room. "Thor, what are you-?"

"Oh shit, Team Thor in the hizz-house!" Tony shouts.

Loki turns in time to see Thor approaching him in long strides, and he turns to Hero to warn him to move but finds himself being grabbed the shoulders and orally assaulted. His breath is taken away from the urgency of the kiss. He stares at Thor's closed eyes for a few seconds before he raises his hands to Thor's shoulders and shoves backward.

"Thor!" Odin shouts, and there's an angry sound from Nal.

Thor turns to Hero with a smirk. "I am sorry if you have been informed otherwise, but Loki is still mine." He takes a step toward him, and Hero visibly gulps. "If you dare touch him again, I will do much worse than break your nose."

Loki watches Thor's receding back with shock and… pride.

Odin attempts to grab Thor's shoulder, but Thor shakes his hand off with ease as he steps into the elevator.

Thor smirks at Hero even as Odin gets in beside him with a furious look on his face.

"Loki, come now!" Nal hisses as he grabs his arm and pulls him away from the elevator as the doors close. He turns to him with narrowed eyes. "Unacceptable! Why did he kiss you?"

Loki's finding that pretending not to feel the same as he did before is tiring, so he's not going to anymore. "He doesn't think that our relationship is over. He knows how I truly feel, and he claims that his same feelings are enough to keep us together." He glances over and sees Mrs. Titan sitting beside Hero with her hand on his shoulder. "If I am honest, we are still… together.

Nal starts to laugh, and Loki frowns. "Loki, relationships do not work that way."

"Tell that to Thor."

Nal clicks his tongue. "I think that I will."

He follows Nal on his search for Thor, sighing when they finally come upon Thor sitting dejected in a hallway. He crosses his arms and tries to avoid Thor's smoldering eyes because he is not getting a hard-on in this situation.

"Thor, we are in need of a talk."

Thor shifts in the chair, letting his legs splay open wider. "No, we are not," he replies. "You _want _to talk. I am sure that you are aware of the different between 'wanting' and 'getting.'"

Loki stares at him and shakes his head, hiding his grin. "You cannot use my own lines."

"But I can," he says, "and I will. Relationships are about sharing. Loki knows this. One place he is not selfish is in bed."

Nal scoffs. "Where do you get your nerve to speak of my nephew so frivolously?"

"He_ is_ my boyfriend, Nal," Thor says. "I have some authority to speak of him in that way, do I not? You are the emperor of observation. You know that we often have sex, so I am aware of his bedly generosity."

His mother comes and ends any argument before it starts, making good on her promise to talk to him. She pulls him down the hallway and into an empty parlor. "Loki, why didn't you tell me about him? I have been wondering who this mystery boy was, and I only find out today! Hero seems like a nice boy, Loki. I have no idea why you didn't introduce him."

Loki looks down at their joined hands and pulls away, going to the window and looking down at the city below. "You don't understand, Mother," he says.

"Why not, Loki?"

He shuts his eyes and allows himself to pretend that he and his mother are talking about the same person. "There are so many reasons, Mother. He's going to leave, and I-"

"My _is prins_, listen, listen." She takes his hands back into hers. "Do you love him?"

"Of course I do." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "I… I actually like spending time with him. You know how much I hate people."

She tucks a lock of hair behind his ear and smiles. "Yes, Loki, I do." She sighs. "I wish I could protect you from the horrors of the world, but heartbreak is one that I could never stop. When you love, Loki, you love forever."

"What am I going to do?" he asks, resting his head on her shoulder.

"You love him while you can," she replies. "Just like I did with your father." She kisses his forehead. "Now find Hero and hold him. Hold him and don't let go."

As she turns to leave, he grabs her hand. "Wait, Mother, there's something I should tell you." He gulps. "It's not Hero."

Something passes over her eyes, and she sighs. "Loki, whoever this boy is… the same goes for him. I expect to meet him before you two run off and get married, or there will be hell to pay, _Min lilla Jötnar_."

"You already have," he says as he watches her leave the room. He exhales and wipes the tears from his eyes before turning around.

Nal stands in the doorway, giving him a knowing look. Of course he had the nerve to eavesdrop. He doesn't seem to be on above that. "Loki, you are aware that I heard."

"'Heard.'"

"I talked to your step-brother, and he and I made no headway whatsoever. He is Odin's son through and through." Nal pinches the bridge of his nose. "My foresight may have caused unnecessary strife. I can only suggest that maybe you let this end… organically."

"Organically?" Loki has to throw his head back and guffaw at that. When he sobers, he grins. "Fuck you, Nal."

He leaves his wonderful uncle standing there, briefly turning around to salute him with a lone finger. Of course it was too good to think that his uncle could serve as some kind of mentor or even more pathetic, a father figure.

His mother enters the bakery without him, waving to an awaiting Marvin as she passes.

He inhales the smell of tobacco, getting images of leather clad rebels with tattoos in motorcycles in his head. Marvin doesn't have any tattoos that he can see or a motorcycle that he knows of, but the Ray-Bans in the collar of his t-shirt and leather jacket make up for that. He's the personification of the good things that come from HYDRA.

Marvin glances at him. "You look like you could really use one right now." He holds the cigarette out to Loki. "Willing to take a ride on the wild side, SHIELD boy?"

At that, he takes the cigarette from Marvin and holds it between his lips, shutting his eyes and inhaling. The rancid heat fills his lungs, and he's breathless in the best way possible. Whole again though only for the few moments he holds it in.

"I've just taken a year off your life, and you're smiling."

He revels in the smell, accepting it back from Marvin. "Laufeysons have extreme longevity," he says before taking another drag of the cigarette.

"He's going to kill me but…" Marvin takes Loki's free hand and sets an unopened pack inside. "You're underage, so it looks like I'll be your supplier if you're like the rest of us in getting caught up in such a habit."

"I won't tell."

"You won't need to," he replies, exhaling. "Probably already knows."

Loki pockets the cigarettes and bids Marvin a farewell, joining his mother in the bakery. She doesn't give him any strange looks, too engrossed in cake design, but Loki takes a shower as soon as he gets home, knowing that Thor will start to ask questions, and those questions will lead to answers he doesn't want to give.

Answers that he shouldn't give if he wants to keep the thinning threads of their relationship intact.

* * *

Okay, Okay, I should say that writing the next chapter has been fun. The interaction between HYDRA and SHIELD students and staff is hilarious (I hope you guys think so too).  
Also, Thorki is currently an emotional mess.  
Curse you, college! (I'm sure Loki agrees lol)


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Wow, did I get carried away with writing this chapter. They say time flies when you're having fun. Well, words fly when you're having fun too. I'll be posting the next part shortly (saying this at 1/1/13 9:06 ET)

* * *

Robert Reynolds: Righteous Rival Part I!?

He has come to the conclusion that everyone's but his mother's opinions are irrelevant. His uncle is now on his list of unreliable people, a place Loki never thought he'd put the man.

He drives his Audi for the last time to John's own house in midtown and feels that he's only going to miss the green color. The symbol it represents will not be missed at all.

John sighs and mumbles about Nal's stupidity when Loki comes to him with his car keys and a request for another a car in exchange for his own. He goes to a wall of car keys and throws him ones with a Ferrari logo on them. "I'll be visiting tomorrow to see how you take care of her, Ice. Go get your mom. I'll still turn you in if you drive around alone."

He can barely wrap his mind around the fact he's driving a Ferrari, John's choice being royal blue with a red interior, and he forces himself to remember John's warning though he knows John would never do such a thing, having a rebellious streak himself. He stops by and picks up his mother, informing her of his intention of getting a haircut, and she beams and says that he's not completely hopeless.

There's a therapeutic effect of seeing one's hair fall to the ground, and Loki feels himself relaxing as the same stylist from last time "Ricky" chops away with a simple request to make him look "new."

"No, Mother, I am simply… fine," he replies, when she inquires if he's okay after seeing him smiling. "I feel absolutely fine."

Before school, he goes and enjoys a smoke, Fenrir keeping a distance of a few feet as he does his canine activities. The serene provided by the nicotine lasts the duration of the school day, that is until he's standing in the multipurpose room in the middle of solving a problem, a self-counted nine minutes having passed.

What if Thor's paranoia is caused by guilt?

What is he's picked up the habit of lying as well?

"Loki, are you okay?"

He answers that by resuming the problem, shaking away the thoughts, and he solves the problem just as Dr. McCoy calls time. He wipes away sweat on his forehead and exhales. "Yes, I am… fine."

He doesn't linger around for anyone to attempt to question him, feeling for a cigarette and sticking it in his mouth and lighting it as he walks down the city sidewalks. He feels like James Dean, sunglasses on face and cigarette in mouth.

Thor's strange R&B music plays around him as he lies supine and smokes, a towel beneath the door to prevent any smell leaks. He lets his mind run wild, imagining Thor not pushing off the advances of his hordes of admirers, so he does not feel guilty when Thor's knocks go unanswered.

"I heard you choked."

He clenches his teeth and jabs his fork into his salad hard, the fork splitting in half.

Tony smirks. "Touchy, touchy."

"Shut up, Tony," Steve says. "He didn't choke. He took a bit longer than usual, but he was correct. Correctness is what matters."

"Um, yeah, but everyone knows he can do better than 40 minutes." Stark shrugs when Loki frowns at him. "What? I heard. What's your deal?"

"There is no 'deal,'" he replies, holding back an eye roll when Thor sits beside him, "Or perhaps there is, and I am in no mood to share."

"You never want to share," Clint says. "You're emotionally stingy."

Loki is in no way "emotionally stingy." He simply doesn't like to expose his weaknesses to those around him, and it's the logical thing to do. Why would one tell someone their weaknesses and risk exploitation? He's made that mistake before. He will not do it again.

Bruce seems to agree with his line of thought, sticking around for Mathletes practice but not sharing the obvious reason why with Loki when he asks. He stares at Betty across the room before looking away, frowning. "It's nothing."

"Okay," Loki replies, looking between the two of them. "Betty, could you please come here?"

He looks up at Loki, and his eyes widen. "What-?"

"Oh my gosh, Bruce, wow, you're here!" She pulls him into a hug, and he reddens. "We haven't talked in forever. Come on, tell me about how you're doing."

He leaves them to talk and takes his seat beside Jane, sighing at the look of disapproval she gives him.

"I really shouldn't be helping you with this of all things, but Thor is really trying, Loki. He wants you two to be together, and you should know that he's—he's changing things just so it can happen. You should try to be more… lenient with him. He doesn't know what he's doing."

"I don't either." He ends their conversation, but Jane's words repeat in his mind. It's as if he's always the one at fault when something is wrong with their relationship, and from a neutral perspective, Loki can see that the blame can be split 50-50, not 90-10, Loki getting the 90.

They don't talk about Loki choking, but him not being called up to do a problem is enough.

"Are you… okay?" Bruce asks when Loki goes to leave. He pauses at the doorway. "I'm going to stay for a bit longer, but-"

"No, Bruce, it's fine." He nods him a farewell and turns around, a cigarette between his lips. He slides out of the way from colliding with a hysterical Mrs. Munroe. He quickly grabs her arm and catches her, steadying her before he removes his hands.

"I apologize, Loki," she says, wiping a tear away.

He nods, removing the cigarette from his mouth.

She quickly composes herself. "Loki, if you would follow me."

He's unsure if he's being led to his slaughter as he does as instructed, relieved when she leads him into her classroom. He takes a seat in front of her desk, remembering the cigarette hanging from his lips and reaching up to pocket it.

"I apologize that you had to see that," she says, dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

"It's fine."

She sighs. "Loki, may I ask you why you have cigarettes? You do not seem like one to… subject yourself to future health problems."

"I'm impulsive," he replies. "I live in the moment."

"How teenage and uncharacteristic of someone like you."

He stares at her. What is he supposed to so to something like that? He knows that it holds validity with his recent decisions, but he cannot simply tell her that she doesn't understand. She's not one of his friends who can take the hint and back off.

"I can warn you the dangers of smoking and the effect it has on your surroundings until the polar caps melt, but it will make no difference." She exhales and straightens in her seat. "You are free to go."

Jane's words of Thor trying stick with him until he's standing outside Thor's bedroom door and debating whether or not to knock. That decision is made when the door opens and Thor moves to exit his door, jacket in hand.

"Do you need something?"

Loki starts to shake his head but stops himself, leaning up to press a kiss to Thor's lips, a kiss that is not reciprocated.

Thor stares down at him. "If you do not require me, I will be leaving," he replies, and he stops a few steps down. "Do not wait up for me."

Lashing out on something would relieve the physical frustration, but Loki thinks better of it, retreating to his room to clean the wounds of apathy. He could just strangle Jane Foster for making him even think that Thor wants more from him than to be acknowledged as Loki's "owner" or some other ego-feeding title.

He avoids seeing Thor in the morning by leaving earlier than usual, the sky cerulean as he hails a cab. The itch to get in the Ferrari is strong, but Loki resists it and remembers John's threat about getting him in trouble for illegally driving.

Erik and Charles greet him as he passes them in the hallway, Erik's leather-clad arm over Charles' shoulder in a symbol of unity that makes Loki want to simultaneously clap for their resilience and scream that life is unfair.

When Dr. McCoy starts to call David up, Loki stands and volunteers himself. "Loki, are you sure-?"

"Positive," he says, taking the stylus from him. "Give me the hardest problem you have."

"Loki, I don't think I-" McCoy shuts up mouth when Loki turns a glare on him. "Okay, but if you don't finish in 40 minutes, it's not your fault."

"40 minutes," Loki says. "I will only need 20."

For once, cockiness does not backfire on him as if the gods have taken pity on the sad state of Loki's life and granted him leeway. He finishes the problem with ease, the answers coming to him after microseconds of analysis, and he sets the stylus down with a smirk.

"Time?"

"14 minutes, thirty seconds."

Loki inclines his head before taking his seat next to Jane, the thrill of victory running through his veins.

"Loki, that was one of the hardest problems in our repertoire," Dr. McCoy says, and he's frowning. Why is he frowning? "In the past two decades, only one person has solved it in under 30 minutes, and he goes by the name of Laufey Bergelmisson."

He freezes for a split second, careful to keep the confusion off of his face. No, this is Loki's thing. His father was supposed to only cast a shadow out far enough for Loki to live in light in activities such as Mathletes.

"Isn't that your dad or something?" Peter asks.

"Parker, please, you sound like an idiot," David says. "Laufeyson is a patronymic."

"What does that have to do with me?" Loki asks, eyes narrowed.

Dr. McCoy smiles, adjusting his glasses. "Your father won for SHIELD all four years of his time as a member. Your performance mirrors his, a few slip-ups along the way, but I think there's a chance that SHYDRA week will be very similar to how it was from 1987 to 1991. We'll end early today, but tomorrow, we're going to ramp up the difficulty for all of you."

If he were given a chance to throttle his father, he would, and he would demand to know what gave him the right to leave such burdens on Loki's shoulders.

"What is wrong, _Is Prins_?"

He slams the door, gritting his teeth. "There is nothing wrong, Mother."

She sighs and murmurs about his attitude but leaves him alone for the most part, asking general questions about Mathletes and how he's doing in it. He responds with general answers, and she gets the idea, backing off entirely.

"If you need me, I will be inside, okay?"

He nods and waits for the door to shut behind her, pulling out a cigarette.

As he smokes outside the bakery, a brown-haired boy wearing a green leather jacket Loki rather likes walks up and joins him, Loki not bothering to ask him why he is here with him. "Owen, Owen Reece," the boy says as he shakes Loki's hand.

Loki looks at the lightning shaped scar on his cheek with fascination, noting how it enhances what would otherwise be a conventional face. "Grade?"

"12th, 17 years old." He reaches up and pushes a lock of hair from his forehead. "Marvin couldn't make it today. No worries. He'll be back the next time."

He nods and resumes smoking, taking in the silent company he provides. These HYDRA kids are not too talkative like their SHIELD counterparts, a trait Loki can appreciate.

They bid each other a farewell when Loki's mother surfaces from the bakery, smiling after Owen's back.

"Those HYDRA boys seem nice," she says. "I am happy you have them. Protection?"

He chuckles. "Mother, I require no protection."

Taking a page from Thor's book about relationships being about sharing, he ventures into his vacant room and scans his shelves, having been otherwise occupied during his other moments in his room to pay attention to what lined them. CDs are pulled down from his extensive collection and sorted properly, Loki shaking his head at Thor's choice to sort by color as if that is an actual way to organize music.

A few of the CDs are borrowed, and Loki burns them onto his laptop, replacing them in their new places. To no surprise, most of his music happens to be alternative rock music, but Loki can appreciate Nirvana as much as the next 90's born millennial.

Thor's footsteps are rapid behind the sounds of Kurt Cobain's voice, and a few seconds later, he bursts into Loki's room without knocking, staring at him as if he's murdered someone.

Loki continues kicking his legs in the air and pretending to play the guitar. "Yes, Thor? Do you need something?" He inwardly high fives himself.

"You were in my room."

"I was."

"Why?"

He props himself on his elbows. "Thor, I was looking at your CDs," he says. "No need to worry about me discovering the deepest secrets that lie underneath your Batman boxers."

"I do not have Batman boxers," he replies, crossing his arms.

Loki shrugs. "It was a metaphor, Thor. You and Kurt Cobain have the same hairstyle though yours is incredibly lustrous and golden and soft. Godly."

"Er, thank you." Thor leans against the doorframe.

"Do comparisons to your father ever… piss you off?"

"Of course," he replies, "though it is an honor to be compared to someone of his stature."

Loki rolls his eyes because that is something Thor would say, never one to disrespect daddy. "Oh, okay, good to know," he says, and he lays back down.

"Loki, what are you listening to exactly?"

"'Rape Me.'"

"You are aware of what that song is about."

"Yes, Thor, it's about Kurt Cobain's impatience with the media projecting their ideals onto him," he replies. "I know that it is not some invitation for someone to rape me."

He nods. "Good." He hits the light switch. "_God natt_, Loki."

"No sex?"

"Good night, Loki."

Thor's sudden disinterest in physical activity with him frustrates him more than anything. When one is so conditioned to get sex whenever they please, not getting it whenever they please is inconvenient. With a sigh, he reaches his hand into his pants and takes care of the Thor-induced hard-on as he nods his head along to "About A Girl."

After school, he gets held up by an argument between Hank and David over who should solve the next problem. Dr. McCoy trying and failing to act as a moderator between them. He sighs and checks his phone, seeing that he's five minutes late to meeting his mother in front of the school for their trip to the bridal shop.

Steve stands and takes the stylus from Dr. McCoy, silently beginning the problem.

"Rogers can't do that!"

"He can, and he did!"

Steve finishes the problem in 32 minutes, everyone clapping for his leadership in times of strife, or more accurately times of fighting.

"Thank you, Steve," Dr. McCoy says, sighing. "This is the conclusion of today's practice. Tomorrow, I expect you two not to fight or to not come at all. We could easily replace you with Richards however…"

"Annoying."

"Blabby."

"Braggy."

Dr. McCoy tries and fails to suppress a grin. "Yes, so you see it would be rather… unfortunate. Have good nights everyone."

Loki pats Steve on the shoulder. "You did well, Rogers."

"I did what had to be done," he replies. "The needs of the team come before the needs of the two."

"I'm quoting you on that," Peter says, passing them. He turns around mid-step to take a picture. "'Best Buddies in Math.'"

"Go take pictures of pigeons, Parker."

He grins. "I will!"

He and Steve part ways in front of the school, Tony waiting at the bottom of the stairs and attempting to persuade Steve to run and jump into his arms. Steve doesn't, instead lifting Tony up and carrying him to Stark's awaiting car.

His mother's car sits empty behind Stark's. She could not bear to wait 30 minutes, could she?

His mother loose on SHIELD property, he turns and goes back into the school, listening for the sound of her ubiquitous high heels in the halls. He peers into the main office, greeting Miss Hill, and finds that she isn't there.

In the few open doors he looks into, his mother is not in any of the classrooms.

When he enters Corridor I, he passes the Earth Science room and notices the open door, peering inside in preparation to see that it is empty as the previous classrooms.

Instead, he sees his mother sitting across from Mrs. Munroe, and his heart sinks to his ass.

His mother looks up at him, and he prepares himself to get glared at, but she beckons him inside. Perhaps this is a bait and switch where she will pretend to not be angry about the smoking and change to a face of fury.

"Oh, hello, Loki," Mrs. Munroe says, and she smiles at him. "I apologize for keeping your mother."

"Nonsense, Oruro." Oruro, they're on first name terms now? "My son was late anyway."

"And of your dress fitting?"

His mother scoffs. "I can always reschedule that. Talking to you was a better use of time, and I have a month and a half to get my dress."

Loki crosses his arms. "Mother, is there something I'm-?"

"Sh, Loki, we are talking." She touches Mrs. Munroe's shoulder. "I will see you tomorrow. I have needed another woman to talk to in this country. Loki, come on."

"Bye, Loki."

He waves rather awkwardly, gripping his mother's shoulder and leading her from the classroom before she can restart a conversation that will lead them to stay here until the sky is dark. "What was that?" he asks in Swedish.

She rolls her eyes. "You would never understand, Loki."

He gets into the car. "Then put it into terms for me to understand."

"Oruro is getting a divorce," she says, "and she is going through a hard time right now. I know the struggles of a married woman and suddenly not being married anymore."

"That explains the crying," he says, and she glares at him. "What? I encountered her crying in the hallway."

"She has been strong about this, and she does not need your male judgments."

Loki makes an offended sound. "I am gay! I go through the same struggles as a woman in a relationship with a man. No need to be sexist about this." He tucks hair behind his ear. "You are friends now then?"

"Of course we are. She is a great woman, Loki, and I had a great time talking to her. With your Mathletes practices, I am going to start staying after school to talk to her. She needs the support, and I have a shoulder."

It almost makes sense that his mother and Mrs. Munroe get along, but Loki does not want to think about the fact that his home life and school life is beginning to cross. He keeps them separate in his head save for his friends. They are a part of both. And Thor too.

Loki awakens as his bed shifts, blinking away sleep to realize that it is only Thor.

He moves until his chest is pressed to Loki's back. "I missed you," he murmurs, arm coming around Loki's chest.

He sighs, hearing the slight lilt in Thor's words. He can only tell him things when he's somewhat intoxicated, and Loki wants to turn and ask him why, but he doesn't. He lets himself absorb Thor's heat and presence before falling back to sleep.

He wakes up to an empty bed to no surprise.

After study hall as he walks with Natasha, he's orally assaulted by Thor without no prior warning. He stands surprised for a few seconds but starts to reciprocate, hands coming up to hold Thor by the shoulders.

"A-hem." Charles stands next to Natasha, grinning. "As a SHIELD instructor, I am supposed to stop public displays of affection by students, but as a lover of teenage love, I suggest you find elsewhere to continue. I hear Dr. McCoy's room is empty this period."

Loki licks his lips, avoiding their eyes.

"My thanks, Professor Xavier, but I have a class to get to," Thor says, and he kisses Loki's temple before disappearing down the hallway.

"That was…"

"Strange," Natasha says. "Thor's been strange, or am I seeing things?"

He shakes his head. "You are not seeing things."

Dr. Strange begins to talk about "guilt-induced paranoia," and Loki turns his full attention on the teacher. He discusses the correlation between those guilty and those paranoid, and things become too familiar for Loki's tastes.

Pepper raises her hand. "You are saying that one could become… possessive if they were the ones… misbehaving?"

He nods. "Yes, Miss Potts, that is exactly what I am saying, however black and white you make it seem." His eyes glance at Loki. "It is a form of projection."

Everyone is silent as Dr. Strange stares at him, and Loki stares back, not letting him win.

"On to the next subtopic…"

"What was that about?" Tony whispers. "He was staring at the two of you like he could see into your souls."

Loki turns to face forward, watching Thor in his periphery.

Thor shrugs. "I do not understand the ways of that man."

At the sound of the bell, Loki leaves, needing to get as far away from Thor as he can. He completely ignores him in Earth Science, slightly afraid that he may ask him something that will destroy whatever remnants of a normal relationship they have.

Luke, on the other hand, Loki can ask him anything.

He stares at Luke as he shoves his stuff into his locker. "Luke, when you guys go out... what do you do?"

Luke turns to look at him, face neutral. "Who the fuck said what?"

"No, Luke, it's not because anyone said anything," he replies. "I just—Thor and I are-"

"Hold up, hold up, hold up." He holds his hands up. "So you think he's fucking other people or something?"

He's unsure of whether to answer with the affirmative or negative, trusting Luke but knowing that he is Thor's friend first and foremost. He shrugs. "That is why I'm asking."

"Oh, um..." Luke scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, no, Thor is not fucking anyone else that I know of. He gets ass out the ass, but he's all about that monogamy shit. Which is good because I would beat his ass good if he cheated. I don't respect cheaters."

"So... what do you do then?"

Luke sighs and puts his hand on Loki's shoulder, leading him out of the school. "See, Chef, there's this thing where I can't put the business out there like that. I told you we don't go around fucking other people, which is obviously why you're paranoid about Thor's partying. Cause that's all we do. We party, Chef. Got it?"

"Party?"

"Yeah, partying does not equate to sex." Luke pats him on the shoulder, adjusting the lapel of his blazer. "We cool?"

"Then I can come?"

He sighs again and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Chef..."

"Please, I swear I won't let Thor know why. I just need some time off. Really, I do." He gulps. "I... 'choked' at practice earlier this week. I could use something to get my mind off of it."

"Yeah, Thor told me about that. If I let you come, you're going to just sit there, no dancing with dudes or drinking. We all know how you get when you drink."

He grins and briefly hugs Luke, proud that he doesn't salivate at how massive his muscles are. He offers out his hand to Luke. "Deal?"

Luke shakes his head, trying to suppress a grin. "Okay, Chef, deal."

Thor gives them a confused look as he descends the stairs. "Is there something that I missed?"

"Chef-"

"Nope." Loki pointedly grins. "I have practice. See you later?"

Dr. McCoy attempts to give Hank the opportunity to solve the problem, but Loki raises his hand, standing up. "Loki, I don't want you to strain yourself."

"I am not straining myself," he replies, and he takes the stylus from the still man. "You know I can do this."

"10 minutes," Dr. McCoy says as Loki hands him back the stylus, having finished the question a bit slower than he would have liked. "Correct answer of course."

He meets his mother outside of Earth Science, rolling his eyes at how she delays her farewell with Mrs. Munroe, the two of them planning a shopping trip over the weekend.

Resisting the temptation to dress in his tightest, darkest clothes is hard, but Luke's words of warning and their handshake make him only grab his green Doc Martens as a compromise. He bounds down the steps and manages to catch Thor as he's leaving. "Wait, Thor, I'm coming."

Thor does a once over of him. "Hm, I guess so," he replies, and Loki cannot tell whether he's happy or disappointed.

Robert rolls his eyes when he sees them and takes Loki's hand, pulling him to a lounge and pushing him into a seat. "You, don't move."

Loki gestures to around them. "Why would I dare?"

"Because you are a magnet for trouble," Luke says, popping the cap to his beer. "If I catch you drinking, I'll perform a citizen's arrest."

"You are both 18," Loki says, pointing to the beer bottle in Robert's hand.

"18 is closer to 21 than 16," Robert says, and Luke nods in agreement.

Thor ascends the stairs, looking irritated.

"Look who's decided to join us," Robert says. "You babysitting?"

"I do not need a baby sitter," he says. "Thor, I promise to stay out of trouble. Luke and I agreed earlier, and we shook on it. You witnessed said shake."

The three of them exchange a look, Luke and Robert leaving while Thor stands there and stares at Loki.

"What?" Loki rolls his eyes and props his leg on the table.

Thor starts to talk when the song changes, something louder than the previous song playing. It's loud enough to drown out whatever Thor is attempting to say to him.

He recognizes the song as one that Thor and he have… had sex to and wonders if Thor does too. He continues to nod his head to the music, staring at Thor as he attempts and fails to get his message through to Loki. Finally pitying him, he shouts, "I cannot hear you!"

Thor throws his hands up and disappears down the stairs.

A boy with a head absent of any hair slips beside him, the baldness counterbalanced by the smug face which also happens to be attractive.

"Who are you?" he asks.

"Max D.," he says, "but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that you're here, and it's my duty to fend off anyone who is not your step-brother, Reynolds, or Luke Cage."

"You know Marvin," he says. "Where is he?"

"This isn't his scene." After a few minutes, Max stands up and leaves without another word, and Loki feels his pockets for his cigarettes.

Robert ascends the stairs and looks around, eyes narrowed. "I thought I saw someone sitting with you."

He shrugs. "Someone sat down. I didn't care."

"Then come on," he says. "We're leaving."

Thor comes up behind him and puts an arm over his shoulder, continuing his conversation with Luke as if Loki is a piece of furniture. He finally pays attention to him when Luke and Robert begin making dinner plans, asking him if he's hungry, but he doesn't listen long enough for Loki's answer, laughing at something Robert says.

Robert orders from them all, his usual disdain toward food service workers amplified.

"You should apologize," Loki says, twiddling the seam of the napkin.

"And you should shut the fuck up."

"Oh, damn." Luke stares at Robert in shock. "Wow, can't say I was expecting that."

Robert glares at the ground, and Loki tries to contain a grin at being able to make him so angry. It's satisfactory to have someone so… collected as Robert angry at him attempting to instill common courtesy.

He doesn't touch his food and brushes off Thor's attempts to feed him.

Thor sighs and shuts his eyes, trying to collect himself.

"Getting angry, Thor?" he asks, finally picking up a piece of lettuce from Thor's plate.

"You two are the most annoying couple to have ever existed," Robert says. "Fuck it better or something. Seemed to be working the first few weeks."

Luke guffaws. "Well, Robert the Great has spoken. What he decrees becomes law, so you two need to get over yourselves soon. SHYDRA week is coming, and we need our gods on their A game. Speaking of A game, Chef, you're coming to the mock trial on Friday. Cancel all other plans for that period."

"No, he's the last person we need there. Watch the two of them get into an argument in the middle of it. Better yet, the trial should be surrounded by Loki's freaking need to go off and get into trouble with freaking HYDRA-"

"No, you're wrong," Loki replies, heart rate spiking. "Close your mouth on things you don't know about."

"What? Don't want Thor-eo to know?" Robert stands. "Luke, come on let's go. We need to go do something productive."

Thor's silent as Loki eats and continues his silence until they leave and Loki asks him to carry him. "What?"

Loki wiggles his upraised arms. "Carry me, please?"

He stares at him as if he's lost his mind but sighs and turns around, Loki beaming as he lifts himself onto Thor's back.

He wraps his arms around Thor's neck and rests his head on the juncture of his neck, listening to the sounds of him breathing and the blood pumping below the surface of his skin. He starts talking about the stars and light pollution after glancing at the sky and seeing nothing but navy and does so until his eyes start to drift shut.

"Loki?" he hears Thor ask, and he replies, "I'm awake," though the void of sleep is already pulling him under.

He opens his eyes to a light room and the warmth of Thor beside him.

Thor taps away on his phone, glancing up at Loki. "Hm, you're finally awake."

He rubs sleep out of his eyes and turns to his side to look at an already-dressed Thor. "Who are you texting?" he asks in a playful manner.

Thor locks his phone and sets it aside. "No one," he replies with a smile that makes Loki's stomach turn.

Loki blames it on the need for breakfast, but after he eats breakfast, he feels as if he's missing something right in front of him. His previous thoughts of infidelity are that, previous. He thinks he would know if Thor was seeing something else, and Thor isn't _that_ kind of person.

Is he?

There is no one to ask, no one to answer, so Loki will have to figure that out for himself.

John stops by before dinner, but it's not for the checking-in he promised. He starts to talk about his uncle's failed attempt to hide his regret over the situation, and Loki rolls his eyes. "Ice, don't be like that."

"Like what? Like my uncle didn't ruin my relationship?"

"Don't be dramatic," he says. "It was already on its way there."

Now, Stark would say something along the lines of "burn."

"I'll see you Thursday," John says, and Loki doesn't ask why, arms crossed as he stares a hole into the ground.

Thor asks him what's wrong, and Loki avoids the subject by pushing him against the wall and giving him a blowjob because blowjobs are easier than talking about one's feelings especially when talking always leads to fighting.

Waking up for school on a Sunday is very, very strange.

He pulls on a blue shirt and a red flannel on over that, wanting to remain as neutral as he can in this. He may be a SHIELD student and on their Mathletes team, but he has no inherent favoritism for the school. Simply because a few of HYDRA's students are massive "mother fuckers" does not mean he has to hate them all. Marvin has been good company.

"That's my shirt," Thor says upon seeing him, and Loki looks down in confusion. "Loki, that is my shirt. I am sure it is."

He brings it up to his nose and inhales, senses giving a jolt at the smell of Thor. "It is," he says. "Do you want me to take it off or-?"

"No, no," he replies, "you know I like it when you wear my clothes."

Loki slips his hair back as he adjusts the collar. "Then why say anything?'

"I simply wished to annoy you." He smiles into his tea, and Loki shakes his head, taking a particularly hard bite out of his banana and enjoying the way Thor winces.

SHIELD has turned into the school that Loki initially expected, stern faces all around and uniformed people patrolling the halls upon entry. He watches as the SHIELD agents move around the students as if they are phantoms and talk into earpieces in serious voices.

They are directed to Auditorium B in the basement by a SHIELD agent with a blank face and a Bluetooth, and it all feels too official.

Thor joins Luke, Robert, and Brian in the front row while Loki goes to sit in the back row next to Stark.

"Traitor," Tony says, pointing at Loki's clothes beneath his blazer. Stark himself wears a bright blue t-shirt with an eagle on it. "No school pride, hm?"

"I have no pride for such things," he replies, looking up and seeing that the entire right side of the auditorium is empty. "I thought you hated this school."

"But I hate HYDRA more," he says, and Steve turns away from Bucky to glare at Tony. "Steve, you know this. I don't know why you're acting like it's a surprise."

"It's time for you to put your personal opinions about our school aside. We need to beat HYDRA."

Bruce chuckles. "Steve, I thought you were a part of that whole 'SHYDRA week is about bonding between the schools, not winning.'"

Steve purses his lips and crosses his arms. "Things change," he says, and his words make everyone purse their lips and face forward as well.

Loki cocks an eyebrow but turns to the empty stage.

"Here comes the blood," Bucky says, pointing toward the door.

A mass of red-blazer students enters the auditorium, none of them paying a glance to their side of SHIELD students. Darcy waves at Loki, her hand swatted down by a pierced girl standing behind her, and Loki waves back, ignoring the looks he gets from a few other students.

Principal Fury walks onto the stage, Miss Hill and Vice-Principal Coulson flanking him. "If you would all please shut your mouths and cease making any sounds, thank you." Both sides go silent. "Welcome to the 51st SHIELD-HYDRA week, or colloquially known as SHYDRA week to most. We welcome HYDRA to SHIELD, this year's host school, for the next seven days."

Their side erupts into applause, HYDRA clapping extremely formally.

"Thank you all, thank you all, now please shut up." Miss Hill sends him a sharp look, and Vice-Principal Coulson tries not to smile. "Welcome HYDRA ambassador and student body president Thanos Titan," Principal Fury says, stepping away from the microphone as the right half of the auditorium erupts into applause.

"Titan! Titan! Titan!" HYDRA students chant, making a T with their arms.

"Lame," Clint says.

Thanny enters the stage in a HYDRA blazer and a sweater vest, his hair styled a la Nal. "Hello, all SHIELD and HYDRA alike. As Principal Fury has just stated, I am Thanos Titan, and I will serve as ambassador to SHIELD this week. Now we have all gathered here today to celebrate the establishment of our schools and the close relationship between them. As such, it would be great if we could extend that to our sister school contemporaries. I would like to invite Victor von Doom to the stage."

Their entire row doesn't clap though the rest of the left side does, ignorant to the core of Victor.

Victor steps onto the stage and shakes Thanny's hand. "I am Victor von Doom, and I will serve as SHIELD ambassador as an extension to my duty as student body president."

"Boo!" Tony shouts, and Steve doesn't try to quiet him.

Victor and Thanny stroke each other's egos by complimenting and congratulating their accomplishments, and it would probably continue the entire day if it weren't for an impatient looking Principal Fury gesturing the two of them to hurry up. They share a disgruntled look but listen as Fury approaches them.

"Thank you, Victor and Thanos. I welcome my own HYDRA counterpart to the stage, Principal Schmidt."

Steve cups his hands and boos this time, Clint, Bucky, and Tony jumping up and down in their seats as they laugh and clap for Steve's "haterade acceptance."

A grim-faced man walks onto the stage wearing black clothes like Fury yet looking extremely sinister unlike their principal. He shakes his hand firmly before stepping up to the microphone. "Greetings, SHIELD students. It is HYDRA's… honor to be at your school yet again."

"'Greetings,'" Steve says. "He sounds like an alien. Remove the mask and I bet you'll see he's not right under there."

Loki cocks an eyebrow at Steve. "Well, that is quite specific. Anything to share, Steven?"

He ignores Loki and continues looking at the stage with disapproval.

Schmidt waits until the chatter dies down on SHIELD's side. "From HYDRA, we have a gift to SHIELD…"

"What? Murder?"

"The HYDRA Symphony Orchestra will play Symphony 1 by Edison Denisov."

The light dim down on the stage and there's the quiet sound of shuffling.

"Yay, we get to see these bitches try to show off," Clint says.

Tony crosses his arms. "They always think they're so good just because they don't use a conductor. We could if we wanted, but messing with Stane is better than showing off to HYDRA."

The HYDRA orchestra plays an eerie tune that leaves goosebumps on Loki's skin.

"That was fucking creepy."

The right side of the auditorium stands up and claps, Loki and a few other SHIELD students joining them.

"Ew, I can't believe you liked that."

"I appreciate good music, Stark, no matter the source," he replies, and above, the bell rings, everyone not standing getting up from their seats to move toward the exits. He grabs Tony's arm when he tries to leave, giving him an exasperated look. "You really want to get stuck in a horde of HYDRA students?"

"Yeah, I see your point."

Their row waits until the auditorium is only filled with a few students and staff members, moving out then.

"Now that we're out of that snooze fest, where shall we go?" Tony holds up his tablet so everyone can see.

The list of activities is extensive, moreso than Loki thought it would be. "Why am I only learning of these activities now?" he asks.

"Because," Clint says, "you honestly didn't care, did you?"

"And you're not much of a people person," Bruce says, "but neither am I."

"Exactly," Natasha says, and Bruce frowns.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

She puts a hand on his shoulder. "You're crazy, but no worries-"

"We're all mad here!" Steve exclaims with a grin. "I'm sorry, I usually don't get those things, but I saw that movie."

"I took him," Tony says, nudging him with his shoulder. "Let's see… Future Problem Solving, Fencing, Choir, Improv, Rescue-" Tony looks up at them with a grin. "Rescue."

"No," Bruce says. "No. Loki, say no."

"What is rescue?"

"Don't ask!" He fists his hands in his hair. "No, Tony, we are not ever doing this again!"

He cocks an eyebrow at a frantic Bruce. "Is it as bad as he is making it out to be?"

"No, not really," Steve says. "If we want to get there before they start, we have to leave now."

They follow after Steve, Natasha coming up to Loki's side.

"I'll explain what's got Banner's panties in such a twist. 'Rescue' as everyone calls it, is this mission type thing where we perform rescue missions. It's for those who want to show off how reliable they are, but there's people like Stark who do it to be a jackass."

"What do you do it for?"

Natasha grins. "To show off, duh."

Miss Hill stands in front of the door to the auxiliary gym, lips pursed as she looks at the crowd of students. When she spots them, her lips quirk. "Stark, are you seriously doing this?" she asks.

"What, Miss Hill, a guy can't save lives?" he replies.

"No, 'a guy' can't," she replies, "considering you have never made it past stage one."

Tony holds his hands up. "What? I enjoy watching a dummy burn, what's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong is that you have to prevent is from burning," Peggy says, joining them with Bucky, James, Pepper, Sharon, and another girl in tow.

Loki chuckles at the glare Tony aims at her.

Miss Hill holds up her arms, and everyone goes silent. "Thank you. Welcome to the first stage of the six part rescue mission simulation course. As always, stage one is the same. In teams of your choice, you will all attempt to navigate through the obstacles to save the dummy from being burned. The longer you take, the closer the fire gets to the dummy. To advance to the next stage, you must save the dummy. Two teams will go at a time, the other teams watching. The team that gets all members to the center first wins in the event that the dummy is not saved, and the other team is eliminated."

She makes a gesture. "Choose your teams wisely."

"Whelp, we already have our team," Clint says. "Mischief, Captain 'Merica-"

"I don't find that funny, Clint."

"Techie, Crazy, Tash, and me: Clint," he says. "We're totally going to win!" He starts to jump up and down.

The other choose their teams, seven in total.

"Follow me inside."

The auxiliary gym doesn't look like a gym other than the bleachers. Glass walls enclose the gym floor from the sidelines, white walls a few feet in. A glow of orange projects from the center where Loki guesses the fire is.

"In the center of the obstacle complex"—he's never heard that term used before—"there lies a ring of fire with the dummy in the center of it. One must get to the center—there is no set way to do this, so take that into account—before the fire consumes the dummy-"

"Oh, Miss Hill!" Johnny sings as he and five others enter the gym: Luke, Robert, Ben, Brian, and… Thor. "We have arrived!"

She snorts. "It seems you have, Storm," she says. "I explained what the instructions were before you came, so I am not repeating them."

"We really have to win now," Bruce murmurs, and Clint high fives him.

"Blah blah blah, get dummy before snakes," Johnny says. "Got it."

Miss Hill holds her finger to her Bluetooth, nodding. "The first teams have been chosen. Barnes, Carter Cousins, Drew, Rhodes, and Potts, and Sterns, Castle, Putt, Gargan, Schultz, and Bench, follow me. The rest of you, go and sit in the bleachers. I must say that the higher you are, the better the view."

Taking that into account, Clint hops over the railing and scales the seats, reaching the top as Johnny does.

"Move, Barton!"

"You move, Storm!"

They all end up sitting at the top row, Loki thankfully ending up with Natasha between him and Thor as a buffer. Miss Hill has a strange sense of humor because the view reveals nothing. Only the two sided monitor suspended from the gym ceiling reveals anything and that is the ring of fire and the floor surrounding it. When they do go in, they will be going in blind.

"You have seven minutes until the dummy catches on fire," Miss Hill's voice says from above. "The clock will begin in three… two… one."

"Go, Rhodey!" Tony shouts, flailing his arms around. "Run! Beat HYDRA!"

No activity comes from behind the walls as if they entered and disappeared through a wormhole. For five minutes, it continues like that, silent except for the chatter from people sitting in the stands, until two people come into view, both of them wearing body suits with armor on and helmets.

One pulls their helmet off, revealing Bucky inside, and he produces rope he must have gotten from inside the walls, glaring at the boy. "I've got this, Gargan."

The boy laughs, pulling his own helmet off. "I think you don't."

Four people appear into view, all pulling their helmets off. Sharon, Peggy, and two HYDRA boys stand there.

"See, this is where it gets hard," Natasha says. "Who gets it first?"

As a showdown between the six of them begins, Loki asks, "Has it ever turned violent?"

"We're here!" Pepper shouts, that voice unforgettable in a bad and good way. She pulls her helmet off, and the girl Drew does as well.

Bucky beckons Drew over, grasping her by the arm and whispering something in her ear. When they pull apart she nods, and Bucky falls onto his haunches, the girl putting her helmet on and getting onto his back.

"Oh, this tactic then," Bruce says.

Bucky stands, Drew steady on his shoulders, and she bends her knees, leaping over the flames and grasping onto the legs of the dummy. They both fall into the circle, Jessica standing up on wobbly feet to throw it outside of the flames.

The flames extinguish.

"Victory for SHIELD team 1," Miss Hill says, and they all cheer. She announces the next team, Peter, Janet, Carol, Felicia, a girl Lee, and Edward, and six HYDRA students.

The next SHIELD team fails to get to the dummy or get all six members into the circle due to Peter getting into an argument with a HYDRA boy he calls Flash.

"Victory for HYDRA team 2!"

"Dammit, Parker!" Robert shouts. "I thought he was cool!"

"Bro, anyone who takes pictures of pigeons is not cool," Luke says. "What a dope."

"The next teams are Storm, Braddock, Grimm, Cage, Reynolds, and Odinson, and Vell, Radd, Wilson…"

"Wade, you traitor!" Clint shouts.

Wade salutes Clint as he grins, following his team members.

"Good luck," Natasha says as the six of them stand up. "You might need it."

"When does Johnny Storm need good luck?" Johnny asks. "Today I don't, tomorrow I won't."

Loki nods when Thor makes eye contact with him, the corners of Thor's lips quirking before he turns and descends the stands. He taps his foot as they wait for the time to start.

"You worried about your boyfriend?" Natasha asks, nudging him with her elbow. "I wouldn't worry too much. Johnny's… pretty good with fire."

The six of them reach the center in five minutes, Johnny making gestures to the fire as he inaudibly talks to them.

Loki knows which helmeted person is Thor, and wow does he look great in that suit. He shifts in his seat, telling himself to focus on the situation at hand.

Wade and the boy who broke up the fight at Osborn's leap down from somewhere into view, and the four others arrive seconds after.

"Move, bitches, we've got this," he says.

Johnny pulls off his helmet. "Yeah, um, no you fucking don't, you traitor bitch." He puts his helmet back on and goes to stand between Thor and Ben, the two of them grabbing onto Johnny's ankles.

One of the HYDRA boys grabs onto Wade.

Johnny is boosted into the fire just as Wade is, both of them grabbing ahold of the dummy. They dangle across from each other, the dummy the only thing separating their bodies.

"You idiots!" Tony shouts.

Wade starts to pump his legs, the rope swinging like a pendulum over the rising flames.

"The suits are flame-resistant," Bruce says, "but only for a short time. You stand in fire for too long, and there's a chance you may have a new layer of fabric skin."

Wade's legs are engulfed by flames, and he doesn't react for a moment, but after a few seconds he begins to frantically kick, his grip on the rope failing and him falling outside of the circle. He pats the flames out with his gloved hands.

Johnny lets go when the rope swings over the flames, the dummy coming down with him.

"Victory for SHIELD 3!"

They cheer, pumping their fists into the air.

"The last two teams: Laufeyson, Stark, Romanoff, Barton, Banner, and Rogers, and Vanko, Blonsky, Schmidt, Stane, Smerdyakov, and Poindexter."

Miss Hill stands outside of an opening in the glass, a large rack of plastic-wrapped uniforms beside her. "Choose a pack. The material adjusts to one's size, so it does not matter. Put your things inside the bags. Keep your clothes on, Stark."

Loki slips his blazer off into the pack, pulling the lightweight uniform on over his clothes. He puts the armor plates on as well, impressed at how lightweight everything has turned out to be. The helmet feels almost weightless in his hands, and when he puts it on, he can still see everything in proper color.

Clint does a dance in his uniform. "I'm from _Tron_."

Tony points at him. "'Work it, make it, do it makes us, harder, better, faster, stronger!'"

"Shut up, Tony!" Whitney shouts, hands on her hips. "You SHIELD people." She's very much like her father Stane and hasn't changed since they went to see the Lion King.

Miss Hill looks at Whitney before turning her attention to everyone. "Inside the walls, you will find a labyrinth. You are not required to go through this labyrinth. You just have to make it to the center."

"But it's around the center, right?" a HYDRA girl asks.

"It is, Miss Schmidt," she says. "There are different tools throughout the labyrinth that you can use as well. You have seven minutes, and the teams that have already gone are on the opposite side of the gym watching you. Put on a good show, and please, be good sports.

"The clock begins in three… two… one."

Steve holds his arms out, barring their team from entering. He beckons them forward after the six HYDRAs are in the walls. "We need a strategy, or we will lose."

"Yeah, Whitney is a freaking snake," Tony says.

"Dmitri will do whatever it takes to win," Natasha says. "Sinthea Schmidt is a lot like her father, Steve."

He nods, and Loki knows he's pursing his lips inside his helmet. "I know."

"High ground," Clint says. "I need high ground pronto."

"Go ahead, but be-"

Clint is already scaling the wall, disappearing above their heads. "Hey, I can see like everything from up here."

"Bruce, Tony, I need you two to go ahead and find some supplies. Clint, help them!"

"Natasha-"

"I am going to follow Dmitri," she says, cracking her knuckles. "I will watch out."

"Loki-"

"I am coming with you," he says, and he takes ahold of Steve's forearm. "I have an idea."

They go through the maze with some help from Clint, Steve going to continue to the circle when Loki stops him.

"We do not want them to think we are going to win," he says in a hushed voice. He looks up around them. "We need them to think that we are many places at once."

"There are six of us-"

"More than enough," he says. "Miss Hill did not explicitly say we had to get through the maze, did she?"

Steve takes off his helmet to reveal that he is grinning. "Clint!"

Clint's head pops over a wall. "Yes?"

"Where are Tony and Bruce?"

"We're right here!" Tony whisper shouts as they come around a corner.

Bruce lifts up rope and a fire extinguisher, grinning. "How about we put this to use?"

"Okay," Steve says, "but no one gets hurt, alright?"

Tony pats Bruce on the shoulder. "My little science bro."

Steve and Clint make a rope to aid in climbing the walls, and after a minute of pulling each other up one by one, the five of them stand on the ledge of a wall.

A quick glance around reveals that Clint was telling the truth, and Loki can see mostly everything from their position.

The clock displays four minutes, 21 seconds.

"We all spread apart and attempt to delude them into thinking we are at that part of the maze by chance," Loki says. "We need lots of noise."

"So I can scream?" Tony asks, and Loki cocks his head to the side. "What? I like screaming!"

"What's the plan?" Natasha joins them. "They are spread out around the maze. They want to try to block us from going, and they think they can since Vanko and Blonsky are partly psychopaths."

Bruce grits his teeth. "Where is Emil?"

"Bruce, please, don't-"

"He's standing in the circle, attempting to keep us out," Natasha says. "We have two minutes."

"Go," Steve says, and they all start moving.

Loki hops onto another wall, taking off toward the circle.

Stark screams somewhere, and Whitney shouts, "Stark, I will find you!"

Loki stops when he sees someone headed in Tony's direction, eyes widening when said person jumps onto the wall behind Tony. "Tony!"

He turns just as the boy shoves him, and Steve jumps over two walls to land before Tony does, catching him just before he hits the ground. The boy lets out a laugh before hopping back onto the ground.

"Clinty Clint!" a HYDRA boy shouts. "Come out, Clint! You afraid? Gonna fly away, Hawkeye?"

Clint hops down from a wall on the other side of the maze, and Loki groans.

He starts toward the circle, glancing up and seeing that the clock is nearing six minutes. He hops onto the last wall before the circle, Natasha diving at the boy's feet as just attempts to leap into the circle.

He lets out a laugh before speaking in Russian, Loki only understanding the word "Natalia."

"Bruce, Bruce, Bruce."

Bruce enters the circle, fire extinguisher in hand. "Emil."

"Bruce, have I said how much I missed you?" he asks, and he pushes away from the wall. "Why don't you let me get the dummy like you know I will."

"You aren't getting the dummy, Emil."

"Why not?" he shouts just as he circles around the fire, and Bruce discharges the extinguisher, Emil surrounded by white.

Loki pushes away from the ledge, sailing over the rising flames, and as he passes through the circle, he grabs ahold of the dummy's leg. His jump was slightly off, he realizes as he careens through the air, and just before he lands, a HYDRA boy surfaces from the maze and moves in his path.

They collide, the boy acting as a cushion between Loki and the ground.

"Victory for SHIELD 4!"

He rolls off of the boy and onto his back, the heads of his friends appearing in the space above him. "I am never doing that again," he says.

"Should have never asked," Bruce replies.

"We won! We won!" Tony shouts, jumping up and down.

He pulls the uniform off as soon as they exit the walls, giving a grinning Thor an exasperated look as he slips his blazer on. "We won," he says, mocking cheerfulness.

Thor steps up to him, Loki tilting his head up to look at him. "You were almost seriously hurt," he says.

"I am almost always seriously hurt, Thor. I'm me."

"Well, I do see your point." He presses a kiss to the helmet where Loki's mouth would be, and Loki rolls his eyes. "Incentive to stay alive for the rest of the day. I have another activity to be at, one I doubt you would find much entertainment in."

"Hockey," Natasha says.

"No, we are not watching hockey, so see you later, Thor," Tony says. " We should go to-"

"You do not get to choose where we go next," Loki says, pointing at Stark. "Steve, where are we going next?"

"We have one more period before lunch, so I suggest we go watch the musical showcase."

"No, let's go watch Battle of the Bands," Clint says. "SHIELD has musical talent, like actual music, and HYDRA can make good sounding noises when they try."

Bruce shrugs. "I am going to play chess," he says. "Loki, you are free to come with me."

He nods. "I know where I am going. Have fun doing whatever you do."

Charles and Erik sit at one of the occupied tables in the multipurpose rooms, duos of students sitting across from each other as they prepare to play chess. They wave Loki and Bruce over, gesturing for them to sit at an unoccupied table next to them.

"You look as if you have been through hell," Erik says.

"Worse," Bruce replies. "Rescue."

"Ah, yes, did Stark still fail the first stage?" Charles asks.

"No, we won," Loki says. "I do not wish to return to that activity at any other point in time."

"Good," he replies. "You should go see Improv. It was quite funny."

"Funny to you, Charles, is a man getting beans and toast without beans."

Charles chuckles. "It is quite funny."

He and Bruce aimlessly move pieces, talking about other things with their teachers. Said teachers point out their terrible chess skills many times throughout, and Loki points out that he's not even paying attention, simply moving pieces.

"We could kick you out for that," Erik says. "You are supposed to be playing chess."

"And we are," Bruce replies, moving his pawn five spaces, "just our way."

"Checkmate!" someone sings, and Loki turns to see a HYDRA boy pointing at a SHIELD boy.

"Samuel, shut up," the SHIELD boy says. "New game."

"It is good to see that was resolved so easily," Charles says. "Last year, someone hit someone with a board after being checked."

Erik chuckles. "Now that was 'quite funny.'"

The bell rings marking lunch time, and an exodus begins to the SHIELD cafeteria.

"3232 students," Charles says. "A teachers dream or nightmare."

Dr. McCoy and Raven join them, Dr. McCoy lamenting the excess of students and Raven waving to any student she sees, SHIELD and HYDRA.

"I have to use the restroom," Loki says, and he promises to meet them at the cafeteria, slipping into the male restroom. He lets out a breath when he sees that it's empty, happy to away from the crowded hallway. Six more days of this.

He exits into the now sparsely populated hallway and begins to make his way down to the cafeteria.

"Loki!" He knows that voice, but he has to turn around to confirm his suspicions.

"Hero," he replies.

The two of them go to hug, but Hero pauses as if remembering Thor's words. Instead, he nods a greeting in Loki's direction. "I feel as though I haven't seen you in years," he says. "But we both know it's only been a week. You look… wow as always."

"Thank you," he says as they begin to move again. He doesn't bother with asking questions he doesn't care to have answered.

"I heard about the Rescue thing," Hero says. "Good on falling on Lester. He's kind of an ass. I fence, so I spent my second period there. I won by the way." He grins, and Loki rolls his eyes. "I went to the musical showcase. Mary Jane Watson? I like her singing."

"You like her singing?" He opens the door for himself before Hero can. "Interesting."

"Tomorrow, you should come see me fence. I mean, I am good… great really."

"Okay, Hero." He gives him a tight smile in response to the beam he receives from Hero. "I will think about that."

He scans the rows of tables now filling the cafeteria until he finds his friends. He's nodded a greeting by a few HYDRA students he recognizes and some he doesn't as he passes, returning it.

As he sits between Stark and Bruce, he notices the looks of disdain he's getting and sighs.

"Hero, really?" Clint says. "Really?"

He shrugs, messing with his navy napkin wrapped utensils.

"No!" Tony shouts. "No!"

"Shut up!" Whitney shouts, turning around in her seat behind them. "Shut up for once, Tony!"

"No!" He holds a hand to his heart. "All-father, why have you forsaken their love?"

"Students!" Vice Principal Coulson stands at a podium situated in front of a purple table with the SHIELD eagles and HYDRA serpents logo along its front. "You can all stuff your faces after I finish. I just want to say welcome to another start of another SHYDRA week. We have only been in session for four periods, but I know you are all having a great time, right, Grimm?"

"Woo!" Ben shouts, and he and Johnny share a high five at the end of their row of tables.

"Okay, now you can all eat."

The hundreds of silver cloches stretching from each end of the table are lifted to reveal various dishes of food, all so different in appearance in color that "food rainbow" comes to mind.

Everyone falls into a routine, passing dishes down and around the table no matter the color blazer the student happens to be wearing. It could almost warm Loki's heart.

"You are an idiot if you"—he spoons mashed potatoes onto Loki's plate—"think that Hero is remotely better"—he slides a piece of steak next to the potatoes—"than Thor!"

Loki undoes his utensils and sets his napkin on his lap. "Did I ever say as such?"

"But you"—Clint pours gravy onto Loki's potatoes—"were all smiling when you were talking!"

Do they not know Loki's true smile by now?

Bruce slides broccoli onto Loki's plate. "You were kind of smitten looking."

Natasha leans across the table to add a slice of baguette to their three plates. "Loki, be careful around Hero," she says. "He could make you do something you regret."

Steve grabs Loki's glass and fills it with orange juice. "He's also HYDRA."

He eats from his now-full plate in silence, listening to the assortment of chatter around him. Loki reaches up and catches a stray piece of cauliflower before it hits his face, looking down the table to see a dozen different people chuckling.

"Harry," he says, gritting his teeth, "keep your food to yourself."

"How did you know it was me?" he asks, and everyone bursts into laughter.

He finishes half his plate without any more food aimed at him.

Clint stands up on his seat at the end of lunch. "Archery time, bitches—bros, I mean. Be there!"

Another boy stands on his chair at the table behind them. "Watch 'Hawkeye' get his ass kicked!"

"Lester, you talk shit!"

"You aim like shit!"

"Get down now!" Victor shouts, standing up at his seat on the other side of the cafeteria.

"Calm down, von Doom," Lester says, falling into his seat.

"Yeah, Doomy." Clint sits down. "But seriously, I'm kickin' ass."

The six of them make their way down to the range, Clint leading the way as he struts like a peacock, a peacock with something up his ass and not the good something.

Thor, Jane, Darcy, and Brian stand at the entrance to the range.

"Come to see me kick ass?" Clint asks, opening the door and beckoning everyone in.

When he feels Thor's hand on his lower back, Loki cocks an eyebrow but keeps faced forward, only glancing at him when they take their seats. He makes eye contact with Thor, and Thor only moves his hand lower.

Clint resurfaces in an all-black uniform, his well-sculpted arms bare, two students flanking him in similar outfits.

Two boys and Lester come back wearing red versions of Clint's uniform, the tallest of them stepping up to Clint with a grin.

"Kid, we meet again."

"Old man, we do," he replies, and the two hug. "Buck, how've you been?"

"He's HYDRA," Loki says, looking at his friends.

"So? Buck is cool," Tony replies with a dismissive gesture.

Coach Logan quiets everyone down with one look. "You're all here to watch these kids shoot some arrows into targets, so shut up so we can do that. Anyway, on SHIELD's side we have Barton, Bishop, and Strongbow. HYDRA's got Masters, Chisholm, and Poindexter." He turns around to the two teams. "You know how to do this. Keep shooting and the targets get farther back. C'mon, get this damn show on the road."

"Logan, please," Charles says from the front row.

"X, shut the hell up," he replies, and SHIELD and HYDRA alike chortle.

The SHIELD girl and HYDRA boy who go first tie, and Logan shouts insults at them both for doing so.

A dark-haired boy Loki guesses is Strongbow steps up with Lester to take their places.

Lester mimics hitting Strongbow with his arrow, a few HYDRA students chuckling, and Strongbow gives him a look that's the opposite of amused. "Lighten up, weakbow. I'm just kidding around."

Strongbow crosses his arms, and Coach Logan chuckles.

"The kid's a modern day Johnny Depp," he says. "Poindexter, turn and face forward. Good. You know the drill. Do the damn thing."

"Doing the damn thing" turns out to be two ties. Strongbow in fact has a strong bow, and Lester doesn't talk shit.

"Fuck it!" Coach Logan pushes them away. "Barton, Chisholm, come break this damn tie streak. I want to get out of here and see them damn cheerleaders shake their shit."

"James!" Charles exclaims, his ears turning red. "You cannot say such things!"

"But I did, and I will." He points at Barton. "No funny business, you goofy son of a bitch."

"How dare you speak of my mother in such a way?" Clint holds a hand to his heart. "Back at you, meatball."

"Now, Barton, Chisholm, get on with the damn stick shooting."

When each arrow sails to the bull's-eye, Coach Logan throws a chair to the ground and shouts at them for not breaking the tie. He hops over the divider separating the targets from the rest of the range and tears both of them down, pulling out a cigar and lighting It as he examines each one.

"There aint no funny business here, but, Barton, I'm watching you," he says, hopping back over. "Hey, whoever is fucking in charge of this, move them to the back. This tie shit is going to end right now!"

The targets move until they're pressed against the back wall of the range, almost 100 feet away from where Clint and Lester stand.

"Fucking go ape shit!" he shouts. "Use all those damn arrows until one of you is in the lead!"

Clint turns and winks at Natasha, shaking his ass as he loads an arrow into his bow.

"Fucking go!"

When Clint doesn't go and only stands there as Buck shoots arrow after arrow, Loki starts to wonder if Clint has lost his mind but sees the twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

"I am sure he knows what he is doing," Thor whispers, breath ghosting over Loki's neck. "Clint is good with the bow, better than anyone else I know."

"I suppose we will see, Thor."

His fingers touch the crack of his ass, and Loki jolts in his seat. "We will."

As Coach Logan has a panic attack filled with expletives cursing Clint's entire existence, Clint slowly releases one arrow that hits the bull's-eyes, beginning his assault on the target with machine gun speed. Each arrow hits the center until the arrows are hitting other arrows from the lack of space.

"I don't have any more arrows," Clint says, turning to face Coach Logan.

He pulls out his cigar and throws it to the ground, stomping it out, and slowly walks to Clint, Loki preparing to watch Clint get strangled. He grabs Clint's wrist and yanks it up over their heads. "Barton wins!" he shouts. "SHIELD wins!"

Clint does a few back handsprings before running into the crowd of SHIELD students standing and applauding, shouting praise for himself and his two teammates. Strongbow offers a small smile when people hug him though he doesn't reciprocate, and Bishop hugs and shakes hands.

Thor presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth before disappearing without an explanation.

Tony and Bruce exchange a look before grabbing ahold of hands, pulling them down the halls and up the stairs until they reach the top floor. Dr. McCoy hands out rain jackets as they pass, and Loki takes his with a cocked brow.

"Do we get an explanation?" Loki asks, and Natasha chuckles.

"Science-"

"Shut up!" Tony shouts. "It's a surprise!"

They enter Observatory B where a table sits atop the stage.

Tony and Bruce depart, sitting them down in the front row, the same seats they sit in in the other observatory for English though they are covered in plastic as well as the stage and ground. They get onto the stage with Hank, Peter, Reed, Amadeus, Betty, Mya, and Jane.

Reed pulls something from under the table and hands out plastic bodysuits and goggles.

"Science club?" Loki asks, and Natasha nods. "Oh, wonderful."

"Every year they do this," Steve says. "It's such a waste of-"

"Steve, shut up!" Tony shouts.

Steve frowns and shuts his mouth.

The lights go out, leaving the entire room dark.

"Mommy, I'm scared."

"Clint, shut up."

Six bottles glow on stage, all different neon colors, and above, music starts to play.

"Oh, no, you ruined this song for me," Clint says. "It's not even about blow jobs!"

At the first verse, the neon liquid spurts out of the bottle, high into the air, and more bottles of neon liquid appear around it, exploding to the rhythm of the song.

At the chorus, letters written in glow in the dark marker appear out of the darkness, the text describing the chemical process occurring during the explosion of what turns out to be "coke" mixed with "a mysterious glowing liquid acquired by Tony Stark."

"It's the only way Reed will participate," Natasha whispers. "He refuses to be a part of 'pseudoscience' unless they can make it pretentious. This is the compromise. He holds up place cards, and everyone without a stick up their ass does the dirty work."

"Wet work," Clint corrects, yelping when someone slaps him.

Reed changes the card as the music switches above, this one outlining the movements of the molecules with crudely drawn pictures of circles, 'Art by Peter Parker' written along the bottom.

A few songs progress and more glowing coke is exploded, Reed standing with his cards.

He switches to the next card, and everyone chuckles.

_'Tony Stark is the best the turdest, and he loves Steve._

_Peter Parker rules drools._

_Amadeus Cho is the seventh smartest person on Earth!'_

Reed lets out an enraged sound and throws the cards to the ground.

"Glad You Came" comes on, and glowing bottles appear throughout the observatory, their owners hidden in the darkness. A bottle stands in front of Steve, and the cyan light gives away exactly who holds it, that and the snickers. A neon green bottle stands in front of Loki, and he can barely make out a grinning Bruce in front of him. The chorus comes, and the bottles explode, the glowing liquids discharged over the audience.

Loki inhales sharply, covering his face as neon green showers him.

When the lights come on, he's relieved to find he can only smell the coke and not see the green, and removing the rain coat leaves him smelling and looking as he did before.

"Should have seen your face," Bruce says as they enter Auditorium B. "It was hilarious!"

"I'm happy you think so."

"Aw, don't be like that," he replies, and Loki's eyebrows raise at his tone.

He sits down behind Bucky, HYDRA students behind them and SHIELD students in front of them. "Wow, look who is Starkian."

"Take that back!"

"No," he says, "I think i won't." He looks up onto the empty stage, taking in the nine podiums on each side, the SHIELD logo on the left five and a HYDRA logo on the right side. One podium sits in the center, blank of any logo.

A debauched looking Stark and Steve arrive after five minutes and sit down next to Bucky, Tony turning red and telling Loki to shut up when he asks where they were and why they were so late.

Steve puts an arm around Tony's shoulder, smirking.

Loki starts to ask Steve what has got Tony in such a twist when Dr. Strange comes onstage and stands behind the podium.

"I am Dr. Stephen Strange, and welcome to Trivia Team. As the host school, we welcome the HYDRA Snakes on a Plane to the stage first."

A laugh escapes Loki's mouth at how ridiculous that name is, stopping when Thanny steps onto the stage with Hero behind him.

Thor chooses that time to show up, him, Jane, Clint, Natasha, Darcy, and Jessica sitting down beside him.

"Next, we welcome the SHIELD Team America World Police to the stage."

"Where do they come up with these names?" Steve asks.

"Movies, Steve," Bucky replies.

"On HYDRA's side with have team captain: Thanos Titan, Hero Titan, Alec Thorne, Marcia Lang, Samuel Sterns, Deidre Wentworth, Nathan Garrett, Sunset Bain, and Michael Morbius. On SHIELD's side we have team captain: Jose Santini, Amadeus Cho, Robert Reynolds, Brian Braddock, Alexander Power, David Alleyne, Virginia Potts, Harold Osborn, and Peter Parker."

Everyone claps.

"The rules are as followed: each round is composed of 13 questions of one category, the first two rounds all gaining 10 points for each answer. Each team member attempts to hit their buzzer and answer first. The logos on each podium will light up when a buzz in is recognized. The team members are not allowed to help each other until the last round. Are we all clear?"

"Clear like the glaciers of Sweden," Thanny says into his microphone, and the HYDRA students behind him coo and moan over how romantic he is.

Thor's jaw clenches.

"The first round is movie trivia," he says. "What movie trilogy stars the character Bat-?"

Harry, Peter, Robert, Hero, Thanny, and a HYDRA boy named Alec's logos light up, everyone's but Thanny's flickering off.

"The Dark Knight Trilogy which is composed of _Batman Begins, The Dark Knight,_ and_ the Dark Knight Rises_."

"10 points to HYDRA Snakes on a Plane," Dr. Strange says, and the screen behind him adds 10 points beneath the HYDRA logo.

"Who directed the 1997 film-"

Harry's logo lights up. "James Cameron," he says, and he and Peter exchange a look. They start to sing. "His name is James, James Cameron, the bravest pioneer. No budget too steep, no sea too deep. Who's that-?"

"Thank you, Mr. Osborn and Mr. Parker, for that wonderful song. 10 points to SHIELD Team America World Police."

The round ends up with Thanny and Harry continuously answering questions, everyone giving up attempting to hit their buzzers by the last question.

"Who is the main character in the movie _Being John Malkovich_?"

Thanny, Harry, and Jose's buzzers go off, Jose's the only one staying on.

"Craig Schwartz."

"10 points to SHIELD Team America World Police, bringing the end of round score to 60-70 SHIELD."

Thanny looks unaffected, whispering something into Hero's ear.

"That bitch doesn't even have the gall to look mad," Tony says. "Fuck him."

Hero says something that causes Thanny to laugh, slapping him on the arm.

"The next round is music trivia," Dr. Strange says. "Which song contains the phrase often called upon when one mentions this singer's name?"

Pepper, Hero, Marcia, and Robert's buzzers go off, Pepper's the only one staying on.

"Britney Spears, 'Gimme More,' 'It's Britney, bitch.'"

"10 points to SHIELD Team America World Police."

"Go, Pep!" Tony shouts. "Beat HYDRA skin!"

"Sing a verse from this collaboration between Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson from his album _Thriller_."

Thanny, Hero, Amadeus, Robert, Pepper, and Peter's buzzers go off, Hero's staying on.

"But we both cannot have her, so it's one or the other, and one day you'll discover that she's my girl forever and ever," he sings, sounding partly off key. "'The Girl is Mine.'"

"10 points to HYDRA Snakes on a Plane."

Tony turns and slaps Loki on the shoulder, frowning.

Hero answers the rest of the questions, Thanny staring at him blankly.

"That ends our two power rounds, 80-180 HYDRA Snakes on a Plane. Our last round is history of music. You all have two minutes to come up with a group answer, and one team member must answer the second question correctly for you to get the full points from the first question. Much like Jeopardy, you can set how much the group question will be worth, the limit how many points you have. If you miss the question, the points will be subtracted from your scores. Team captains, how many points will you wager?"

"All 80," Jose says, frowning.

"Them all," Thanny says.

"The group question is this: can you put the following eight songs into the order they were in on the UK music chart in the week of April 14th, 1990...?"

Alec goes up to talk to Thanny, but Thanny simply looks down at his podium.

Jose and Amadeus exchange a grin before ducking their heads over Amadeus' podium.

"This is much too easy," Thor says. "'Vogue,' 'The Power,' 'Black Velvet,' 'Kingston Town,' 'Step On,' 'Love Shack,' 'Don't Miss the Party Line,' and 'Hang on to Your Love.'"

Dr. Strange looks down at his podium as their answers appear on the screen behind him.

If Thor was correct, both teams are correct.

"SHIELD, HYDRA, please announce your chosen team member.

"Nathan," Thanny says.

"Brian."

"A decade forward on that same chart, who is the artist that held the number one hit in the first week of 2000?"

The HYDRA boy frowns, and Thanny throws his hands up.

"Hit the fucking buzzer," Thanny says, voice picked up by the microphone.

Brian hits the buzzer first.

"Westlife," Thor says.

"Cliff Richard."

Dr. Strange turns to the HYDRA boy. "Your answer?"

"John Lennon?"

"You were both off by a few positions. The correct answer is Westlife."

"Why the hell aren't you up there?" Bucky asks.

Thor shrugs. "I have other things to do during the week."

"Both scores are at zero, therefore making this a tie," Dr. Strange says. "You have five other sessions to build upon your scores. Thank you all for coming."

They stay behind for Philosophy which involves Charles debating the intricacies of the mind with Dr. Lactus and Dr. Strange.

Tony and Steve leave ten minutes early to go prepare for their performance.

The bell rings, and Loki stretches, finding himself growing tired after all of the sitting he's been doing.

HYDRA students sit on the right side of Auditorium B as before, and they sit in the back row however Stark-less they are. His choice of seating is... satisfactory.

"Welcome back," Principal Fury says. "We end our first day of SHYDRA week with a performance by the SHIELD band conducted by Mr. Obadiah Stane. Their chosen tune is a 'surprise' as I have been informed by a Mr. Tony Stark."

The lights go off for a little under 30 seconds, coming on to reveal the SHIELD band sitting there.

"We go hard," Clint says.

Mr. Stane lifts his hands, pointing at the percussionists to begin.

The opening bars of "The Imperial March" begin to play and a collective groan goes through the auditorium, some of amusement and some of distaste.

Stark plays the drums with his serious face, which causes Loki to giggle the first few minutes of the song. His giggles become guffaws when Tony straps his drums on and throws his mallets, a clarinetist pulling two small light sabers from beneath her chair and handing them to him. He uses the sabers as mallets.

Peter hops onto the stage, putting a Darth Vader helmet on and pulling a light saber from his utility belt.

They begin to duel, Tony keeping rhythm and hitting Peter at the same time.

Tony jumps off the stage, and Peter pursues him, Tony pausing in the doorway to hit his drum one last time as the song ends.

SHIELD students stand, and Loki beams as he claps, shaking his head. This is the SHIELD he knows, the strange antics that turn out to be quite amusing when one is not directly involved.

The lights go off, coming on to reveal Principal Fury, Miss Hill, and Vice-Principal Coulson only standing on the stage.

"We will see you all tomorrow unless you plan on staying for the sporting matches," Principal Fury says. "Get out of my school."

"Safely," Miss Hill says.

"Orderly," Coulson says.

Loki notices that Natasha is gone already as they stand, Bruce and Clint leading the way.

He follows them into the enclave next to Earth Science, and piquing curiosity, up a flight of stairs that leads to a set of open double doors with a SHIELD agent and HYDRA agent on either side, both whispering into their earpieces and tapping away at the tablets in their hands.

He looks out down at students and staff members taking alternate routes out of the glass crossway. People dressed in red and blue mill from the school and down the path directly below them and make their way to the stadium ahead

His friends begin to jeer at his lack of observation when he lets it slip that he had no idea that there was more than a sporting field behind the school.

"What did you think 'Lee Stadium' was when I asked you to tell that thing to Thor?" Clint asks as they enter a lobby.

They pass through another set of doors and into a hallway, one side of glass looking down on the field below.

"I didn't actually care," he replies, and Bruce sends Clint a warning look.

Clint gets a large tub of popcorn before they go to take their seats on the SHIELD side as directed by a SHIELD agent. They sit next to an already seated Tony, Bucky, and Steve, and Tony makes a grab for Clint's popcorn, spilling some onto the ground.

"Oh, I'm telling," Clint says, waving over Dr. Lactus. "Tony spilled popcorn."

Dr. Lactus makes a dry sound. "Clean it up, Stark, and you too, Barton. I saw that exchange, and you were at fault as well."

"What?" Clint asks as everyone snickers. "But—Stark was all-"

"Now." Dr. Lactus leaves with the same expression.

On the opposite side, a few students hold up signs with letters on them to spell out HYDRA Preparatory.

"Lame!" Harry shouts as he and an un-Darth Vader-ed Peter sit down in front of them. "Our Eaglettes will show them how it's done."

A group of barely-clothed girls enters on the sidelines. On each of their bare stomachs is a letter of SHIELD Academy, Susan sporting the S. The long sleeves of their shirts seems to be for nothing more than fashion since their skirts are so short that they wear spandex shorts under them, and their shirts are missing the bottom half.

On the other side of the stadium, a group of girls comes in wearing red and black uniforms though theirs are much, much worse. There is no attempt to cover up more than the necessities, their tops being sports bras and their bottoms extremely short shorts. They do have pom-poms.

"Whelp, looks like the week is getting off to a good start," Bucky says, leaning back in his seat with a sigh. "God bless SHYDRA!"

"Hello, all. You may remember me as JARVIS, your resident engineering genius Anthony Stark's Artificial Intelligence. This year I will be your host for SHYDRA week here at SHIELD Academy of Greater New York. I welcome you all to Lee Stadium for the first game of this year's SHYDRA week, the SHIELD women's Eagles versus the HYDRA women's Serpents."

There's a roar as the screen above the scoreboard displays the emblems of each school, and Clint waves the foam finger taken from Stark.

"Makin' daddy proud!" Tony says, fake crying into Steve's shoulder. "That's my AI!"

"As always, we will welcome the visiting school's team first. Coming to the field are the HYDRA Serpents!"

Screams for the other side as their side simply grumbles. From the cloud of black smoke coming from the field entrance on HYDRA's side, girls in red and black shorts and shirts walk onto the field.

A shower of glitter explodes and a girl with blonde hair that Loki's seen around school always surrounded by boys emerges with a grin. Natasha and Sharon follow after her, no smiles on their faces though they seem happy.

"Now that's one swell dame," Bucky says, but Loki's unsure of who he's talking about with all of the girls on the field.

When Natasha's name is announced, they all scream and shout for her, Natasha staring at them like they've lost their minds.

"I love you, girl!" Clint says, snapping his fingers as he jumps up and down. "You go!"

He feels the embarrassment on her behalf.

"Thor! Thor!" Tony begins shouting, waving his arms, and Loki turns, spotting Thor, Robert, Luke, and Jessica. "Come sit with us!"

He turns around to face forward, the corners of his lips quirking up.

The referee sets the ball down and scampers away, Natasha and a HYDRA girl going for the ball at the sound of the whistle.

"Holy shit balls!" Harry exclaims when Natasha does an aerial over the back of another girl in pursuit of the ball.

Sharon narrowly dodges the ball when it's kicked at her and falls ass-first into the grass, Bucky erupting into loud laughter. She turns and bares her teeth at him as she takes the hand Peggy offers her.

HYDRA scores first, and the Serpent cheerleaders all do a back handspring in celebration.

Loki grinds his teeth and stops before Thor notices and tells him to stop.

"She's huge!" Clint shouts, gesturing to a tall girl. "Freaking Amazonian!"

The girl turns to scan the crowd until she finds Clint and smiles, her eyes blazing.

"Dude, she like heard you," Peter says. "Better watch your back. She might get you."

He slumps down in his seat, but Tony and Loki both pull him up. Loki cannot pass up this opportunity for Clint to get intimidated by a particularly tall girl.

Thankfully, Natasha gets the ball first this time.

He hears himself screaming for her to run, and only realizes that he's doing so when Jessica puts a hand on his shoulder and asks if he is alright. He nods her affirmation, but he's screaming again in the next second. When Natasha slips around Belova and kicks it into the goal, Loki leaps into the air and lets out an animalistic scream.

"Wow, it's always the insane people," Clint says as Loki composes himself. "Finally showing some school spirit, yeah?"

He takes Stark's foam finger and throws it at Clint before resuming watching. He ignores the sounds of Thor, Luke, and Robert chuckling behind him.

The HYDRA girl shouts something in Natasha's direction, and Natasha calmly returns to her position. At the sound of the whistle, Natasha kicks the ball directly into the girls gut, jumping over her downed body and travelling with the ball to the goal, kicking it in.

"Go, girl!" Clint shouts as she turns around and walks calmly back to her place.

Bruce and Tony laugh and point at the angry HYDRA girl as she brushes the referee off to return opposite Natasha.

Loki jumps from his seat when the buzzer rings and SHIELD is in the lead, and multiple hands come to grab at his arms and steady him. He brushes them off, still buzzing with excitement. "I'm fine. I'm fine," he says.

"Yeah, 'fine,'" Robert says as he and Luke snicker.

Natasha takes his arm and walks beside him when she emerges in her casual clothes, grinning broadly. "You sure know how to show some school spirit, you know that?"

He sighs. "I do know that sadly."

Bucky's invitation to come watch the softball team gets declined when Loki finds that Natasha is not playing in the game.

He and Thor find Mrs. Munroe and his mother walking around the halls, the two of them noticing them standing there and gesturing them to follow.

"I know, it's so unfortunate, isn't it?" his mother replies to something. "I fear our time has been limited by my son's lack of school pride."

Loki scoffs, and Thor grins. "What? I do not care much for watching women I do not know play sports I do not like, Mother."

"If you were straight, you would not be saying that," she says. "Thor, you have some girlfriend, right? You are a very handsome young man—he gets it from his father—and girls must be salivating at your feet."

He clears his throat, and Loki prepares for the inevitable question dodging because Thor is much too perfect to be gay, right? "Farbauti, I must inform you that I am-"

Well, perhaps Loki was wrong.

"-gay."

He inhales sharply and pretends that his sneaker needs to be tied, falling to his haunches to undo the tie and redo it.

"Oh, I suppose I should have known that," his mother replies. "Do not fret for I will not tell your father. I understand that your relationship is exactly that, your relationship, and I would never tell him such a thing."

Thor smiles. "He knows already."

Mrs. Munroe purses her lips, and his mother's eyes narrow. "Men, always keeping secrets."

"Yes," his mother says, "always. I do not have to worry about girls now, do I? I have my son, one of the most creative people I have met to make up for that. Farewell, Oruro, I must go home to my motherly duties."

He and Thor walk ahead of them.

"You didn't have to do that. I would have understood."

"I was doing it for my future." He picks up his pace, and Loki does not attempt to catch up to him.

When he dresses in the morning, he's careful to pick out his own clothes, feeling himself smirk when Thor gives him a look of disappointed in the kitchen.

"Lookin' good, Mischief," Tony says when they meet in the hallway. "You getting dressed up for someone?"

He frowns at him, moving out of the way to let a few HYDRA students enter in front of them. "What is your problem?"

"What is yours?" He walks away as if that is a proper response, and Loki sighs, going to take his seat as the lights turn off.

The HYDRA orchestra plays something less sinister than last time, but it still ends with Loki standing to clap as everyone around him looks on in disapproval.

"We're not going back to Rescue then?" Tony asks, frowning. For someone who was almost pushed to his possible death, he seems too disappointed over such a thing.

"No," Steve replies.

Fencing.

"I have somewhere I have to be," Loki says, and they all turn to look at him. "Fencing."

"No!" Tony shouts, and Clint stomps his feet. "You can't be serious!"

"It's just fenc-"

"Hero Thanos Titan fences!" He holds his index finger up. "Who names their kid after their older brother first of all? You know they call him Hero T.? Who is he? Ice T?"

"All of that is irrelevant except for the first part, Stark," Natasha says. "Loki, remember what-"

"We are not involved romantically nor do I ever intend to be." He inhales. "Steve, fencing is in the main gym, correct?"

"Steve, don't give him-"

"Yes." Steve's eyes dull. "Yes, It is."

"I will be in the gym if you do happen to need me." He turns away from them and begins the journey upstairs, Peter coming to walk with him.

"Fencing, right?"

Loki nods.

"You know, I'm surprised you don't fence. You're long and noodly like-"

He grins and cocks his head to the side. "Parker, shut your mouth, please."

"What? Just telling the truth."

Hero is quite good at fencing though he does lose the second round against the SHIELD girl, Brian's twin sister, and Mr. Wagner, the chosen referee, is aimed a glare when he announces Hero's loss. The next round is unfortunate on his opponent's part with how aggressive and feral Hero is, and his victory leaves Loki dissatisfied. His dissatisfaction is only amplified when Hero cockily makes a show to pump his fists and grin when the entire match goes to him.

"That was intense," Peter says.

He doesn't bother with trying to congratulate Hero. He doesn't really deserve it, does he?

Improv is not as funny as Charles made it out to be, but it is not as unfunny as Erik made it seem either. HYDRA students improvise lines and actions as if they were stranded on a desert island, and the results are quite amusing and worrying: one boy immediately deciding that they should eat whoever can do the least push-ups, and the others deciding that they should just eat him. He's tied up and "roasted" as they sit around a campfire and sing songs, the bell ringing as they move onto Bob Dylan.

Charles pats Loki's shoulder as they walk up to the multipurpose room. "That was quite funny, was it not?"

"Disturbing," Erik says. "Children should not think that way, however… logical it was."

When Bruce comes and sits across from him, he gives Loki a disapproving look before talking about his time spent in Future Problem Solving. "You will never leave me with them again," he says. "It was bad."

"As bad as Rescue?"

Bruce moves his knight straight ahead. "No, but almost."

When they get to lunch, Loki gets the usual lecture— "Hero is bad." "Hero is HYDRA." "Team Thor, bitches!"—and pretends to listen though his attention is on the food they put on his plate. They ask him if he understands, he nods because verbal affirmation would only give them ammunition for the next lecture when he doesn't listen.

Thor takes a seat next to Steve partway through lunch, talking about sports strategy or some other sport related thing Loki could not care less about.

"Oh, yeah, soccer match for the males," Steve says. "You and Clint are both doing that right?"

"Of course," Thor replies. "Football was a great past time of mine back in Sweden. I was captain of the Varsity team before I left."

"But wait." Harry points at him. "You're doing like ten other sports! As I have said many times before-"

"You're a god," Tony, Clint, Steve, and Peter finish.

Thor laughs. "I am just a well-rounded individual. I would not count that as being godly." He goes on to talk about some of his sporting exploits, and by the time he's on wrestling—Loki is trying not to picture that in his mind—Loki has come to the conclusion that his previous thoughts of Thor being able to do everything are right.

"Is there anything you cannot do?" he murmurs.

Thor with his inhuman hearing looks at him with a smirk. "Yoga though I consider myself only proficient in the art of stretching. That is more your area."

There are a few "ohs" from around the table, and Loki rolls his eyes as hard as he can while Thor sits back and looks pleased with himself as always.

"I don't know whether that was a burn or some really weird come-on, so I'm just going to pretend it was the former," Clint says. "Oh, burn!"

"Loki."

The entire table goes silent, and the corners of his lips quirk up as he turns around.

Hero smiles, unfazed by the death glares being aimed at him. "We didn't encounter each other yet, so I took it upon myself to come seek you out. By the way, I am offended you haven't called me."

"Serves you right," Tony murmurs.

"I told you there were no guarantees," he replies, ignoring the way Thor shifts in his seat. "What did you truly come here for?"

"To come get you," he says as Thor stands and leaves. "We have doubles for fencing, and my partner happens to be one Thanos Titan. I really need moral support if I plan on not running the saber through his abdomen."

"That's not healthy," Bruce says.

"It isn't," Hero says. "It usually results in death."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious T. Titan," Clint says, and he and Tony high five in Loki's periphery.

Clever.

Thanny comes up to the them, putting a hand on Hero's shoulder. "Other—I mean, brother, what are and failing to finish what you started back at Osborn's?"

Hero smiles. "Thanos, actually, I was getting Loki to come to our match when you so politely interrupted."

"Have I mentioned how stupid you are?"

"Oh," a few people say, Tony included.

"You got a galactic cruiser and drove it to the Bronx."

Loki grins tightly, eyes narrowing. "You are comparing me to a galactic cruiser. How 'romantic.'"

Thanny shrugs. "Yeah, chicks are stupid and gullible for the old Titan Charm. Other, wrap it up. We have some SHIELD ass to kick."

Hero watches Thanny retreat with something dark in his eyes. "Loki, if you don't mind."

Curiosity gets the better of him, so he stands. "I would be happy to come."

"What?"

"Dude, what about me?"

He turns to Clint. "I am sure you will do fine," he says, and he picks up his plate. "I will see you at—somewhere else, yes? Do win, Clint."

Enraged sounds come from behind him as he and Hero walk, stupidly enraged sounds. Loki has every right to do what he pleases, and for them to try to obstruct that is not something good "friends" would do. Also, they should know what Loki's intentions are from how much they thrust their presence on him.

He dumps his plate and slips it into the plate return.

"Your friends were nice."

"As always," he replies. "They are the nicest people you will ever meet."

Hero and Thanny wear matching purple uniforms as they stand on the mat opposite Dane and Jacques, Mr. Wagner standing between them.

"Understood?"

"Perfectly," Thanny says, and Loki knows he is grinning underneath that helmet.

Mr. Wagner steps off the mat. "En guard"—Hero and Thanny both crouch down, their stances identical—"Prêt. Allez!"

Each duo hops back and forth as they look for an opening to hit, Jacques attempting to tap Thanny once and narrowly avoiding his saber. It continues like that for five minutes until Thanny draws his saber across and touches Jacques and Dane.

Hero shouts something at him, and Thanny makes a dismissive motion.

Loki lets out a sigh when Dane taps Hero, shaking his head as Thanny lets out a loud laugh. Thank the gods for him being an only child.

Thanny shoves Hero and points at his helmet, Hero nodding before they go to take their places.

The struggle to land a touch is longer this time, 20 minutes longer.

"Someone hit someone!" Peter shouts, Harry slapping his arm as he stares on with squinted eyes.

When Jacques lunges over Dane and Dane ducks, Harry lets out a squeal, and the lights on Thanny's helmet and Jacques helmet go off.

Thanny throws his helmet onto the ground, smashing it, and Hero takes his off calmly, grinning.

"Dusquesne and Whitman win!" Mr. Wagner shouts.

His friends talk to him when he goes up to watch the science display, but they talk about how lame HYDRA is as the HYDRA science club makes black smoke by use of liquid nitrogen and other materials. Natasha shoots glances his way every time Stark says "fuck HYDRA students," but he doesn't reward him or her with a response.

There are laughs from SHIELD and HYDRA alike when the trivia team scores remain at zero after the game, one HYDRA boy and Bruce laughing about the look on Thanny's face when Marcia answered incorrectly. Hero only looked at his brother with a smirk until Thanny shoved him backstage and demanded that they have a team meeting right there. Jose simply shrugged before leaving the stage, and Harry and Peter did some strange dance.

He goes to watch Gymnastics as support for Natasha, however unperceptive she is being right now. He stands and cheers for her when her bar routine gets a perfect 10, chuckling at the pout the HYDRA girl she kicked the ball at wears for her 9.9.

"That was cray!" Tony shouts. "You were like a freaking ninja."

She pats him on the shoulder. "'Like?' Stark, you have much to learn."

Clint is bid farewell with a threat from Natasha that he better win and a clap on the shoulder. He salutes them before disappearing in the crowd of red and blue.

When Thor emerges with the team in his soccer uniform, Loki has to look away before he gets a problem that can't be solved for another few hours. Thor should not be allowed to wear that uniform when he has a body like that. That brings him back to Thor's "ninja" uniform. Now that was worse.

As the girls soccer team was, the boys are introduced, and when they call out Thanny's name, the roar from HYDRA's side is deafening.

"How do they like him?" Tony asks. "He looks like a douche! Look at this hair! It's douche hair!"

The eagles get into a huddle before breaking apart, shouting, "Eagles fly!" and making bird signals with their hands. Wow.

He almost falls out of his seat when HYDRA get the first score, and he's not alone as Bruce is screaming obscenities while Loki tries to regain his composure. Natasha puts a hand on his shoulder to calm him, but it's not enough when HYDRA scores a goal again because he's out of his seat and screaming.

Thanny stops in the center of the field and cups his hands, saying, "I would finish the job," in Swedish, perfect Swedish.

"Since when does he know Swedish?" Natasha asks, shaking her head. "It's such a shame that a person like that can speak such terrible things so beautifully."

He turns and grins at Thor, wagging his eyebrows, and Thor grabs Remy's shoulder, whispering something in his ear that makes him smile and nod.

Thor gets the ball first, moving around HYDRA players with inhuman speed. When Thanny attempts to intercept him, he falls to his knees and slides through Thanny's open legs, barely missing the crotch of his shorts, and he gets back to his feet, kicking the ball into the goal.

Loki's breath leaves his body when he sees that Thor is covered in grass stains now. Really, dirt is his new fetish now? He can thank Thor for that.

He gets more and more grass stains on him with each play, and by the last ten minutes, Thor's beautifully dirty.

"SHIELD – 9, HYDRA – 11," JARVIS says. "Nine minutes, eight seconds left of playing time."

Johnny kicks the ball high, it sailing feet away from the goal. Clint leaps over the head of a HYDRA player and kicks the ball straight into the net and over the goalie's head.

"SHIELD – 20, HYDRA – 11."

"We're going to win!" Tony shouts as the clock nears zero. "HYDRA snake losers!"

They do in fact win, and winning feels as great as it usually does.

The players disappear into the locker rooms, and those not interested in rugby make their way out while some such as Steve and Bucky head down to the locker rooms to change.

The first thought on Loki's mind upon seeing a newly-cleaned Thor is that he cannot wait to see him get dirty.

"Hey, stop undressing him with your eyes!" Tony shouts. "I bet he can feel that. I can feel when Steve does it to me. You better not make them lose by his godly-"

"Shut up, Tony," Natasha says. "You're doing the same to Steve."

"Damn right I am. Look at him. He's… perfect."

Most the players were present in the soccer game, so many faces from each team are familiar. One boy, Akihiro Logan, makes Loki cock an eyebrow and start to ask if there's any relation between the coach standing on the sidelines and him, but Natasha answers that for him.

"His son," she says, "but don't mention it if you wish to live."

Johnny shouts something at a HYDRA boy, and it goes downhill fast. SHIELD and HYDRA players swarm the two of them until it devolves into a very aggressive shouting match with threats audible from their place in the stands. Thanny grins as he shouts something at Thor, and Luke, Robert, Steve, and Gabriel have to pull Thor back.

"HYDRA – 10, SHIELD – 0," JARVIS says.

Coach Logan throws his chair, and Akihiro turns to sneer at him. "Get it fucking together, Eagles!"

Robert grounds the ball by jumping over a crouching Akihiro, and Loki lets out a sigh of relief after screaming praise for Robert.

Johnny captures the ball from Norrin and grounds it just as Vanko goes to take it back.

"HYDRA – 10, SHIELD – 10."

Steve passes the ball to Thor, and Loki jumps to his feet.

"Run, Thor! Run!" he shouts, and the stands erupt into cheers when Thor grounds the ball and ties the game.

"Oh fuck me, they better win!" Tony exclaims as they reset. "Oh, Steve, run, baby! Run for me!"

Loki and Bruce erupt into laughter as Steve does as Tony commanded, running for his life and dodging the Serpent players like a serpent himself.

A la ninja, Thor jumps over a ducking Blonsky and kicks the ball to Steve, Steve catching it and falling into the goal zone as Thanny nears him. As SHIELD's side cheers, the end of game buzzer rings, marking a victory for SHIELD.

He feels as though he's been through a marathon of sex as he falls into his seat, letting out an exhale as everyone around him starts to make plans.

Of course he gets dragged off to a victory party, but he stays until his friends are too preoccupied with celebrating themselves to try to get him to feel the "school spirit." A quick glance around reveals that Thor is still off celebrating on the roof with the other "hardcore" partiers he's recently become one of.

As he leaves, he meets a very attractive red-haired boy in the elevator who stares at him with a small smirk, one patronizing in a Nalian way. "You are from SHIELD, correct?" he asks, his accent Mediterranean.

Loki nods, hitting the lobby button. He notes the already-highlighted roof button. "Yes," he replies, "support for the school and the family."

The boy laughs. "Ah, not a fan of blind patriotism I see. Well, I must say that family is worth it. Who is this… family of yours? A brother?"

"Yes, he's my… step-brother."

The boy purses his lips as if he knows something that Loki does not. "Well, this step-brother of yours is quite the MVP, is he not? He is worth supporting. You would not want to lose him, would you?" He steps forward onto the rooftop. "I must be off, but it was nice meeting you, Loki."

As the doors close, he realizes that he didn't tell him what his name was or that Thor was the step-brother in question. The smug expression on that boy's face sticks with him the journey home. He surmounts it to a HYDRA boy being too knowledgeable for his own good.

He goes straight to sleep, uncaring to what Thor is doing, or at least he tries to convince himself that.

The bed shifts behind Loki, and as soon as Thor settles in beside him, he knows what he will smell on his breath and see in his eyes. The slight pause in his movements as if he has to think what to do next gives him away.

He opens his eyes and stares at the wall as Thor's breath rasps in his ear.

"We won," he says, his voice holding a familiar lust that both sends heat downward and fear into his gut.

He pulls his arm from Thor's grasp. "Point?" he replies. "Of course you did. Anyone with enough sense could see that was due to happen."

Thor's fingers ghost down the notches of his spine. "And all because of you," he says. "I knew that I had to win, Loki. I won for you."

"Well, I didn't ask." He freezes at the sensation of Thor pressed up against his bare ass, the fabric of his jeans separating them. No, this will not happen again. He made this mistake before, and it's what led them to this mess they're in currently.

With all of his might, he shoves Thor from the bed, and in Thor's state, it is enough to send the boy to the ground. He shuts his eyes and attempts to forget Thor's visit and the result tenting the bedspread.

His eyes snap open at the new weight of Thor above him, and his heart rate takes an upward turn.

Thor's eyes are sharp, frighteningly so, and the only evidence of inebriation comes from the smell of alcohol on him and the fact that they are in this position now. "I could still have it from you if I wanted. You would pretend to be above it, but you would want it as much as I do. You would love it too."

Loki gulps.

"If I wanted, I could pillage you as a Viking to a village, simply pin you and have my way with you, push you to your limits white you beg for me to continue. You are just so… so small… so breakable—so very _fuckable_." He inhales. "But my love and desire to protect you overrules these primal instincts to, to claim you and show you just who you belong to. Sickening, weakening love."

He's gone, leaving Loki and the silence of his room.

One twist of his wrist and he's whimpering into his pillow, wishing that it were _his_ hand and feeling ashamed of both that fact and the fact that Thor was right.

* * *

**A/N:** Resolution is coming soon (I promise.)

Also, I want to shake Loki and make him lurve Thor like they need to. Real lurve.


	19. Chapter 18 Part II

**A/N**: Here is the next part. When I said I got carried away, I meant the crap out of it. I had fun, and you know, I write for fun, so here's this. Also, I hope it makes up for the delay in between the chapters being posted.

* * *

18.5 Robert Reynolds: Righteous Rival Part II!?

He drives to school because honestly, John can go fuck himself if he really thinks he will turn Loki in to the law. He loves him because he loves Nal, and as much as Loki would like to deny it, he has Nalian traits.

Hero wins his rounds to no surprise, and he comes up to Loki afterward, staring at him anxiously. He asks for a hug that Loki declines with a, "I don't give hugs to people I don't know," spurning Hero to scoff and state a need for them to get to know each other better.

Keep ones friends close, but keep ones enemies closer, comes to mind as he walks alongside Hero.

Charles gives Loki a look when he and Hero sit down behind him in Improv, Raven and Erik greeting Hero as a normal human being. "So you are Hero Titan," he says. "It is nice to meet you."

He continues to give him the same look as they go to Erik's classroom, and Raven slaps him in the arm, shooting them booth an apologetic look. She has the potential of becoming his favorite teacher for her lack of judgmental tendencies.

Hero leaves to go play Hockey, sighing when Loki turns down his request of coming to watch. "Lunch then and you have to come to our other match today," he says, attempting to give Loki a stern look.

Loki rolls his eyes. "Whatever you say, Hero."

Bruce moves his pawn forward two spaces. "Have you cheated yet?"

He moves his own pawn two spaces, jaw clenched. "No," he replies, "I do not cheat."

"That's what everyone says." Bruce moves another pawn. "No one thinks they will cheat, but they do."

He looks up at Bruce, seeing those eyes starting to near something chemical. "Hero and I are simply allies, and we will remain so. Even if Thor and I were not together, Hero and I would not be involved romantically or sexually. I did have the opportunity to begin something with him, Bruce, and you know that I didn't."

He tips his king over. "You lie a lot too. I know that."

"I am in love with Thor, Bruce, please. Save your lectures for another time when I do cheat because according to everyone else, I am going to. I can promise you that I will never do such a thing. Why is no one asking him that? He is the one out partying while I do what? While I attempt to fix our relationship. I am tired of trying to fix something that wasn't ever broken, Bruce. It's not broken. It's ruined."

Charles and Erik turn to look at them.

"Loki, look, I'm sorry that I jumped to conclusions, but your relationship is not ruined. It's just… messed up. Hell, I'm messed up, and Betty still sees something in me. We were broken up for a year, but now? We're trying, and that's what matters. You're trying, right? If this all goes to shit, it's his fault, and I will be there standing beside you."

"I did tell you that we were on your side," Erik says, gaze on the chessboard.

Charles grins. "Erik…"

"They are terrible at keeping their conversation private," he replies. "We've been over this, Charles. We're on his side, and Thor is the asshole in this."

"Erik, I believe in no such thing."

"Keep telling yourself that, Charles."

When Hero waves Loki over, Bruce gives Loki a look and nods, following after him. "Oh, hello, Bruce Banner."

Bruce sits down next to Marvin. "It's just Bruce."

"Okay, Bruce."

Loki rolls his eyes, and Hero grins.

Thanny takes his seat next to Marcia, eyebrows raising. "Well, looks like we have got ourselves some sister students. As HYDRA ambassador-"

"Thanos," Marcia says. "Shut up. You sound like a dork."

"Then I'm your dork."

She sighs. "I suppose you are."

Loki gets his food by himself for once, and it's almost liberating to not be coddled. He participates in the conversation around him, and Bruce does too, Thanny asking him strange questions about his energy project with Stark. The topics are different as well, more… dark and raw.

Thanny and Hero actually work together during this dual, winning each round.

"Boo!" Peter shouts when Mr. Wagner declares them the winners. "This is your fault. You've been using your skills of magic on them."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

He suggests to Cheer Squad to Hero when he realizes that a few of Hero's friends are giving him looks of distrust. He cannot get close to someone if they don't trust him, can he?

He's amused by the sight of girls in barely in any clothes chanting and cartwheeling around. If he were female, he would be the head cheerleader, and his team would be the best. Susan does a fairly good job though the lack of showiness would be one of his complaints. Go big or go home as Clint and Thor always say, perhaps?

His heart sinks into his toes at the sight of Thor, the first time since that… thing yesterday night.

"Traitor, come here!" Clint shouts, and Loki inhales as he goes to take the seat between Clint and Tony.

Tony pointedly ignores him.

The first topic of sports trivia gets dominated by Robert and Thanny, the two of them staring each other down as they alternate answering questions. Robert gets the last question and answers it correctly, Thanny leaning into Hero's ear and whispering something that makes Robert turn his gaze to the audience and narrow his eyes.

The next topic of battles throughout history is the HYDRA boy Nathan and David's round, Nathan's smile growing brighter with each time he buzzes before David.

"The score is 120-140 HYDRA Snakes on a Plane. The last round's topic is mythology," Dr. Strange says, and Hero grins.

"Captains, how much do you wager?"

"All of it," Jose says.

"Ditto to Santini."

"The group question is: can you name four gods on the Japanese pantheon? Your two minutes begins now."

No one makes any motion to move, Jose and Thanny leaning over to enter their answers.

"Who knows that?" Clint asks. "What the fuck?"

Their answers appear on the screen, and Loki has little knowledge of Japanese mythology, but he knows that the answers are correct.

"Who are your chosen team members?"

"Amadeus Cho," Jose says with a smile.

Thanny smiles as well. "Hero T. Titan."

"Who is the god of mischief, frost giant son of Farbauti, blood brother of Odin-"

"Loki Laufeyjarsson!" Hero says with a smirk that makes Loki want to reject him in return for his lack of tact.

"Mr. Cho?"

Amadeus shrugs. "Loki."

"You are both correct," Dr. Strange says. "The score is now 240 and 280 HYDRA Snakes on a Plane."

"Thanks a lot!" Tony shouts, finally talking to him.

"What did I do now?"

"You made them win!"

He leaves them there to blame him and meets with Dr. McCoy and the rest of the team in Dr. McCoy's room.

"Are you all ready?" Dr. McCoy asks, grinning. Everyone is so smiley today.

Loki nods, sitting down.

"Good," he says, putting on a serious face. "You should all just sit here silently until it's time. You need to clear your minds of any outside thoughts."

What Loki needs to do is smoke, but it appears that is not in the cards right now.

He puts his head in his hands and begins to regulate his breathing. The first step to calmness is physical serenity.

"Are you all ready?"

Loki looks up, blinking away the darkness of his attempt at a clear mind. With false calm, he stands and goes to stand with the others at the door.

"Let's go."

Vice-Principal Coulson takes the stage, and now does he realize that this is not something to be taken lightly. He talks about the history of Mathletes, mentioning the name "Laufey" in passing, before inviting the HYDRA students onstage from the other side.

After being invited onstage, the eight of them take their seats at the table, Loki trying not to think about the fact that the auditorium is packed with people because now is not the time for choking. He sits opposite Hero, closest to the audience.

"We will begin with the speed round, questions moderated by Professor Thomas Sorensen. Professor, if you would come to the stage."

A man with shaggy blond hair comes onto the stage and stands at the lone podium.

"And, Professor, it is all yours."

Professor Sorensen nods. "We will begin with the speed round where you will all hit your buzzers in an attempt to answer. There are microphones on each buzzer, so you will know if you get through if your voice is the one heard."

Loki moves his hand to the blue buzzer.

"Log (8a1/4) over c3."

He hits the buzzer. "1/4 log(8a) – 3log(c)," he says, glancing up as he hears his voice echo.

"Correct. Consider the two convergent sequences an and bn such that an→a and bn→b. Prove that an+bn→a+b."

His mind formulates the proof as he hits the buzzer, and the words fall from his mouth as if water.

"Correct." Professor Sorensen asks the next question, and Loki hits the buzzer partway through.

"There is not one."

"Correct."

"Jeez, give someone else a chance," Hank whispers, and Loki does give them chances, one second intervals for them to hit the buzzer before them, but they're never fast enough.

"Correct," Professor Sorensen says on the last question of the round, Loki having answered first. "The score is 0-30 SHIELD."

"Jesus," Peter says. "We're winning, literally."

Professor Sorensen clears his throat. "Now comes the time trials. If Mr. Titan and Mr. Laufeyson will take their places on either side of the interactive board."

"Good luck," Jane says. "You might need it."

He clenches his jaw and walks around the table, taking his place on the other side of the clear board, and he picks up the stylus as Hero does.

"You have 40 minutes to solve the problem. The first when done and correct gets the points." Numbers and letters appear on the board in front of Loki. "You can begin in three… two… one…"

Loki's fine for the first five minutes until he notices Hero leering at him on the other side. He rolls his eyes and continues though the knowledge that he is being stared down almost makes him mess up on a basic calculation problem. "Feel free to avert your eyes somewhere besides my being," he whispers, sighing when he hears his voice echo above their heads.

Hero's chuckle rings above them. "Are you getting nervous, Loki?"

He writes with more force than necessary. "No, but you are going to lose in four… three… two…" Loki sets his stylus down and steps away from the board with a smirk.

"Nine minutes, six seconds," Professor Sorensen says. "The answer is correct. 0-100 SHIELD."

The crowd roars, and Loki clenches his fists as he puts on a smile.

Dr. McCoy puts a hand on his shoulder as he exits stage right. "Loki, that was absolutely brilliant."

"He didn't let anyone else answer any questions!" David shouts. "What was with that?"

"Are you not satisfied that we won?" Loki asks.

"I am, but only because of you, the SHIELD math genius!" He stomps off to throw a temper tantrum elsewhere.

"Loki, he was—"

He brushes Dr. McCoy's hand off and slides through the crowd of students in the aisles, ignoring the sound of someone shouting his name. He's supported Natasha enough. He's due a day of solitude.

He locks himself in his room, holding his headphones to his ears as music about independence blasts as some false reassurance that Loki is not anyone else's person to mold. He is not Laufey. He is not Thor's… plaything. He is not Hero's boyfriend to play games with. He is not Tony's to judge. He is Loki.

His mother comes to see him, congratulating him on his victory and informing him that she will be attending the final. She pats his hair and kisses his forehead, commenting about how lucky she is to have him as a son.

Sleep doesn't come by midnight, so he takes his lighter and cigarettes and goes to find a suitable place for introspection and a smoke. He climbs the steps for the unexplored third floor, bypassing the rooms to the stairs at the end of the hallway. He surfaces in the night, the roof an empty slate for him to escape his reality.

He sits down on the cement and goes through four cigarettes, sighing and looking up at a the ink sky when he finishes. Four more days before Loki is free.

Hero waves at him when he pulls up but thankfully stays leaned against someone's Mercedes Benz as he talks to Marcia and Natasha's number one HYDRA fan.

"Hello, Traitor," Clint says, him and Natasha coming up to Loki's sides.

"Congratulations on the win," she says. "You were great."

He realizes that they're steering him somewhere but lets them, done with watching Hero fence for the moment. He begrudgingly lets them talk him into participating in their Future Problem Solving game today and resolves himself to the fate Bruce lamented.

The problem is interdimensional aliens which Loki takes a liking to, stopping Steve midway through his attempt to formulate a plan to say, "Why don't we just use them?"

"For what?"

"To conquer Earth," he replies with an eye roll. "I am sure that they would make better caretakers of Earth than humans."

Steve gapes at him, and Clint shakes his head.

"Genocide?" Bruce asks, cocking an eyebrow.

Thor comes and takes the seat between Bruce and Natasha, nodding everyone a greeting including Loki. His eyes pause on him as if he wishes to say something, but Loki makes the decision for the both of them, breaking eye contact to look at Bruce.

Loki rolls his eyes at the looks on their faces. "What? You make it sound as if humans are not terrible. I would be doing the planet a favor by bringing those aliens here."

"You're evil."

"Evilness is subjective," he replies. "I say we form an alliance."

Steve shakes his head. "No, we are not joining the evil side."

"Yeah, we're not," Tony says. "You can"—Loki grins, and Tony groans—"but you shouldn't because we're a team."

He stands. "I am Loki Laufeyson, soon to be conqueror of Midgard," he says, sticking his chin out. "Anyone going to try to stop me?"

Thor stands because of course he would. "Loki, you cannot be considering this. What of our relationship?"

"What of it? Join me, or stand with the Midgardians." He accepts a fist bump from Bruce. "Nothing you can say can stop me."

He opens his mouth to say something with a grin, but his grin falls. "I love you."

Loki stills, staring at him as if he's lost his mind. How can he say something like that? Does he not remember the things he said to Loki, the way he mortified him?

"Aw, oh my god, love conquers all!" Tony shouts, kissing Steve on the cheek. "Thor, saving humanity since birth."

He sits down, giving Thor the best look of distaste he can as they discuss their plans, and Thor looks back at him as if he is being persecuted for a crime he didn't commit.

He's never been happier to get away from him for the two periods before lunch, and he spends them doing what he wants without worrying about Thor declaring love in an attempt to tame his world-ruling dreams.

Like the idiot and a half Thor is, he requests that Bruce and he switch places so he is sitting next to Loki. He's blind or extremely forgetful. "How has your-?"

"Fine." Loki stabs his chicken.

"Hey, Loki, your boyfriend number two is headed over here," Clint says, and Tony gestures for him to hide the empty seat on his left side. "It's too late now!"

"Loki." Hero sits down next to Clint, and Tony lets out a loud groan. Hero only smiles. "I didn't see you at my match earlier."

"He had better things to do," Clint says.

"I won," he replies, "though you weren't there to act as my good luck charm."

Clichéd and not like Thor.

"Bull," Tony says. "You've been good always. Loki doesn't do shit for your luck."

"I wouldn't say that, Tony Stark." Hero reaches forward to dip his finger into the caramel on Loki's plate—well, it's not as if he was going to eat that—but Thor grabs his wrist.

"Thor," Loki says, and he lets go of Hero's wrist.

"I have a poetry reading next. You should come." He looks at Tony. "You should all come."

"Thanks but no-"

"Yes, we'll come," Steve says, sending a look at Tony. "We would be glad to, er, hear your poetry."

"Loki, I think you'll like it. At least I hope you do. It's-"

Thor's hand grips his hair, and Loki's pulled into a kiss, his eyes widening when he realizes why he's kissing him. He is trying to stake his claim as he said before, and Loki belongs to no one!

Loki puts his hands on Thor's shoulders in an attempt to push him away, but Thor's unrelenting, only pulling away when he wants to.

His hand stays on the back of Loki's head as he sits back in his chair with a smirk. "You were saying?" Thor says to a gaping Hero.

"I will see you there, Loki," he says, smile tight.

When he leaves, everyone erupts into cheers and exchanges high fives with Thor.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Peter says. "That was weird with the whole kissing thing—don't know what that was about—but you got him to go away. That was fucking BAMF-ly."

"That was mean," Harry says. "Hero is cool."

"He's trying to get the mac on with Loki!" Tony shouts. "How is he cool?"

"Loki's single though, right?"

Loki opens his mouth to reply, but Thor beats him there.

"No," he replies, "he is not."

Harry makes a sound. "You should introduce me to this boyfriend of yours then. I bet he's like some tall blond guy with huge muscles. That seems like your type."

Bruce starts to giggle, and Thor's smirk grows more smug.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing, Osborn."

"Even Osborn the oblivious sees it," Tony whispers. "You are meant to be, okay? Hero T. Titan will not get in the way of that."

His friends grumble about everything and anything as they sit in wait for the reading to begin, Tony pointing out that this is too pretentious for his liking due to the appearance of a man in a suit onstage.

"I am Professor Amatsu," the man says, bowing. "Welcome to the HYDRA poetry reading."

"HYDRA snake losers," Tony murmurs.

A few HYDRA students come onstage and read their poetry, some extremely dark and others talking about things like the sunshine on Mars. When Darcy comes onstage and reads her poem, a boy beat-boxes as she reads it as a rap. It's about Jane and much too entertaining for someone like her.

"Janey Jane I love you, word!" she says, her and the beat-boxing boy breaking into a pose.

For the first time their entire group claps.

Hero enters the stage, and the applause ceases instantly. "I am Hero T. Titan or "Other" as some of you know me from my brother. I will be reading something I entitled 'Love, Tricks, and Magic.'"

"Love, sex, and magic!" Tony and Clint sing, shutting up when Hero begins to read.

Hero reads a poem with phrases like "blue pools" and "black curtain around your ghost face" occurring multiple times as he mourns lost chances at love and unrequited feelings. Hero not-so-subtly glances at him throughout the reading and openly stares when he finishes.

Loki claps with everyone else, but he feels the urge to denounce Hero's pathetic attempt at earning his love. It was quite obvious that Hero was talking about him to anyone, and even Thor claps with his arms flexed, obviously privy to Hero's muse.

Hero passes him with an unsure grin on his face, and Loki sends a nod in his direction, jaw clenched.

"I want to kill him."

His death wouldn't solve anything and would be fairly pointless. Hero is not worthy of death as of now.

Clint nods. "I do too."

"Yeah, let's do it together," Tony says.

Thor disappears without a trace, and Thanny is the only thing preventing Loki from assuming he went to murder him.

The auditorium is packed 10th period, their group getting seats in the front after being beckoned over by Erik. Two moderator seats sit on stage as well as two tables, the SHIELD and HYDRA logos draped over their fronts.

"I have a terrible feeling about this," Erik says, tapping his foot.

Raven nods. "I have to agree with you."

Charles and another man come on stage, Charles looking extremely anxious in his sweater. "Welcome to the first debate of SHYDRA Week the SHIELD Eagles versus the HYDRA Serpents-"

"I am Dr. Cain Marko," the man says. "Today's topic is-"

"The topic is the future of humanity," Charles says.

"I told you this would be bad," Erik murmurs.

"Cain's still an asshole," Raven says.

"We welcome the Serpents and the Eagles to the stage," Dr. Marko says, and both teams go to take their seats to applause.

Charles and Dr. Marko take their seats as well, their backs facing the audience.

"The first speaker has two minutes to state their opinion, and the third speaker has one minutes to question this opinion. The second speaker has two minutes to state their opinion, and the fourth speaker has one minute to question them. We repeat this thrice before moving onto the first rebuttals which you have one minute to say. You have one minute on your second rebuttals as well."

"Charles, there's no need for such boring things. The first question is: what is the most important issue to humanity as of now?" Dr. Marko points at Thanny. "Titan, two minutes."

"Thank you all for being so kind as to come to this… thing." He smirks, failing to appear remotely modest. "To answer the question, education is the most important issue to humans. We are in 2013, and there are still people walking around with the belief that the world is flat…"

"This has a good possibility of turning bad," Erik says, pinching the bridge of his nose, and he is right. Thanny does not explicitly say anything bad about anyone except flat earth believers and people who enjoy _Jersey Shore_, but he gets closer and closer to the invisible line between general and specific.

"Luke?" Charles says.

Luke clears his throat. "The most important thing is, of course, the quality of one's life," he says. "There are children without food to eat, and people are worried about education. What does a math book do when you're hungry? Nothing…"

Alec rolls his eyes at everything Luke says, and Thanny just stares at him with a blank expression.

"Luke, if I may call you that, you misunderstand the intrinsic potential of a human life," Thanny says. "We are not all equal, so get that idea out of your head now. Some of us are more gifted than others, and it will remain like that. It is only right to take care of those who happen to be in a place with food and display intelligence above the average. Why waste your resources on getting everyone onto the same level: mundane?"

"What an ass," Steve says.

"What separates humans from our relatives and long-dead progenitors is our brains, Thanos. We have the ability to empathize which has led us here in the first place. If we were truly as ruthless as you wish us to be, I doubt any of us would be alive. A bear would have attempted to attack our ancestors and the others would have continued eating their berries and leaves."

Thanny scoffs. "Bull."

"The next speaker from SHIELD?"

Victor stands.

"Hello, von Doom," Dr. Marko says. "Your question is: how do we solve these issues?"

"It would only be right to bring everyone up onto this level of… mundane," he says. His teeth are clenched throughout his speech, and Victor's heart—if he has one—is not in any of the words he says.

"Schmidt?"

The girl looks as if she wants to murder everyone on SHIELD's side as she speaks, her words full of condescension toward those who were not as fortunate to be born into a country like America and derision for those who think the less fortunate are worth the expenditure of resources.

"She is her father to the core," Steve says, but Loki doesn't ask what he means.

Victor's rebuttal against her is filled with passion, scornful passion, and as he picks her apart detail by detail, he wears a sneer.

She stares at him for a few seconds before murmuring, "I secede," into the microphone and sitting down.

Thanny nods at Victor, smirking.

"Reed?"

Reed stands, drumming his fingers on his thigh.

"Your question is: What will be the most important issue of the future?"

When he speaks, his words fall out of his mouth like a speed reading of the dictionary, long and obfuscating if one dares to tune out for a second too long. "…and it is imperative that we as a species solve these dilemmas or attempt to send pioneers to other planets as a means of collateral in the event of some catastrophe. The most important question from this is: will we as a species make it or will misanthropes such as Thanos Titan cause the downfall of civilization?"

"Looks like it's turned the corner," Erik says, and he sighs.

"Thorne?"

Alec stands up with a bright grin. "There are several important questions of the universe such as how did Reed Richards land a girl of Susan Storm's caliber, why does Marcia Lang keep fucking that psycho Wade Wilson, and why do people keep going to a terrible school like SHIELD? But the most important, of course, is the last one. Anyone with sense would see that SHIELD is a school for the humanitarians of the future, people who contribute nothing but pseudoscience and philosophy to a world full of pseudoscience and philosophy.

"Thanny said that education was the most important issue because it is. We will never reach our full potential when we have altruists teaching the leaders of the future!"

"Alec, could you all please stay on topic-?"

"No," Dr. Marko says, "you're fine. Continue, Thorne."

"Dr. Marko, with all due respect, they are straying from topic."

"But their arguments are valid are they not?!" he shouts, lifting his arms in the air. "Are they not speaking truths?"

Charles rubs his temples. "Cain, please."

"Charlie, quit with your kid games and let the men settle it." He claps. "Continue!"

"SHIELD is a subpar school who deigns the privilege of being HYDRA's sister school," Alec says. "Case in point, SHYDRA week should cease to be."

"What? You want to give up the chance to make a fool of them?" Thanny exclaims. "Sit."

"What-?"

"Sit!" Thanny stands. "Alec was right up until that last part. This school is a terrible excuse for a place of learning in areas such as social sciences. I change my answer. The most important issue is SHIELD's curriculum."

"What do you have as proof?" Reed asks.

"Look at you, Richards!" Alec shouts. "Look! You're SHIELD!"

Luke stands. "The most important issue is the way your school trains psychopaths by the fuc—truck load!"

Abigail throws her head back and laughs. "You're a man. You know nothing, Cage."

"And you are a woman," Victor replies, standing. "Do you wish for me to remind you of what your place would be a hundred years ago?"

"Don't go there," Jose says, rolling his eyes. "Can you all shut up?"

"Yes, Santini has the right idea," Marcia says.

"No, no, no, you don't tell me what to do," Thanny says with a grin. "Let's continue on this new topic."

"Let's not!" Charles shouts.

"Go ahead, Titan."

"One of your own students considered deflecting because of your altruistic ways-"

"Oh, we are not going there," Luke says. "Thanos, really, don't freaking go there! Want me to tell everyone what you had a part in? I never knew you to run!"

"I didn't run!" he shouts. "Anyway, he will come to HYDRA eventually. Hero, my little brother? They're friends, really close friends. When they do fuck, it will be over for SHIELD! The world will see that they can't even keep the Laufeyson!"

Loki can still feel their eyes on him. "I am not going to 'fuck' Hero Titan," he hisses, and he gets dismissive waves and murmurs.

"I really don't fucking know how Hero does it, but it's happening! Not even your SHIELD boy in god form can stop that!"

"Enough!" Principal Schmidt steps onto the stage. "Titan, Lang, Wright, Thorne, and Sinthea, go."

Principal Fury takes the microphone. "I apologize for this minor inconvenience, but you are all free to go. I hope you take this as an example of how not to act in public forum."

"Wow."

Erik and Raven go onto the stage to stop Charles from shouting at Dr. Marko who shouts back.

"Dude, you're like… a black hole," Clint says as he stands. "You suck out the happiness with your gravitational pull."

"He didn't mean that," Natasha says as they take their seats in the stadium.

"You all think that it is true," Loki replies, blank-faced. "I cannot blame him for voicing so aloud."

When SHIELD's soccer team loses, everyone is equally shocked, no one moving until the rugby team resurfaces. He knows that it's not a lone occurrence and fills with dread as he watches each player take their place, SHIELD's side looking incredibly sorrowful.

From the starting of the clock, the team morale on SHIELD's side is off, everyone sporting identical expressions of forlorn. It's as if the gray skies are sucking away any motivation.

"Aw, come on," Bruce says after HYDRA's score reaches 30, SHIELD's still remaining at 15. "What the hell was that? It's like they want to lose."

Loki taps his foot. "They're going to lose," he says.

Everyone within hearing distance turns to look at him as if he's pointed out the grass is green.

"Don't jinx it!" Tony shouts. "Steve, win or no post-game blowjobs! Wait, maybe post-game 'it's okay you lost' sex, but no happy sex! Do you want that, Steve? Do you?"

"It sounds like you do," Natasha says, letting out a curse in Russian when Clint slips on a slick spot of grass and collides with Remy. "Twinkle toes, what are you doing?"

It all reaches the apex when Thanny cups his hands a declares a victory for HYDRA with 3:10 left on the clock. It's not that which makes it so bad, it's the addition of "SHIELD spoils of tight asses and hot girls next door go to us! That means you, Silver Tongue!"

Clint doesn't hesitate to punch a laughing Akihiro in the face, and the rest of the players are on a moving Thor in an instant, pinning him down under their bodies.

"Penalty! Minus five points for Eagles!"

Coach Logan flips over the entire bench.

Losing should not feel as bad as it does.

Thor walks off the field before the rest of the team does, and the slump of his shoulders speaks volumes.

Bruce puts his hand on Loki's shoulder, and they follow Natasha down to where Clint waits. He gives him an apologetic look, one much different than the looks he's getting from those who happened to put two and two together from Thanny and Luke's shouting match.

Thor and Steve walk ahead of them, and Loki doesn't even consider going to talk to him.

They go back to Clint's and Natasha's, and Thor goes onto the balcony, Steve telling Tony that he and Natasha are going for a walk.

Cheese stretches from Tony's mouth to the pizza in his hands. "We sucked," he murmurs around it.

Clint flicks a piece of pepperoni on his plate. "Obviously, Stark," he replies. "We lost. End of story."

"And that sucks," Tony says.

"It does," he replies, and he sits back in his chair with a sigh. "Today, everyone wasn't really... feeling it, It all started when Th—When we felt the waves of... whatever coming off him, it just threw everything off. Without that big g—pump up to get us ready, we couldn't do it."

Loki stares at Clint, putting together the missing pieces of Clint's bad attempt to self-censor. "It's my fault."

He sighs. "Come on, don't make this all about you and-"

Loki stands. "No, it is. I... someone did something..." He sees the top of Thor's shoulders through the window. "I have to go talk to him."

His hands in his pockets, he walks out onto the covered balcony behind a stooped-over Thor who peers over the street below. The rain itself cannot snuff his aura of gold and sunshine. Through some way, it enhances it, makes him look so powerful. Like a god.

"I do not require your council."

He leans his elbows on the railing beside him, keeping space between them but still close enough to feel his heat. He makes no motion to shift away from it. "I never said that you did," he says. "Now who's making assumptions?"

Thor looks over at him. "I made no assumptions. I made conclusions based on what I saw." He turns away. "On what I heard."

"The word 'unrequited' does pop into mind. Though this thing you heard did acknowledge the fact that the feelings were not mutual," he replies. "They never could be."

"Because of how you feel about me." His voice is almost resentful.

He finally turns to Thor. "No, Thor, you make it sound as if-"

"Save it, Loki. I understand that you do not want to feel anything toward me other than your usual apathy, and I was sure that I would never feel quite the same. With the way you keep trying to make your resent apparent, I am starting to think that I should. I should feel as if you've stolen my nights and my days and my... feelings though I currently do not." Thor chuckles. "Be sure to keep on this path, Loki. I will eventually get there at this pace."

"I came here to comfort you!"

He turns and grins. "Swell job you did, right?"

Alone again, he shakes his head at Thor's nerve to make this all his fault. Loki is trying to keep their relationship on the thin ice it is even though he knows that it will only hurt him in the end.

He follows after Thor.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Clint jumps into his path, hands outstretched. "No, you cannot be left alone with him again. Whatever you tried out there got him pretty worked up, and if we want a chance to win this game Friday, we don't need you messing with his head!"

Loki lifts his brows. "You acknowledge that it is my fault then?"

Clint sighs, and this is something he's been doing lately. "Well... I didn't want to specifically pin this all on you but... yes, it kind of is your fault." He makes a face. "Your relationship problems have always had an effect on the rest of us, but Thor's at his best when you're both at your best. Whatever the hell happened earlier messed him up big time. You should just... wait until the week's over at least."

He wants to protest, but Clint's reasoning is sound for once. "Fine," he replies, grabbing his keys and coat. "I will only talk to him when necessary, or there isn't any chance of provoking emotional response."

"Wait—but that's every time you talk!"

"Not necessarily!" he shouts back, knowing that Clint is right yet again.

His mother and Mrs. Munroe sit in the kitchen when he gets back, and he doesn't have brain power to waste on analyzing that. He has a Mathletes final tomorrow.

In the morning, he throws a sweatshirt into a leather backpack after getting an inkling that he may need it. He slips his earphones in and turns up his music, leaving out at 5:00 to walk to SHIELD and make it on time. He happens to encounter Thor on his morning run with Fenrir, nodding him an acknowledgment as they pass.

For the most part, he doesn't see Hero, and Loki counts that as a good thing.

Without Hero there, his friends do not constantly remind him of the effect their alliance is having on his life. They do hint to him that he should spend more time with Thor during the last two days, and Loki nods and makes a note to himself to continue doing what he wants.

After lunch, they go to Lee Stadium for the rescheduled girls soccer game, and Loki's "school spirit" resurfaces at full force, Loki jumping onto his seat to scream for Natasha to run as a HYDRA girl pursues her. When Natasha kicks it into the goal mid-flip, he leaps into the air, the people surrounding them turning to look at him in awe.

"Wow, you gained a lot of air," Clint says when he sits back down.

"Teach me how to do that," Tony says as Steve shakes his head behind his back.

SHIELD wins, and three boys dressed in eagle costumes jump from the stands, picking up Natasha, Elizabeth, and Emma, and running across the field. They are stopped by a trophy wielding Vice-Principal Coulson and instructed to put them down.

"We are proud to declare the SHIELD Eagles as the champions for the tenth year in a row!" Miss Hill shouts, and their side of the stadium becomes a cacophony of shouts and other noises.

Natasha leaps up the stands and embraces Clint, Clint getting grass residue all over him and not seeming to care. "I told you we would."

"And I believed you," he replies, setting her down. "Tash, you're my girl. I know you."

Steve taps his shoulder and gives him an anxious look before grinning. "You ready?"

He exhales and follows him. "More than I ever will be."

Dr. McCoy ushers them stage right and gives his attempt at a pep talk which is a lot of flailing and exclamations of how proud he is of them. He looks their age, a boy wearing man's clothing, and Loki cracks a smile at the thought of McCoy as one of his classmates. His name mate, Hank Pym, has many McCoy-like qualities though he is a lot less gawky.

"We can do this," Hank says with a shrug. "We will win. It's a given."

"Hank, don't get too cocky," McCoy replies, but he agrees without a doubt. "Loki, I want a strong beginning."

Loki rolls his eyes, stepping forward as Coulson invites them onstage. "When do I not give as such?"

He sits down opposite Hero, listening as Professor Sorensen explains the relay. He glances out over the audience, and his breath hitches at the sight of three very familiar people sitting in the front row: his mother, Odin, and Thor.

"The order for SHIELD is as follows: Loki, Mya, Hank, David, and Loki closing it out," Professor Sorensen says. "The order for HYDRA is as follows: Hero, Alec, Genis, Ivan, and Hero closing. May we have our first two?"

"You can do it," Jane says.

He goes to stand opposite Hero.

"Hey, I haven't talked to you today," he says, his voice not coming from above as it did last time. No microphones.

Loki lifts his stylus. "Now you have," he replies, fixing his eyes on the board instead of Hero.

"And… go!"

The numbers and letters appear on the board, Loki solving them as they come. He sets the stylus down and returns to his seat as Mya stands and goes to solve the next one, Alec on the other side. She hands the stylus to Hank two seconds before Alec hands theirs to Genis. Hank finishes the question instantly, walking the stylus to David with a smirk. Ivan gives Genis a look as he goes to the board, and turns the same look on David, David uncaring as he writes the answer in large print.

He and Hero reach the board at the same second, the hardest and longest problem of the competition appearing on the board.

"I'm sorry," Hero says. "I didn't mean-"

"You did not do anything, did you?" he says, eyes following the strokes of the stylus.

"But I knew that you two were still-"

"Hero, your feelings are of little concern." He finishes the problem and sets the stylus down. "Finished."

The audience erupts into cheers and leaps out of their seats, HYDRA students standing and clapping with smug congratulations. They're clapping because of him, not because of SHIELD.

"We did it!" Peter shouts, lifting Jane into the air and spinning her. He sets her down and goes to do the same to Betty who bats him away. "Loki, you did it!"

He smiles as a flashbulb goes off, returning to his state of irritation. He slips around the other students as fast as he can, grabbing his sweatshirt out of his bag and pulling it over his head just as students begin descending the stairs. Obscured by the darkness of the side stage, he pulls the hood over his head.

The maze of hallways leads him to an exit to the outside, and he pushes through the people in search of quiet.

"Loki, wait!"

He groans, wondering how someone found him but lets out a sigh of relief when he discovers that it is only Victor von Doom, the master of stealth.

"Congratulations though I doubt you care what I say," he says. "I will not keep you long since you seem to be in a hurry to get away from all of these… people. I have come to inform you that you are to speak at the festival on Saturday. Prepare a speech of some sort to communicate your experience at SHIELD to the friends, family, and students. You know the drill with these things."

Loki gulps. "What do you mean 'speak?' Why me?"

Victor blinks, unfazed. "You are the perfect conglomeration of HYDRA and SHIELD qualities, which with the recent tensions between our two schools, would be an asset to present to the masses. Your inherent neutrality would also do well, so you will not receive any… booing." Victor's eyes flash with something, and Loki thinks of Stark's hands cupped over his mouth. "Next year, you could possibly be the student ambassador-"

"Wait, Gwen is going to be class president next year," he says. "Student ambassador is the student body president."

"Exactly." He glances around, waving to a passing girl who grins at him. "You are aware of your… superiority over these people, Loki. If you were to run, they would fall like putty at your feet. However disliked you were in Stockholm, you should know that people here quite like you. To borrow from your close friend Stark, this is Midgard, and back there was Asgard. You are a god among mortals.

"Now, I must go take care of my presidential and diplomatic duties, but please get to work on that speech, Loki. You want to keep the masses satisfied, do you not?"

A girl walks up to Victor's side, talking animatedly and grinning, and another joins her on his opposite, the two of them sending each other glares. Both of them are unaware of what lies beneath those angles and dark hair.

"Dearest, nephew!"

He freezes as dozens of eyes turn to look at him as he stands in the center of the grass.

"Loki!" Nal and John walk from the path and to him, Nal beaming.

He could turn around and run, but the people who have stopped to watch know who he is now. "Nal."

The two of them are dressed in their running gear but look like they haven't gone for their run yet.

"We have come to get you for a run," Nal says, saluting a passing HYDRA teacher. "I have done the duty of getting your gear for you, so you can change out of that dastardly sweatshirt. My gods, you look like an inner city youth prone to psychotic breakdown at any moment."

"Frost, you said you were going to try."

"I am, John," he says, and he hefts a duffle bag into Loki's arms without warning. "Go change, Loki. Now."

He grits his teeth and starts to reply to his uncle that he has no dominion over him, but there's a look in his eyes that throws Loki back into his five year old self, a boy scared of the shadowy figure standing above him. He's in a locker room and changing before he knows it, images in his mind of that frightening man who happens to be the brother of his uncle.

"You look… sufficient," Nal says when Loki joins them again. "Come."

He ignores the looks he gets from people he passes, including the congratulations he gets from his fellow SHIELD students.

John and Nal accept them on his behalf, Nal murmuring about Loki's lack of "emotional priority."

He's partially confused when they reach the front of the school and discover a mass of people also wearing running gear, students, friends, and others he doesn't know intermixed throughout. He sees a decal on someone's front and puts two and two together: it's a marathon.

He peers over heads and sees a navy and silver tape stretching across E 20th Street.

Gwen steps away from the table marked with the Serpent and Eagle of SHYDRA week with a stack of numbered decals in her hand, giving two to Nal and John. "Here, you're number 565!" Gwen exclaims, slapping a decal on Loki's front. "Cute, huh?"

He opens his mouth to reply that he didn't sign up for this when she starts pushing him toward the gigantic crowd at the start line.

"Come on! I know you can run!"

"I can, but that does not mean I want to!" he shouts, and he finds a smiling Nal and glares his hardest. "You are a terrible uncle!"

"Blame my lack of experience," he replies, adjusting his blue wrist bands. "I have only had five years, which was a decade ago, and a few months."

A gray-haired man with HYDRA on his decal nods in approval.

He grits his teeth and finds Betty and Bruce standing a few feet in front of him, slipping through people to go to them.

"There you are!" Betty shouts. "Everyone was looking for you!"

"I needed to be alone," he replies, and Bruce nods.

"Like I do now."

"Oh, Brucey, be quiet," she says. "This will be good for you. This will be good for us all."

JARVIS' voice sounds above their heads from somewhere, sounding like the All-father himself. "Welcome to the 73rd annual SHIELD-HYDRA marathon, a marathon for all looking to compete. This year we have over 10,000 participants interspersed throughout the perimeter of SHIELD campus waiting to run 16 miles around Manhattan to HYDRA campus. Last year's group of winners was Wade Wilson, Marcia Lang, Robert Reynolds, William Kaplan, and Thanos Titan, appropriately given the number one decals. If Principal Fury and Principal Schmidt would do the honors of hitting the starting buzzer."

A glance behind him sees heads stretching as far as the eye can see.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god, Betty, why am I doing this?"

"Because-"

The buzzer goes off, and everyone rushes forward at once.

Immediately, Betty starts to talk about her father's disapproval of Bruce, and it's amazing to see him go from sluggish to alert in the course of one statement. Loki's confused at what she's doing until he sees the familiar glint of mischief in her eye, and he has to turn away to stop from laughing at Bruce's enraged expression.

"I mean, Bruce, he really wants me to stay away from you," she says, slightly out of breath. "He kept going on and on about how much of a terrible influence you were and kept trying to forbid me from even acknowledging your existence. Bruce, my father even wanted me to go to HYDRA-"

Bruce rockets off, leaving their crowd of runners behind, and students, staff, and parents alike grumble about Bruce's unfair advantage. There's a shout of rage from where Thanny, Marcia, and Hero run, and Tony cheers Bruce on from Steve's back.

"Kickin' ass, Bruce!" Robert shouts, smiling unlike Thor beside him.

Loki glances at Betty. "That was cruel."

"I know, my father would never send me to HYDRA. He hates them as much as he hates Bruce, maybe a little more," she replies. "And he'll thank me later. His college application just got a lot more varied. He's going to win a major marathon!"

Loki realizes that he's speeding up when they pass Millennium Plaza and stares down in confusion, happening to meet Thanos' eyes.

"Wanna race, Silver Tongue?" he shouts.

The rest of the crowd of ten thousand is a few blocks behind, mostly students around him.

Nal and John run beside Thanos' group, Nal talking to Hero.

"Good luck!" Loki shouts as he lets his legs speed up. "You'll need it!"

With those words, everyone around him starts to speed up, and Loki's disinterest in running is erased.

By the time they pass W 100th Street, Nal, John, Thanos, Hero, Marcia, Thor, Robert, Billy, Theodore, Wade, Mr. Wagner, a HYDRA teacher, Norrin, and Emil, and himself are the only ones in sight.

"It's been forty fucking minutes!" Wade shouts. "Why the fuck is this taking so long?"

"The average human runs six miles per hour," Norrin says. "We are running fourteen."

At that, Loki scoffs, knowing he can do better than that. He and John did not spend his precious life minutes running around the city for nothing. He clears his mind to the best of his ability, imagining that he is a single photon, the beginning and destination being reached simultaneously.

He breaks free from their line of people.

"In first place is Bruce Banner, SHIELD, second: Loki Laufeyson, SHIELD, and third via centimeter calculation: Thanos Titan," JARVIS says from above.

"Centimeter calculation?" Thanos exclaims, and he appears in Loki's periphery. "You're fast, but I'm faster, baby."

Loki sends him a disbelieving look as he pushes himself harder, pumping his legs as though he's running, running away from his life, his future, but it's still not enough to move past Thanos. Wade and Norrin appear in his periphery as well.

The wind stings his eyes as he breezes past the New York scenery, people shopping and set up along the route staring at them as if they're insane.

They're behind Bruce in the next few moments, Loki finally feeling his lungs start to protest at his overzealous pace, the cigarettes coming back to haunt him.

Bruce's eyes are that chemical green as he runs.

Thanny's now ahead of Loki, attempting to pass Bruce and failing because he keeps speeding up in random increments.

The red and black tape rips as Bruce runs through it, but Bruce continues running.

"And the winner is: Bruce Banner, SHIELD!" JARVIS says.

Loki's soul comes crashing back into his body as he slows down into a jog. Loki glances up to see they're in the center of a complex of buildings, a banner with the HYDRA logo hanging on the outside of the largest building.

At the end of the avenue, Bruce flips a table of refreshments over past the ripped tape of the finish line, and off-guard SHIELD and HYDRA agents scramble to get away from him. He grabs a HYDRA agent and throws him across the street as if he's a doll.

He finally stops, skin feeling as though it's boiling. He goes to the refreshment table and grabs a cooler of ice and water, dumping it over his head, and he pulls his now-soaked shirt off, still feeling uncomfortably warm.

"Loki, I find your performance… adequate," Nal says as John flicks water onto him. "I do not blame you for losing to Banner, seeing as he is…"

Bruce flips another refreshment table.

"Bruce!" Betty shouts as she crosses the finish line. "Bruce, you won!"

He stops where he is smashing another table in half and turns. "What?"

She runs to him and hugs him. "Brucey, you won the marathon!"

"I—what?"

"That's not even fair!" Thanny shouts, kicking one of the overturned tables in half. "He's fucking crazy!"

Bruce sheepishly walks over to the podium where Miss Hill beckons him.

Loki sends him two thumbs up when he looks in their direction. "Congratulations, Bruce!" he exclaims as Bruce is handed the golden headband. "Put it on!"

Bruce puts the headband on as Betty jumps up and down and claps for him.

Loki sits down on the sidewalk, resting his head between his knees. "If I asked one of you to carry me, would you?" he asks in jest.

They're silent, so Loki looks up and sees the look they're exchanging.

"John..."

"Frost, really? Why can't you carry him?"

"He is my nephew, John," he replies as if that is an actual excuse. "You can carry him. You have carried me many times before."

"And so can you. You're 6'6" and bench how much? 500? Ice is like four ounces. You can carry his ass."

"And yet again, John, you have carried me, and Loki is smaller than me. In fact, he was the size I was in middle school. Do I have to remind you of the occasion when-?"

"You don't, Nal, and no, I am not carrying him."

"Can you both please?" He stands up. "I'm fine. I just—home? Take me home."

Nal rolls his eyes but does take him home, stopping at SHIELD for Loki to grab his things. He and John have nostalgia talk about their time at SHIELD, Nal's words mostly lamenting his experience until John calls him out on his pessimism.

"School was awesome, Frost, so shut up," he says. "Ice, your uncle is a fucking twat."

Loki nods from his place in the backseat, Nal glaring at him in the mirror.

"You were quite the Laufeyson today," he says. "Your father would feel a semblance of pride at your performance."

"Your brother would have fucking flipped his shit over being showed up. You know how he was about these things. Thought he was the shit."

"Only because others told him that he was, John." The two of them lapse into silence, Depeche Mode playing softly. "Loki, I noticed the way you and your step-brother interacted."

"They hardly interacted at all, Frost."

"Which is my point," Nal says. "Perhaps you should attempt to end-"

He opens the door and slams it behind him. "I will see you two on Saturday since I know you will not be ones to miss my wonderful speech."

John looks at him from the passenger seat. "Ice, be cool."

"Goodbye, my nephew."

First thing he does with the empty house is go to enjoy a nice cigarette on the roof. He uses his bag as a pillow as he leans back and mentally forms his speech, following the formula he's used in the past for public speaking engagements.

His phone goes off in his pocket and he answers it with a sigh, putting out his cigarette and climbing to his feet.

"Hey, what up, Mischief?"

He sighs again. "Stark. What do you want?"

"Okay, so we're getting straight to the point then. We're all dressing up as the words 'SHIELD Academy.' By like default, you're the L 'cause Loki, you know? Maybe you should do a little creative time for god of thunder and sex?"

"You want me to use my sexuality as motivation?"

"Yeah, that! I trust you to know what to do, right?"

Loki rolls his eyes at Tony, but the idea is not completely ridiculous. He's used his body to get what he wants a few times, and if he happens to use it to get Thor to lead SHIELD to two wins, then it is not a bad thing, is it? "I will consider it."

"Yay!" he shouts. "So, anyway-"

He hangs up on him and goes to ready for bed, his mother, Thor, and Odin coming in as he eats dinner. He moves a piece of moist hair from his face and looks up at them, silently watching the dynamics of his family.

"Loki, have I ever told you that you are the best son a woman could ask for?" his mother asks, sitting down across from him. "You are absolutely amazing. I have never been so proud since I birthed you and saw how beautiful you were."

"if I had been ugly, you would not be proud?"

Thor looks up from where he is texting, lips quirking up.

"Loki," Odin says.

"What? I am asking a simple question."

"Loki, please." She reaches forward to push a lock of hair behind his ear. "I want you to be happy, you know that?"

"You have told me many, many times." He puts his plate in the sink. "I am going to bed. Good night."

He gets many congratulations as he walks through the halls the next morning, SHIELD and HYDRA students stopping to tell him how "awesome" he is. He nods them thanks and lets himself feel the pride of having accomplished something on his own merit. His, not his father's.

The stage is dark when he enters the auditorium and takes his seat at the end of the row next to Tony.

He does not ask what's going on because he's in a mood to be surprised.

What's in store is Jose and Amadeus standing in the center of the stage for a good two minutes before dropping a glitter bomb and disappearing. There's murmurs from around the auditorium as everyone tries to figure out what's going on, but the sound of dubstep music silences everyone.

Jose leaps down from somewhere into the aisle, and Amadeus leaps down onto the other end. They run at each other and collide, glitter exploding, and the two of them disappearing again.

"This is why I quit this shit," Tony whispers.

The lights go blue, and Jose and Amadeus appear from thin air onto the stage. Remy falls down onto the stage from somewhere, and the three look at each other before Remy grabs them by the collars and jumps off of the stage, the three of them reappearing back on the stage with Rick with them.

Remy produces a sword and runs it through Rick, Rick disappearing in a cloud of glitter as he falls.

"Hello."

America screams, Rick now sitting next to her.

Jose grabs Remy and punches his hand through his chest, fist appearing out of his back, and Remy's clothes fall to a pile as Remy disappears.

"I feel like I'm on coke," Clint says.

Rick and Remy fall from above the stage, Jose and Amadeus going to jump off the stage.

Mid-air, they all freeze as if time itself has stopped. Every law of motion Loki knows says this is illegal without technological means, and Tony's continuous joining and quitting may answer that question. Stark is the man of tech.

They all disappear, and the music stops, the auditorium silent.

Principal Fury comes onstage. "Thank you, SHIELD Immersion Team for that… display," he says. "Today is the last full day of SHYDRA week. We hope that you have all prepared for the festival tomorrow."

"That was… interesting," Loki says, stopping on the side of the hallway.

"Yeah, 'interesting,'" Tony says, rolling his eyes. "Why are we-?"

"I'm going to watch Hero fence," he says. "I do not care if you disapprove." He turns. "I will see you at the mock trial."

Hero waves to him from the sidelines as Loki takes his seat in the middle, cocking an eyebrow at something he sees.

Loki looks up as his friends walk along the stands. "You have decided to broaden your horizons," he says.

Tony sits down in front of him. "I want to see people hit each other with metal sticks, okay?"

The true surprise comes when Bruce goes to sit next to him, an arm stopping him. "I am going to sit next to Loki," Thor says, and Loki barely contains a declaration that he loves him and wishes to ride into yellow sunsets with him.

Gods, is he suddenly a teenage girl?

Bruce nods and sits behind Loki. "Go ahead."

He keeps looking forward but simpers. "You have come to watch people hit each other with metal sticks, too?"

Thor's hand brushes over his back. "I have come to watch someone get hit by said metal sticks," he replies.

Hero and a SHIELD boy stand across from each other, Hero only identified by his purple uniform.

"En guard. Prêt. Allez!"

They both touch each other at the same time.

"What? Hero totally lost!" Tony shouts, and Harry shushes him.

"You don't scream during fencing, Stark."

"Well, I did!"

This time, Hero touches the boy first.

"I was expecting more," Thor says.

"They are both fairly good, Thor," he says, trying and failing to ignore the hand brushing the skin above his ass. "Your expectations are much too high."

"My expectations are only high because of those around me. Need I remind you of one expectation you have set above the heads of everyone in the world but yourself?"

Loki glances at Thor, missing Hero getting touched. "Look who is talking, Mr. Perfect."

"I am not perfect."

"Very near it then." He gasps when Thor pulls him closer, his hand on Loki's hip. "We are surrounded by hundreds of people."

"That has never stopped us before, has it?" He kisses Loki's neck. "One should not have such an appetizing neck."

"Thor, the things you're saying can be applied back to you. I do not bite without a reason." He turns his head to look at him, mouth captured in a kiss.

"A-hem, guys I'm back—okay, I'm being ignored. Fun."

Loki grasps the sides of Thor's face, kissing him back with the force of five days without sex. He moans into his mouth and drops his hands to Thor's chest, sliding them down until he reaches the hem of his shirt and moves under it. He touches the contours of his stomach as Thor's fingers rub the skin on his sides.

"Yes!"

They pull apart, Loki biting his now swollen bottom lip as Thor licks his own.

He turns to face forward, pulling his shirt back down and blinking away the haze.

Hero snaps his saber apart and shoves it into Thanny's arms before storming out of the gym, Thanny running after him.

Tony claps. "You two are great, you know that? All it took was one glance back here to see that Thorki was still a thing, and bam, his game was way off."

"Oh," Loki says. "That's, er-"

"Great!" Clint says. "He lost! Ha, ha! He lost at love and at life!"

"He didn't lose at life," Natasha says. "He lost at fencing."

"Almost as bad!"

"No, not really."

Thor grabs his hand and pulls him through the halls until they reach Auditorium A, shoving him into a seat in the back row and going for his lips.

Loki recovers quickly, bending over to compensate for Thor pressing up against him, and he opens his legs to let Thor slip between them. The arm rests of the chair underneath his knees and behind his neck make him have to shift, but he adjusts easily.

"Stretching is your area, Loki," Thor murmurs, kissing down his neck.

"Um, hey, guys?"

Thor pulls away from him, and Loki sits up.

Pepper, James, Bucky, and Peggy stand there, all staring at them.

"There's this thing called public indecency," James says. "Might want to look into it."

"I have been traumatized beyond the fixing of God," Bucky says. "Margaret Carter, let's get away from these evil beasts of lust!"

Pepper sits down in front of them and turns. "When you finally do have sex, does it really turn you into sex addicts?"

James bursts into laughter.

"What? They have a lot… sex," she says.

"No, it doesn't," Loki replies. "I am not a-"

"It is Loki's fault. If you had a partner like him, you would understand the allure." He touches Loki's cheek. "Sex with Loki is-"

"No, nope, no." James turns around. "Pep, just turn around and pretend you have no idea what the hell is going on."

Thor rubs circles on his hand with his thumb throughout the showcase of HYDRA's version of Mary Poppins, Thor only stopping when it comes time to go to the mock trial.

He's prepared to go in and watch the magic of Robert and Luke when he sees someone that makes his heart stop and his arm tingle.

Carny stands talking to Thanny outside of the auditorium, grinning and joking as if he has no care in the world.

"Loki, are you okay?"

He nods and looks up at Thor, looking back and seeing that Carny has disappeared. "Yes," he says, and here it comes," I'm fine."

The appearance of Carny removes any chance of him concentrating on the mock trial or anything that is being said. He glances around the auditorium for any sign of him but finds none, only people who did not exploit his stupidity.

"Cage is a beast," Clint says as they walk from the auditorium.

Loki stops walking. "I have to use the restroom," he says, sounding confused even to his own ears. He doesn't go to use the restroom. He leaves SHIELD because he cannot stand to know that he is in the same building as him.

"Loki, you're home early."

"I need a break," he says, ascending the stairs. "I will be in my room."

He goes up to the roof and smokes, letting his mind stray to those two months ago when he was under the thrall of a drug he was involuntarily put on. Experiences are supposed to build character or some other expression like that, but they are only making Loki feel weaker and weaker for letting himself "fall victim."

Loki Laufeyson is not a victim, and he hated being treated as such. Then why is he here, letting Carny win? He probably laughs at the thought of Loki moping about things that cannot be taken back.

He summons his genetically blessed courage and leaves the house. Stark only told him that he was the L, and if Loki is going to be the L, he is going to be it to the best of his ability.

The cashier smiles in amusement as she checks out his body paints, and he makes no motion to reverse any judgments she has made of him in her mind.

He throws his purchases onto his bed and strips down to his skin, thankful for his natural lack of hair on most parts of his body. The paint is cold as he rubs it onto his chest and arms, and standing there in waiting for it to dry tests his patience. He is all too glad to be able to move, and wastes little time in pulling on a pair of his rarely worn briefs and polyester shorts. He is not on drugs, therefore what is in his pants is not for public consumption.

He pulls on an evergreen trench coat, tying it at the waist and feeling much like a high class escort off for the nightly call. He makes a note in his mind to mention that to Thor and see what he thinks.

"Bye, Loki!" his mother calls.

"Goodbye, Mother!" He shuts the door behind him, feeling as though he's off to do some… mischief.

The SHIELD and HYDRA agents pay no attention to him as he walks to Lee Stadium as if seeing a teenager possibly nude in a trench coat is a normal occurrence. With SHIELD, it may be.

A similarly blue Tony snickers when he sees the coat. "You took my advice then, eh?"

He rolls his eyes and readjusts the belt around his waist. "I have lost any sense of preservation or modesty."

"Psh, you never had any," he replies. "It's good to know we're going to win though. Good luck!"

The locker room is empty and Thor is standing in the entrance of the field, resembling a pensive captain afraid for the future of his team. The sun reflects from his stormy eyes, making them look like they're sparkling like a fairytale prince.

"I thought that you were told to stay away from me before the game," he says, turning around.

"You know I am not one to take advice," he replies, and as he walks, he feels confidence seep into his steps. He stops in front of Thor and lets the smirk show. "I came to give you a bit of a pregame… motivation."

Throwing off all sensibility, he opens the coat as if a woman in a romantic comedy seeking out her lover and exposes himself in all of his half-nude, blue and black glory to Thor.

Thor's eyes widen, and he looks down speechlessly, eyes flickering up to Loki's face as if disbelieving that this is something other than a teenage fantasy. "Loki, I… You…"

Loki takes advantage of his shock, pressing him against the stone, and he falls to his knees, looking up at Thor. "We'll have to be fast," he says as he pulls Thor's shorts down, biting his lip at the sight of a jock strap. He had no idea this was what lay beneath those shorts of his.

He chuckles. "That should be quite easy."

He maintains eye contact as he works him with his hand and mouth, thrill coursing through him at the thought that they could be caught at any moment. His love for exhibition has carried over into his normal, sober life. He doesn't mean to, but he moans around Thor, Thor's grip in his hair tightening, and he instantly cums.

He stands up, swiping his tongue over his bottom lip. "Motivated enough?"

Thor kisses him hard as he tucks himself back into his pants.

"Blondie, come-" Clint stops at the field entrance. "Thor, come on, we only have a minute until start." He gives Loki a look as if he's violated their agreement.

"More than," Thor says, answering his question. He kisses him once more before going to sling an arm around Clint's shoulder. "Barton, are you prepared for a victory?"

Clint sends Loki a curious look, and Loki shrugs with a smirk.

They are all standing on their seats either sporting bare chests for the males and sports bras for the girls, their letters painted on their stomachs.

He takes his position between Natasha and Bruce and completes "SHIELD Academy" as the L.

"Do you think it worked?" Natasha whispers, and Bruce gestures to where the Eagles are performing their pregame ritual of wailing and chanting like Neanderthals. "Well, there's that."

Susan turns from the rest of the similarly clothed girls on the sidelines and shouts for a pouting Reed to "stop being the worst Y SHIELD Academy has seen." That manages to get him offended, so he begins to chant "SHIELD," everyone quickly joining in.

A smile comes to his face as they scream "SHIELD" at the top of their lungs, thrusting their arms sharply with each repetition. It grows brighter when he happens to meet amused blue eyes on the field.

A minute into the game, SHIELD scores, and HYDRA senses the change in attitude. Naturally, they resort to childish taunts that fall flat and slowly escalate to more personal attacks after SHIELD is 10 points ahead of their five.

Emil screams something at Thanny, and Thanny advances on him quickly, grabbing him by the collar and shouting back. It takes their entire team to separate the two of them, and Emil lands a punch to Thanny's chest that earns them a penalty.

"HYDRA snake losers!" Tony chants, waving his foam finger around.

They are, in fact, "HYDRA snake losers" when the they lose, 7-20.

The game buzzer goes off signaling SHIELD's victory, and three eagles from the girls' game come from the stands hailing a silver trophy. They do not pick up any players, the players too swift for them to catch them.

When the rugby teams resurface, the aura of victory remains.

There's a cocky smile on Thor's face as he stands opposite Thanny, and it remains there after Thanny shoots a quip in his direction. To whatever Thanny says, Thor exchanges a look with Robert and makes a thrusting motion with his hips, SHIELD's side erupting into laughter while Thanny starts screaming about "unappreciative mother fuckers!"

When Thor scores grounds the ball, taking the score for SHIELD over 40 as HYDRA's remains at 20, Loki rolls his eyes at the way he blows kisses into the stands. When he gets to their section, he makes a show to blow a kiss, wink, and thrust his hips.

"Oh, Loki, postgame sexy times!" Tony says, jumping up and down in excitement.

Harry and Peter continue to embrace each other though the game has begun again.

"You're more excited about this than I am."

"Because it means you two will both stop acting like a bunch of twats and realize that you belong together," he replies, singing the last three words. "Anyway, the very good looking and bestest friend in the history of the universe Tony Stark's hosting the postgame party, and I'm sure he'll be happy with lending a bed out."

He sighs. "I am not going to any… postgame party of yours, Stark," he replies, knowing he's lying. "I have done my student duty by coming here and providing the proper support."

Wade grounds the ball, sending the score to 60, and he turns to the HYDRA side and shouts, "Marcia Lang, you owe me victory sex!" He flips the one-fingered salute at a fuming Thanny before clapping Thor on the back as the retakes his position.

When the buzzer goes off with SHIELD 40 points ahead, the three eagles come back with another trophy and manage to start a group hug.

"Fuck you, HYDRA!" Tony and Harry shout, and it soon turns into a chant which is stopped by a sharp hand signal from Dr. Lactus.

He tries to contain his strange anxiety, but he meets Natasha's eyes as he stands arms crossed and fingers drumming on his collar bone.

When Thor comes from the locker room, it's as if a halo of sunshine is surrounding him, and his thousand kilowatt smile is securely in place for the first time in weeks. He accepts high fives and fist pumps from the other students passing them and gives Tony a hip bump, Tony exclaiming his happiness at such a fact.

He stops in front of Loki.

"_Grattis_," Loki says, and Thor presses a soft kiss to his lips.

"Thank you," he replies, and he takes Loki's hand, indifferent to the fact that they're holding hands in front of strangers and familiars alike.

"Did it again!" Remy shouts as he walks past hand in hand with Anna from their Earth Science class.

Before they get into Tony's car, Thor takes Loki's coat from his arms and puts it on him, Loki rolling his eyes as Steve looks on in approval and Tony laughs. "I cannot have you getting a cold, can I?" Thor says, putting his arm over Loki's shoulder.

Loki answers that with an exasperated look, and Thor chuckles, pulling him closer.

"Oh, shit, look who the fuck it is!" Tony shouts as a HYDRA boy walks in front of his car with Bruce's enemy Emil. "Blonsky!"

The HYDRA boy turns and glares at Tony through the windshield, spitting something in Russian.

"Wow, what a fucking creep," he says as the two of them walk away. "Whatever. Got my Steve, my gods, my Ray-Bans!"

They all groan as Tony pulls out his sunglasses and turns on that song, Tony screaming "HYDRA losers" each time they pass someone in a HYDRA blazer.

Thor and Steve are dragged off by their teammates, and Loki leaves Tony doing the cabbage patch to a remix of "Live While We're Young" and shouting to him about how badly he wants to fuck Steve. He has many things he wants to do and listening to that is not one of them.

He's engrossed in a conversation with Hank about integrals and its application to daily life when Thor dismisses two people from his path and grabs him by the arm, murmuring some excuse to Hank. He passes a few of his friends who look on in amusement and shrugs to the unsaid questions in their eyes.

Thor locks the door behind him, and Loki goes to sit on the bed, watching as Thor regards him. "If others received such motivation as I have, the world would be a very productive place," he says, going to a screen on the wall. He taps once and music starts to play around them, _that_ kind.

Loki stands up with a grin, looking around the spacious room and realizing that one wall is a mirror. He walks in front of it and looks at the blue paint covering him. "Well, you are SHIELD's hero," he says. "You do not require much motivation to get the job done." He meets Thor's eyes in the mirror and runs a hand down his chest, smirk steadily growing. "As a student, it is my duty to properly thank you, correct?"

Thor takes a seat on the edge of the bed.

He glances upward as the song changes, something more suitable for what he's going to do coming on. He closes his eyes, and his hands go to the tie of his shorts. slowly undoing the knot. He opens his eyes again and puts his thumbs under the waistband, biting his lip and looking at Thor as he removes his hands and instead moves them over his chest. His eyes shut again, and his head lulls side to side as he begins to move his body with deliberate slowness, keeping rhythm to the Usher playing above, and he turns, opening his eyes, and walks to Thor.

Thor's Adam's apple bobs in his throat, and his hands come up to touch only to get batted away.

He smirks as he turns, touching Thor's thighs as he lowers himself between his opened legs. When he comes back up, he arches his back, hips swaying from side to side. He stands up and fists his hands into his hair as he pops his ass, dropping down to his haunches and arching his ass as he stands.

He takes pity on a frenzied-looking Thor and straddles him though keeping several inches between their bodies. Thor's wandering hands are not slapped away, but Loki's own hands remain on Thor's shoulders. Inches before their lips meet, Loki stops, grinning as Thor grits his teeth. He grins into the juncture of Thor's neck and takes a lick of his salty skin, hands tightening on his shoulders as he bites down.

Thor gives a groan before switching their positions, Loki pinned onto his back as Thor leers down at him.

Loki pulls Thor's shirt off, still not giving him the touch he so direly wants. He does kiss him, finding his arms pinned above his head by the wrists.

"My turn," he says, and they let out a shared moan when Thor grinds down. His hand slides between their bodies, and Loki inhales sharply when he grips him through the polyester.

He stares back at Thor as he pulls his shorts down, gaze unwavering as the fabric brushes over him and sends sparks of pleasure. His eyes do widen when Thor takes him in hand, finally shutting when Thor's other hand lets his wrists go and comes to press at him.

"I told that you still wanted me," Thor murmurs, Loki's eyes opening, and Loki lets out an involuntary gasp as Thor's finger swipes over the tip. "We both know that I was right."

He inhales, pushing his sexual needs inside. "Thor, get off of me," he says.

"Loki, what-?"

"I said get off!" He shoves Thor away and slides from under him, pulling his shorts up over his hips.

Psychological warfare is what they're doing now? Great, Loki wishes he'd known before he was on his back and so willing to-

"What did I say?!"

He shakes his head in exasperation and opens the door. "Nothing, Thor!"

"Wow, what happened to you?" Stark asks when he passes him and Steve in the hallway.

He ignores him and continues down the stairs, joining the rest of the party. He ignores the hard-on still in his pants and slips out of the house, finding the front yard empty save for a few people either talking on their phones or drinking.

He's standing there for a few moments before Owen shows up and sits down on the stairs beside him.

"Well, you guys won and SHIELD boy is still unhappy?" Owen laughs. "I bought these with you in mind."

Loki takes a cigarette from the newly opened pack and lets Owen light it for him, taking a long drag.

"Marvin's an ass for getting you into this, you know that? Than almost killed him."

He takes another drag. "I can make my own decisions," he replies. "This just happens to be one of them."

"Yeah, well, good for you, right?"

They lapse into silence, listening to the sound of Edward shouting something into his cell phone and the faint music behind the half-closed door.

Loki puts out the cigarette and stands just as the door opens and one Robert Reynolds comes out. Inside, he curses Owen for being stupid enough to come to a place filled with pro-SHIELD, anti-HYDRA people, and himself for not thinking of the possibility of getting caught.

"Of course," Robert says, eyes flickering between the two of them. "Of fucking course."

"You should know it was Max back at the club Friday, so don't try to pin that on me." Owen doesn't move when Robert takes a step toward him, staring at him with an unwavering gaze.

Robert 's fist lands with a sickening crunch, teeth flying from Owen's mouth.

Loki stares wide-eyed, feet carrying him to a downed-Owen's side. He inhales sharply when he sees the blood pouring from his mouth and nose. "Owen, Owen, are you coherent?"

He lets out a groan. "More than, sadly." He sits up as if there is not a fountain where it shouldn't be, climbing to his feet with another groan. "Reynolds, you always were kind of a bitch."

He's shoved by Owen's blood-covered hand into the grass and realizes why when Owen grabs ahold of Robert's shirt, grabbing him with force Loki never expected from the boy.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Owen asks. "We're cool, dude! I'm not trying to kill little Loki over there, okay?"

"It doesn't matter what you fucking say!" Robert shoves him off and jabs a finger at Loki. "You never learn! You're going to have to go through unnecessary shit just because you're too thick-headed to see that this is all an act! They're going to hurt you, Loki!"

He stares at a relaxing Robert.

"It's not even the main problem! When you're hurt, Thor's hurt, and then everybody's hurt! Dammit, dude, you never fucking listen!" He shoves Owen again before he exits the front yard, footsteps heard over the walls surrounding Stark Manor.

Luke runs out of the house, looking around the scene of a bloodied Owen and a frozen Loki. "Aw, dammit, what the fuck?" he shouts, and he starts after Robert. "Rob, bro, wait the fuck up!"

Loki offers Owen help, but he shrugs him off and murmurs something about needing "to report to him." He walks back into the party and ignores the looks he gets from those standing in the front hallway, shaking off the daze to go into the smaller of the party rooms.

As he sits in on a couch with his head in his hands, he cannot help but replay Robert's warnings in his head. Something about them doesn't sit right.

Someone in an eagle head sits down beside him, and Loki sighs through his fingers, expecting Storm or Ben to take the head off and exclaim something about partying until they're dead.

"Loki."

He lifts his head and looks at Hero who is holding an eagle head in his hands. "Hero, what are you—if they find you here—"

"No, they won't." He gestures to the head. "I saw, you know. I… heard too."

They're in a bathroom, and Loki's head is rested against a wall, the bass of a rap sound vibrating around them.

"I'm sorry," Hero says. "I don't know what's with Thanos' new policy in sending you HYDRA-taught bodyguards. He knows that you can take care of yourself."

_"They're going to hurt you, Loki"_

He's sobbing before he can stop, knees pulling up to his chest, and it's out of shame. He's crying in front of Hero, a boy he only knows through a few make-outs and a failed attempt at sex. This is wrong. Loki should not be crying at all.

Cold, spiny hands rub his back as Hero murmurs words of comfort in perfect… Swedish.

It seems the learning of his native language was a sibling activity.

He chuckles when he hears Hero attempt to talk about Thanny's personality. "The word you're looking for is '_motsträvig_."

"What does that mean?"

Loki chuckles. "Abrasive."

They share a laugh, but when the laugh dies, they're staring at each other, and the mood shifts into something more… intimate on Hero's end.

"There's something else I want to know how to say in Swedish."

"And what would that be?" he asks. "I despise my brother?"

"No, I know that. That was the first thing I learned." Hero brushes a piece of hair from Loki's forehead, and Loki tenses. "I am in love with you."

"Oh, that's _Jag alskar dig_." Loki cocks a brow. "Hero, if you just said that you love my hair color, how can you not know how to say 'I am in love with you?'"

"I know how to say it, Loki. I wasn't asking." Hero leans forward, but Loki leans backward.

"Hero, I apologize if I have misled you, but—"

"I need to throw the fuck up—oh." The boy stops. "Um, are you two done in here?"

They exchange an amused look as they stand, bursting into laughter upon exiting the bathroom.

"Hey, have you seen Loki?" Tony's voice shouts somewhere down the hall.

Hero lifts his eagle head. "Looks like I have to go or risk getting killed by one of Stark's inventions." He puts the eagle head on, but Loki can still feel his eyes on him. "I'll see you tomorrow, and hey, I know it sounds stupid, but I meant what I-"

"There you are, blue bitch!" Tony slings an arm over his shoulder. "Enjoying yourself, L?"

Hero waves before leaving.

"Who was that?" he asks. "That was a good fucking eagle head. Miss Darkholme knows how to teach arts and crafts if that's what our school's cranking out."

Loki laughs and leads Tony away from the door. "Whatever you say, Stark."

He's informed of Thor's departure by JARVIS, unsurprised that he didn't even attempt to learn why Loki left.

The two showers he takes between the time he gets home and leaves for the festival remove all trace of his temporary moment of school patriotism. In black, he feels like a phantom as he moves through the other students, parents, and staff members on the SHIELD lawn, and he makes it past his friends several times before Natasha stops him and announces that she's found him.

"Whoa, blue bitch is black bandit now?" Stark asks, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Steve leans over Tony's shoulder and steals a bite. "He's not a bandit, Tony."

"You're not denying that he's a bitch then. Hm, good, Steve. Let the evil flow through you."

They move from booth to booth, some student run and others displaying just why the teacher teaches at either school. They make it around most of the lawn by 7:00, and go to the tent with the SHIELD logo on its front.

The seats are all filled as Jean, Anna, Kitty from his gym class, and a boy get onto the stage, Jean going to the microphone as the others go to pick up an instrument. "Hello, everyone, we are Jean Grey and the Phoenix, and we will be playing one of our own original songs for you today. We call it 'Cyclops.'"

As they watch Jean sing about getting revenge on a cheating boyfriend, Thor makes his first appearance of the day, coming to stand behind Loki though not touching him. He doesn't say anything, but Loki senses his reason for being here.

"Wait until the song is over," Loki says, and the song ends. He turns and leads the way out of the tent, crossing his arms as they walk. "Talk."

"I want you to explain to me what I am doing wrong."

"The fact that you have to ask me such a thing is a good place to start," he replies. "You should know, Thor. You are observant when you want to be."

"Loki, I cannot do this if you will not cooperate!"

He stops walking. "Do what? I open myself emotionally to you, and you know what you do? You close off, and I am left struggling to fix things as always. I always bear the brunt of the fight, Thor, while you party your ass off with who knows who! I attempt to repair, but you mess it up again!"

"I mess things up? I was under the impression that you were the one continually giving me different signals as to what you want! I am trying here, Loki. Believe me I am!"

"No, you aren't!"

He grits his teeth and glowers at Loki. "You need to listen to me."

"I am!" He looks up and sees that they have attracted a few listeners. "Thor, I have listened forever. I am listening now, and you know what I hear? Nothing."

"Because you are deaf!" Thor gets down onto his knees, and Loki rolls his eyes. "I love you, Loki. I love you like I have never loved anything before, and I know that you love me as well, but it does not help me when you display otherwise."

"Why should I? You do not pay attention, Thor. You are too busy avoiding me."

"Avoiding you?" He chuckles. "Loki, I needed… time. I could not bear to be around you knowing that perhaps my attempts were for naught."

"How do you think I feel, Thor?" He pulls him up.

"I think you feel the need to seek out Hero Titan."

"He doesn't—he's an ally and only an ally. You, Thor, you are… mine." He looks up at him. "I am… yours."

They meet halfway, Loki kissing Thor for the first time in weeks not because he wants him sexually—he does, he really does—but because he wants him, all of him. As their lips move in unison, Loki knows that this is the crème de la crème. No one will ever be able to compare to Thor, his first and possibly only love.

There's applause around them, reminding Loki that they are kissing in a very public place.

"I verily love you," Thor says.

"Thank you, Jesus!" Tony shouts.

"I verily love you as well," Loki replies, and they kiss once more before breaking apart.

Natasha taps him on the shoulder. "Hey, it's time," she says, showing him her phone display.

"I love you," Thor says, and he kisses Loki's forehead. "You will be beautiful as always."

He turns around, glancing back at Thor with a goofy smile on his face. He can still feel the tingles in his lips and on his skin where they touched.

Loki moves around the perimeter of the crowd, finding the door he slipped out of Thursday and using it to enter the school. He blinks in the darkness for a few moments, the blue exit sign the only source of light, and he pulls his phone out to use it as a flashlight.

He almost runs into Victor, Victor steadying him with a steel grip on his shoulder.

"Be careful," he says. "We would not want you to miss your speech, would we? Betty is onstage talking now, so you have fifteen minutes if she's not in the mood to talk. Goodbye, Loki." Victor disappears in the darkness, the light from the stage catching a scar on his cheekbone Loki never noticed.

Betty stands onstage as Victor said, the SHIELD auditorium completely filled.

He worries his bottom lip and rocks back and forth on his feet, his hands clammy. All he has to do is give a basic speech about his experiences at SHIELD and at SHYDRA week. Easy, easier than most of the things he's done in the past few days. He looks around the darkness and sees that he's alone, but the anxiety is still the same, irrational yet there.

Betty says something that elicits laughter before announcing the next person up. "And here is the one and only Loki Laufeyson."

He takes a deep breath, but just as his lungs fill, his muscles tense and all ability to move is stolen. He's stuck like that for years as the world slows down, but the laws of motion come back in full force, gravity pulling him down in real time.

He's caught in firm arms and picked up from the ground, hushed voices in his ears and around him as rapid footsteps sound below and behind him.

He opens his mouth to say something, to ask what's happening, but he can't form words.

"Sh, calm down. We're not going to hurt you," a voice says.

His eyes begin to shut and the world fades around him, but he catches a sliver of violet in the darkness above.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh crap sticks, scheisse is getting real. Okay, I have the next chapter written already because I write in a nonlinear progression... (I even have the end chapter written :D), and well, yeah. I hope this fun will sustain you because things become "unfun."

Also, I like foreshadowing in the strangest ways.


	20. Chapter 19

My few day break has ended. This chapter was written a month ago, so there really was no need for a break. Actually, the last chapters are all written, so I can say that my updating speed will be picking up to where it was again. I'm putting off the editing until I'm completely finished. Also: !Attempted Sexual Assault Warning! !Puke Warning! !Angst Warning! !Unnecessary Drama Warning!

* * *

Hero Titan: Wrongful Ally?!

"Look who's awake."

Loki blinks away unconsciousness and takes in his surroundings. A bedroom, one he doesn't know, cast in semi-darkness.

A sliver of violet…

Thanos stands beside the bed, his ever present smirk in place. "I thought we almost killed you for a second."

He looks down at himself, relieved at the sight of all of his clothes in place. With the things that Thanos has done, it would not surprise him if he tried to… "You drugged me," he says as more feeling returns to his body. "You drugged me _again_."

"You see, you're just so druggable. Something about you just screams a need for me to save you and corrupt you." Thanny is in front of him and leering down at him in the next second, hand hot on the juncture of Loki's neck. "You are a god, you know that? Everything about you just makes me so…"—Thanny exhales—"_hard_."

"You did all of this to me!"

"Not surprised you're only just realizing this," he says, sliding onto the bed beside him. "You remember what I told you back at Osborn's well. I do, Loki, and I did as I said I would… until now. Have I ever mentioned my lack of patience? I have waited six months for you to come to your senses and see, Loki, and you have. Do you actually think I'm going to let you take that back? Time to close those pretty eyes of yours and pretend."

He kicks upward, a curse and a gasp coming from Thanny's mouth. With the opening, Loki rolls away from him, catching himself before he falls to the ground.

Thanny laughs, sitting up on the bed. "You know, I thought you were smarter than this. The only son of Laufey and the one who is supposed to spread his 'magic' through the world via peaceful means. Anyone who can forego violence and still get the job done has to be pretty brilliant."

"And what of you?"

"I don't need violence to get what I want. I like to use it. There's a difference, Loki. It would do you some good to learn it though you already should." Thanny smirks. "Your father sure loved to give you demonstrations, didn't he?"

"My father is dead," he says. "And I am not my father."

"You really aren't," he says as he slips off the bed. He's coming closer, and Loki is backing away. "But, Loki, you see, your father pissed off a lot of important people during that short life of his. You've only been here for 16 years, and you've tripled that amount. It's funny that what really got him wasn't an enemy. It was who he kept close."

As Thanny lunges forward to grab him, Loki goes to run, but he is not quick enough as Thanny grasps his ankle, and he is sent falling to the ground. He rolls onto his back as Thanny gets atop him, and he grits his teeth at the sensation of something unwelcome pressing against his thigh.

"You want to play this game, huh?"

His air supply is choked off as Thanny's thumb presses into his neck. His body gives a shudder at the sensation of Thanny's hand slipping beneath his waistband.

"You think you're so smart, right?" He lets out a laugh. "I am smarter, stronger, hotter than anyone else who will ever want you. This? This is the top of the totem pole, Loki. You should be more appreciative. I like you when you're on your back. It's where you belong, and Thor saw that. Of course he saw other things but…

"You just never listen, do you? This is why you're here now! You didn't listen to your stupid little friends or Reynolds' stupid little ass! This is your fucking fault, you know?" Thanny shoves his legs apart, setting a knee atop Loki's leg. "There is no escape, Loki. You're trapped."

His fist connects with Thanny's throat, and he uses his knee to shove him off, slipping from beneath Thanny and getting to his feet.

He runs from the room and doesn't look back, knowing that Thanny is following him. He navigates the white halls and makes it to an intersection, glancing out the window and seeing nothing but blue and coastline and realizing that he is not on solid land.

"Hey!"

He goes left. Behind him, a few footsteps move at a rapid pace, and Loki knows that he is going to need some way to stall them. He makes it to a turn where a cyan axe hangs behind glass, the words 'Emergency' written on a sign above. This is an emergency, Loki thinks as he punches the class, his knuckles cutting.

He hefts the axe in his hands and turns to his pursuers: Thanny, Carny, and Flint.

"Not staying for the party?" Carny asks.

Loki takes a step backward. "I think it is HYDRA only."

"We're willing to bend the rules for a few favors," Flint says, and as he goes to take a step forward, Loki spurs into motion again.

He waves the axe at anyone who attempts to move in his way as he turns the corners and runs down the halls. He surfaces onto a deck and strikes the person who attempts to get in his way and stop him: Marvin. As Marvin falls into the water with a splash, Loki runs to the entrance to the deck, taking a large leap onto the dock a few feet away from the boat.

He lands hard, losing the axe into the water as he pulls himself up. He turns and walks backward to see that the deck is filled with HYDRA students, all watching him with contempt.

"Move!" Thanny jumps onto the dock, landing on his feet. He turns. "Go! I'll make it later!"

Loki begins to walk backward as Thanny turns to face him.

"Oh, where are you going to run, Loki?"

Hero stands feet away from him, staring at Loki with a blank expression.

"Brother, I'm glad to see you've joined us," Thanny says. "Even for the godliest dick of them all, do you still know where your loyalties lie?"

Hero begins forward, steps filled with intention, the wrong intention.

"Loki, Loki, Loki, there is no escape from the inevitable. You either join us, or you-"

"Or I what?" He clenches his fists at his sides. "Face the same fate as my father? I must inform you that Laufey and I are nothing alike. The sole thing we have in common is that we share no emotional attachment to those who hold us back. Thor is the ultimate, and he is the only one worthy of my love."

He has a Titan on either side of him, a dream for some, once a dream for him, but this is nothing more than a nightmare.

"I love you," Hero says, reaching forward to touch Loki, but Loki flinches away. "I love you, Loki."

"Your feelings will always remain unrequited. I never intended for more than a simple one off with you, Hero, not for you to profess your shamble of love to me."

"Whoa, oh, oh," Thanny He says something in an Arabic language, and Hero nods. "Loki, you made the mistake of messing with one Titan. Now, you've messed with us both."

When Hero kisses him, Loki's reaction is instantaneous, Loki shoving him backward with more force than necessary. He may have been ignorant of this plan, but he has no right to touch Loki now. He should never have had it, but Loki is going to learn from his mistakes.

Thanny shouts something in that language again, and Hero gives a snarl.

Loki starts to run, going to slide past Hero, but his wrist is seized, and they're falling.

"You idio-"

"Lok-"

He barely has enough time to gasp a breath of air before he's submerged, cold seeping into every crevice and filling in every nook in his body. He blinks in the murky liquid, eyes stinging as various particles float around him.

Hero's hands wrap around his neck, and Loki goes to pull them away with one of his hands, pressing into the depression of Hero's clavicle with the other. If Hero wants to take Loki down, Hero is going down with him.

The last bubbles leave his nose, and Loki's lungs burn in a way different than they did after the marathon, one that spells the end that Loki was sure was far off.

Hero's grasp loosens as all bubbles cease to come from his airways, and there's something hard in his eyes as he stares at Loki through the water. Dying with such hatred in those eyes is a way fitting for a Titan.

He goes to inhale when he's turned in the water, another's lips coming to seal around his, and breath is pushed into his lungs. He turns and sees Thanny pulling Hero to the top before he is being pulled to the surface himself, Loki taking a deep breath in once the environment around him is no longer solely liquid.

He heaves as he blinks away the seawater, the dark sky never so welcoming before.

"Loki! Loki!"

The water unclogs from his ears and trickles out, adding to the slick of water covering his body.

"Loki!"

He pushes himself to a sitting position and looks at the sudden commotion around him, shouts and other sounds filling the previously silent air and red and blue lights flashing above dozens of heads.

Thor pulls him into a sopping hug, and never has Loki been so content with simply a hug. There's also the fact that it's a warm hug, warmth that Loki actually needs. "I love you."

"I'll kill you!" Robert's voice shouts.

His teeth begin to chatter as his body loses heat to the air and soaking clothes hanging from him. The cold is actually cold for once in such a long time. Loki's helped to his feet by Thor and sees Robert standing with an unconscious Lindy in his arms at the end of the dock.

"They did not only… take you," Thor says, eyes narrowed.

The yacht floats in the distance, and somehow Loki knows that Hero and Thanos are on that boat.

SHIELD and HYDRA students stand in two separate masses, harsh words exchanged between either group.

Thor's hand on his shoulder guides him down the path between the two groups and to the source of the lights, an ambulance. It appears they feared the worse when Loki disappeared, and he cannot blame them.

Dr. McCoy stands in latex gloves and guides Loki to sit on the edge of the open truck.

The clacking of his teeth is loud, louder than the cacophony around him.

"Open." Dr. McCoy slides a thermometer into his mouth, and Loki can barely stop his teeth from continuing their song of the sorry state his current body temperature. He seems to agree by the frown on his face when he looks at the probe, and his frown turns into a face of shock as he continues to stare at the beeping device. "S-seventy-seven degrees Fahrenheit."

"Holy hell," a paramedic says, and he glances at the thermometer. "Holy fucking hell."

"Loki, look at me." He shines a light into Loki's eyes. "Are you feeling any disorientation?"

He blinks slowly and looks up to where Thor is standing and staring at him with a strange expression. "No, I feel-" He empties his stomach onto the ground. "I'm fine."

Dr. McCoy starts speaking at a million miles a minute, and the world takes upon a warp.

Just as the two masses of people rush forward to become one, his eyes drift shut, and he's shut off.

He's read books about what it's like to die, read stories of some seeing dead relatives behind the pearly gates of Christian heaven and others of people seeing nothing but the void of darkness. Loki was never quite sure who to believe, so he believes nothing at all. When death comes to grasp him, he will learn then, but being 16 years old, death is one of the last things on his mind.

The recent decisions in his life could be considered him taking a turn for the worse on the course of life. Smoking is one of the leading causes of cancer, and he's been edging himself off of the path he is on, the one where there is no clear end in sight and when he dies, it will not be something he saw coming.

In the past few months, he's gotten to know unconsciousness far too well. It extends around his disembodied mind as if he has been dropped into an infinity room. There is a simultaneous state of darkness and light so he can see things that he shouldn't be able to see with the lack of visible light sources.

Hard blue eyes stare at him from across the expanse, a low voice whispering one word, "Loki," before his brain is seized from all sides and shoved back into the protection of his skull. Every memory, every touch, every kiss, it all flashes in front of him, forming a light so bright that he has to shield his eyes.

The white flashes and dies, revealing Laufey standing in front of him. "_Son,_" he says in his unique mixture of an American and Swedish accent, "I was not expecting to see you for quite a while."

Loki looks down at himself. He's in his body yet again, but he's still in this… place.

"Do not worry, Loki. You are quite alive." He stares at him for an amount of time Loki cannot determine. In this place, is there even such a thing as time? "You are currently under the thrall of drugs and recovering from a terrible case of hypothermia. Us Laufeysons have always been naturally cold, but I am sure you were aware of that. There is no use in pointing out obvious things, is there?"

"You aren't real."

"Of course not, Loki. Let us not be ridiculous. I am dead, dead in a way you are headed toward with how idiotic you have been." He chuckles. "Thanos Titan, Loki, really? You only just put the pieces together on your own, but it appears that you need a bit of help from your father. You were always slow to understand things, and my own hand had to be enforced ever so often. You will understand one day."

He gulps as he stares back at his "father."

"Those people trusted were all connected whether you believe so or not. It was no coincidence that you were contacted about this elusive Red Room around the time that things between you and Thor got into the 'swing of things' as your mother often says. Thanos Titan made you a promise, one that he unfortunately kept." Laufey chuckles, and Loki almost looks away. "He's gotten under your skin. He has won. You have lost."

"I do not lose."

"Oh, Loki, but you have, have you not? My absence has softened you, and your mother will never be able to give you the proper lessons in life. She should not have stopped with her own feminine punishments. You love her far too much to retaliate, and you are weak. You would take it in silence, perhaps seethe for a few days, but you would forgive her. You are far too forgiving, Loki."

Around them, something flashes.

"I must say that this is goodbye. If we do meet again, and I mean me and you, there will be more waiting for you than lectures. My father did not mold me via lecture, and as I am dead, I must resort to other ways."

"But I created you!" he shouts, his voice echoing. "You are in my mind!"

"The subconscious knows what's best, Loki. See this as another form of your often employed self-loathing. On the topic of that, it's quite pathetic, Loki. Learn to be less selfish."

As he opens his mouth to reply, the world crumbles, and he's falling, falling and falling until the true world starts to form around him. He regains control of his true body and blinks away the remnants of the nothingness he stood in.

He gasps for air, finding it sterile and chemical.

"Thor?" His voice rings in his ears for a few moments until many sounds come crashing back: footsteps, murmurs, clinking of metal. "Thor?"

"Loki." It's not his voice, but his uncle's, and the face that belongs to that voice appears beside him, Loki's eyes widening in panic before he remembers who he is. "Loki, are you coherent?"

He blinks away the haze and looks around, sound oscillating around him for a few moments.

"Loki!" He grabs Loki's wrist, and Loki flinches at how cold his hands are. "Listen to me now! You have been unconscious for two days. What happened?"

The room starts to spin, and his mind starts to shut down again, but the sharp sound of his uncle's voice pushes him back into his body.

"Loki!" His grip is almost unbearable, and Loki gasps, attempting to pull away. "_Lyssna på mig_!"

Thor shoves Nal away and moves in front of Loki, a golden savior. Loki's true protector in all of this. "Get away from him!"

"How dare you tell me such a thing? He is my nephew!"

"You were hurting him!" He turns around and falls to his haunches, staring at Loki with liquid eyes. "Loki, how are you?"

"He's obviously still delirious, Odinson," Nal says. "Look at the glassy look in his eyes. It would be no surprise if he thought you were Thanos."

His heart gives a hard beat.

"You are a terrible excuse for an uncle," he says, teeth gritted. "You think this is a joke!"

He looks down at himself and sees the hospital gown and IVs in his arms, gulping down the sudden lump in his throat. He was on the side of the stage supposed to give his speech, and he woke up and Thanos-

Oh gods.

He sits up and throws everything up into the sickbin on the other side of the bed, hands from two different people coming to rub circles into his back. He heaves again, emptying out the remnants of whatever was in his stomach.

Thor holds him by the shoulders as Nal wipes away the sick from his mouth with a towel, Thor giving him an impatient look.

"Nurse, come!" Nal shouts, and a blonde woman scrambles into the room, spotting Loki and coming to his side.

"If you would please let him go," she says, pulling out a light. She shines it into Loki's eyes, and he flinches, blinking away the light spots. "Pupils are dilated, but possibly residual shock. Mr. Laufeyson, do you feel any dizziness?"

"Loki," he corrects, and he nods, said dizziness worsening for a moment. "Yes."

She stands up. "I will be back in with Dr. Connors."

When she leaves, Nal's eyes light up again, fire raging. He raises a hand as if he's going to hit something but inhales and shuts his eyes. "You are Laufey's son, irresponsible, disrespectful, unthinking, foolish. You are your father, Loki, and you will end up like him: dead."

Thor advances on him as John comes into the room, John shoving Nal out of the way and ducking Thor's punch.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what the hell is wrong with you two? Can't you put your fucking differences aside for a damn minute?" He grabs Nal's arm. "Your fucking nephew is on the verge of death, and you go _there_? Your brother would be fucking ashamed of you."

He gives John a look, eyes wide, before storming out of the room, John hot on his tail.

Thor stares, jaw working.

"I'm not going to—to die, I don't think," he says, messing with the hem of the gown. "I'm… okay now. I'm safe."

Thor's at his side and holding his hand, blinking away tears. "Loki, I—I'm so, so sorry," he says, and when he blinks, a tear falls down his cheek.

Loki's stomach starts to churn, but he forces himself to look. He did this. This is his fault.

"I should have known," he says. "I should have been there to stop them."

"No, Thor, it's okay." He pulls him onto the bed, trying to offer his most reassuring look as he does. Something in his back gives a pang, and he grits his teeth, pushing away the pain. "No one could have known. We were in public, around people. They planned."

Thor leaves him after Dr. Connors comes in to perform an examination, Thor looking as if he wants to ring the man's neck, but Loki's gentle smile and reassuring words get him to leave.

Dr. Connors regards Loki with cold indifference, gloved hands skimming over his skin and leaving goosebumps in their wake. When he guides Loki onto his back and makes a motion to lift up his gown, Loki grips his wrist and sends him a warning look, Dr. Connors frowning but moving his hands elsewhere.

"I'm fine," he says, seeing the look. He has never trusted healthcare providers, and that will not be changing anytime soon.

Dr. Connors frowns, and his eyes glance up to Loki before back down at his ankle. He touches the purpling bruise, and Loki winces. "Are there more of these elsewhere?" he asks, cocking his head to the side.

Loki gulps. "No."

"Loki, I must ask-"

There's a chorus of knocks on the door followed by the door unlocking.

Tony, Clint, Natasha, Bruce, and Steve pile through the doorway, Tony lifting up the lock-picker with a grin.

"You love us," he says, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Dr. Connors stares at them all. "Excuse me-"

"He's fine," Tony says. "JARV's been analyzing his blood samples since he got here."

He exhales and removes his gloves." I will return after your friends have gone, Mr. Laufeyson," he says. "Do know that Mr. Bergelmisson has imposed visiting hours from noon until 9:00."

Loki slides the sheet over his lower half, meeting Clint's eyes when he looks up.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be fine," Clint says. "So, nice dress."

"Clint," Natasha says, rolling her eyes. "He's being an idiot."

"When is he not?" Loki replies, Bruce chuckling.

"It's good to know you didn't lose your sense of asshole," he says. "We all love that so very much."

"I honestly do," Bruce says. "I can appreciate snark, provided it is from someone I can tolerate."

"Aw, science bro, are you saying you can tolerate me?" Tony bats his eyelashes. "I'm so flattered. Anyway, Loki, dude, your body is cray. And I mean in a medical way, and not the obvious way… what, Steve? Sorry. Anyway, I mean, the whole hypothermia thing didn't help, but I'm pretty surprised you withstood it for those three minutes you were awake. You're a damn mutant or something . You were actually drugged with some pretty heavy stuff."

"A very potent form of methaqualone with trace amounts of a benzodiazepine," Bruce says, nodding.

"I just—how the fuck did he get ahold of those kind of chemicals?" Tony asks. "Don't they do a psych screening?"

Steve scratches the back of his neck and clears his throat. "Tony..."

"Wait, no they don't." He lets out a breathy laugh. "Explains how I manage to get half the crap I do. Great, no psych evaluations. Most scientists are crazy, but not Thanos Titan crazy. He gives Wade a run for his money, okay?"

"So what did you do?" Bruce asks, and Natasha mumbles a warning. "What? I am curious."

"I slept."

Clint scoffs. "Wow, that sucks," he says.

"It does." Nal steps into the room, John shadowing him. "Considering the fact that Thanos went through the trouble of kidnapping and drugging him, I would think he would get Loki into something more… lascivious."

"Shut the hell up, Frost," John says, chuckling. "'Lascivious,' who says that?"

Tony and Clint burst into laughter, Steve's cheeks reddening and Bruce and Natasha covering their mouths with their hands.

"My vocabulary does not consist of 'fucking' and 'Jesus' as yours does, John," Nal replies.

"No, the stick up your ass prevents that."

"Oh, shit, that's—wow, someone who can stand up to Future Loki?" Clint says. "John's the BAMF of our generation."

"'Future Loki,'" Nal says, rolling his eyes.

"Barton, don't doubt the skill of a seasoned veteran of my stature," John replies, accepting a fist bump from him. "So, Ice, how are you feeling?"

He opens his mouth to reply with his often used phrase, "I'm fine," when Thor enters the room.

"I see you all have come," Thor says as he enters with a bottle of something vicious and pink. He sets it on the table and crosses his arms as he stares them all down. "Loki needs his rest. You should all leave."

No one makes a motion to move.

"Now."

"Jeez, dude, calm your balls," Clint says. "We're here for support."

"He needs no support," Nal says, and John sighs. "He is better without you all."

"Frost, let's go. Leave them be."

"No, John." He smiles. "You are all hereby expelled from the premises for the duration of Loki's stay, that is everyone save for Thor. We all know that the chance of me getting him to leave is around 34%."

"Wow, that's specific."

Natasha grabs a frowning Clint's hand. "Come on, Clint. Bye, Loki."

Everyone follows suit though Tony is the last to leave, only leaving when Steve whispers something into his ear that makes him flush and grin.

Thor uncaps the bottle and shoves it in Loki's hands. "Here."

He inhales the fruity smell and gags. "No."

"Drink it."

"No."

Nal rolls his eyes. "Thor, you must be more assertive with my nephew. I was sure you were the dominator in bed. Apply that to this."

John chuckles as Loki fights off a blush. "Funny, Frost. Very, very funny, coming from the man who-"

"John, shut up," he says, sticking his chin out. "Loki, drink it."

"No." He sends Thor a warning look when he makes a motion to grab his arm. "Don't."

"Loki, drink it." His eyes smoke with something that makes Loki's skin heat up.

He sighs and takes a gulp of the cold, viscous drink. It takes like a strawberry milkshake sweetened with too much sugar. He drinks as much as he can, handing it off with a cringe. "You are terrible people."

"Hey, nobody's denying that."

John and Nal make themselves comfortable in chairs beside the bed, Nal producing his tablet and changing the subject to finance.

Thor leans against the window and texts, glancing up at Loki ever so often. That phone of his, it's as if there's something or someone more important than Loki in his life. Loki's not being self-absorbed when he says that he is the top priority on Thor's list. He just knows as Thor is the same on his own. Well, he was sure of that, but now…

"Dammit, even seeing their symbol makes me want to punch something," John says, removing his arm from Nal's shoulder. He stands up and cracks his knuckles. "'TIT.' Fuck them, fuck him."

Thor stares out the window now, eyes hard.

"Thanos and his yacht, which was a gift from his father for his 16th birthday, disappeared off the face of the Earth. All of his devices have been disconnected from the worldwide network, and his paper trail leads to nowhere. Those who were with him have seemingly dropped their lives as well. No one is too keen on talking, but there are other ways to get a person to talk, are there not?"

"Can we not talk about this?" Loki asks.

"About what? The kidnapping and drugging that occurred involving you and one Lindy Lee? She was spared the drugging." Nal steeples his fingers. "It would be wise to question her, but I am unsure-"

"None of your opinions matter!" He shouts, standing from the bed. "_I _was the one kidnapped! I was the one put on drugs! I was the one—Thanos chose me, not any of you! I knew that he shouldn't be trusted! Robert even warned me, and I was still foolish enough to think that perhaps he was wrong! This is my problem to deal with, okay? It was _my_ fault!"

"Ice-" John starts, frowning.

"What?" He looks down and sees the blood pouring down his arm. "Oh."

Nal's hands are on his shoulders and pushing him to sit down, Nal quickly rattling off commands to John. "You have lost about 50 cc of blood, which is not serious at all. A simple tourniquet will stifle the bleeding due to it only being the median cubital vein. Even without such measures, it would be quite a time until you died."

"Why are you-?" Loki blinks away the haze, realizing that John is holding his hands at his side. The sensation of the needle being pulled from his neck makes him hiss.

"I apologize, Loki," Nal says, and his shiny eyes blur with the rest of the world.

As he falls backward, the world blackens, and he doesn't feel himself hit the bed.

He drifts awake, a cloud inside his head, still half-asleep and hears voice behind him.

"I have failed him. He would be ashamed of me," one says. "I have failed to do the one thing he asked of me."

"Shut the fuck up. You sound like an angsty teenager." John?

"You know what my angst period was like. I was nothing like this."

Chuckles. "Thank god you weren't. I wouldn't have hung out with you. Wait, yes I would have. I mean, after puberty." There's a wolf-whistle.

"Shut up."

"What? Don't try to act modest now. You reveled in the attention even if you tried that dark and mysterious thing. Poor girls thought they had a chance, but little did they know…"

Fabric rustles behind him before something is slapped.

"We are not doing this here!"

"Shut up. Jesus, look, he's sleeping."

There's suddenly silence behind him, and he falls back under the haze of sleep.

When he wakes up this time, he's more coherent than he's been in days. He looks around the room and sees John sleeping in a chair, limbs hanging over the armrests, and Nal sleeps beside him, head tilted back and his hand on John's knee. It's… cute.

His arms are vein free, so he stands without caution. He tip-toes across the linoleum to the restroom, shutting the door behind him. It's the first time in days he can recall using the bathroom, and he's never been happier to relieve himself.

He stares in the mirror as he washes his hands, and very slowly, he pulls the neckline of the gown down to reveal a fading purple fingerprint. He blinks away a flash and pulls the neckline back up.

He inhales sharply at the sight of Nal standing in the open doorway.

"Your lack of observation perturbs me."

He follows Nal back into the room, noticing that he and John have changed. "When did you two leave?"

"3:40 pm," Nal replies with a sneer. "Get dressed. We are leaving."

Loki stares at the clothes and toiletries laid out on the bed.

"John, please, leave."

John rolls his eyes and goes out the door, grumbling.

"You kicked him out? Why don't you leave too?" he asks, hands pausing on the back of the gown. "I have to get showered."

"Loki, you have nothing I have never seen, and I am your uncle. Sexual attraction and nudity are mutually exclusive."

"Um, well, I don't feel comfortable with you standing there." He pushes away thoughts of the bruises on his body. "I will be quick."

"Insufferable," he replies, but Nal leaves, giving Loki an irritated look.

He exhales as the hot water touches his body, washing away things done in the past few days. The scent of something citrusy washes out of his hair with a squirt of aloe shampoo.

"I told you I would be quick," he says to a pacing Nal.

"Twenty minutes, 25 seconds is not quick."

John shoves coffee into Nal's hands. "Drink it. Now," he says, and Nal gulps down the coffee, giving him an eye roll afterward. "Let's go eat."

The hospital is nothing like one he's ever seen, an abundance of marble and portraits of men in white coats. Such a fact is not surprising since Nal is the one who took charge of his medical care. He cannot bare to think of what Nal paid for this. Healthcare was free back home, but in the good USA, it is not.

"Loki!" His mother's heels echo in the hall as she sprints toward them. "_Min son_!"

He stops and waits for her to reach him, inhaling when she takes his head in her hands and stares up at him. He's prepared for whatever she's going to give him.

She only kisses his forehead. "I am so happy to see you, Loki. I was fretful for the entire weekend, and I fear I have not slept since you were admitted. How are you? You look pallid."

Nal scoffs, and she sends him a look.

"I hate it when you let your health go to the wayside," she says, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you too much to see you fail. I suspect it is a trait you've gotten from your father. He often put off eating for days if a project kept him. Such a terrible trait to pass on to one's son."

"My brother gifted him with perseverance," Nal says.

"What you call perseverance, I call wrongly prioritizing. Loki, I do wish you were coming home."

He lifts a brow. "I am not?"

"No," she replies, brow furrowing. "Your uncle wishes to keep watch of you for the rest of the week. I could care for you like only a mother could, but I…" She exhales, blinking away tears. "I apologize, Loki."

"Melodrama."

"Frost, close your mouth."

"For what?" These strange hints to things he doesn't know are not helping him. "Mother, is there something wrong?"

"No, of course not," Nal says, grinning. "Loki, we must get going. John is quite… temperamental when around doctors."

Loki lets her hug him once again and sends his still-grinning uncle a look as he begins down the hallway.

"Farbauti, I do enjoy your… cooperation in all of this. It would be unfortunate if things were…"

Their voices fade as he enters the lobby. He pushes through the revolving glass doors and happens to glance over and see Thor opposite him, his attention on a phone call.

Thor looks up and sees Loki, smiling and causing Loki to do the same.

He and Thor stare at each other as Thor approaches, tucking his phone into his pocket. Thor's eyes twinkle, and his smile is almost blinding.

"You are free," he says, brushing a lock of hair behind Loki's ear. "What do you plan to do with said freedom?"

Loki smirks. "I am unsure as of yet," he replies. "I will have to see."

His mother exits the hospital fuming, John walking after her, and Nal standing with a pleased smile on his face.

"Oh, hello, Thor," he says. "I assume you are accompanying us, correct? Loki will be staying with me for the next few days."

Thor nods. "It appears so."

John runs back to them, fists clenched at his sides. "What the fuck, Nal? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Nal's smile falls. "Come, you two. John, we will continue this conversation somewhere else."

The tension in the front of the car builds until John stares at Nal, flames in his eyes, and begins to murmur something to him in a sharp tone. He reaches forward and turns on the stereo, amping the volume until his words are inaudible.

John shoves the keys to Nal's loft into Thor's hands before resuming the loud conversation between him and Nal.

If he squints his eyes, he can pretend that he and Thor are adults, and they are going back to their shared home, but entertaining such thoughts only leads to hope which leads to disappointment. Loki's had enough disappointment to last him a lifetime.

He sits on the couch, glancing up as Thor enters and sits beside him, arm coming to rest on Loki's shoulders. He gulps and turns the TV on, unsurprised to see it's on the same channel he had on it when he was last here: Cartoon Network.

Loki chuckles at something said on _Adventure Time_, and Thor disappears into the kitchen, coming back with a bag of Estrella.

"No one flicks me in the butt without my consent," the hatted boy Finn.

Loki gives a humph, letting Thor put his arm back around him. He giggles like an immature boy when the sperm-shaped souls appear, glancing up and noticing that Thor is staring at him.

"Your childish sense of humor is adorable," he says, shifting.

He moves to lay his head on Thor's lip and feels why Thor is shifting, cocking an eyebrow and looking up. "I had no idea adorable was what gets what going."

Thor rolls his eyes and runs a hand through his hair. "Ignore it."

"Ignore it?"

"Loki, you act as if it is that distracting," he replies. "I have learned to… suppress my urges when around you. One cannot act on every craving they have, can they? Considering it is you touching me, this is nothing unusual."

He smirks. "Thor, are you saying that you get a hard-on anytime I touch you?" He exhales. "That's…"

"Loki, turn around and watch this show of yours."

He does as told though the knowledge that Thor has a very, very hard erection inches away from him distracts him. He reaches for a chip in the bag, but reaches down too far, brushing the bag.

Thor exhales.

"Will you ever listen to me?" John shouts, the door slamming.

Nal enters the living room. "If you two would be so kind-"

"Leave," John says. "We're talking."

Loki falls onto his bed, and Thor closes the door, shouting starting below as soon as the lock clicks. Thor stands with his hands in his pockets, head cocked to the side.

He shouldn't, but he wants to, needs to. His irrational fears are going to be ignored because this is something Loki is not willing to give up because of stupid mistakes he's made.

"I know what I want with my freedom," he says, unzipping his fly. "You."

Thor climbs atop him, his hands on the sides of Loki's face. "Good decision." He kisses him, and tingles run from Loki's lips down his spine.

He keeps his eyes open, not trusting his mind not to drift somewhere else, somewhere worse, and threads his fingers through Thor's hair. Thor's hands go to the hem of his shirt, but Loki grabs his wrists and moves them to his hips.

Thor grinds down, and Loki moans, eyes fluttering shut only for a moment but enough for him to see a flash of purple and a cocky smile.

His eyes shoot open, and he presses himself closer to Thor. He will have this. He will not take this away from Loki.

Loki breaks away to inhale before resuming the kiss. He undoes Thor's pants, and his hands are batted away as Thor goes to pull himself from his underwear. He stares down and looks up, Thor catching him staring, and bites his bottom lip. That's enough to get Thor moving again.

The mixture of precum and saliva is enough for Thor to slide in, but tears still prickle at the corner of Loki's eyes. He grips at the sheets, but it does nothing to ease the burning and filling sensation.

Thor pumps into him fast and hard, and all of Loki's previous requests finally come back to haunt him. He's too big, too overwhelming, but Loki doesn't want him to ever stop. Inside of him is where Thor belongs, where Loki wants him to stay forever.

When he cums, he sobs, and he has to clamp a hand over his mouth to muffle the mixture of sobs and groans.

Thor moves his hand and kisses him again, pulling out slowly as the kiss starts to decrescendo.

As they lay there, the sounds of Nal and John shouting at each other drifting up from below, a rock settles in Loki's stomach. Said rock starts to move around, and he feels himself going green, the bad kind.

He goes to the bathroom and heaves up his breakfast, suddenly feeling as though a blanket of sickness covers him. He takes a shower and scrubs until his skin is raw, realizing that he's hyperventilating when he turns the faucet off. He stares at his reflection in confusion, watching his chest rise and fall rapidly.

Asking himself why he's so anxious only turns up blanks, so he leaves it at that.

Thor looks up at him, a picture frame in his hand. "She looks like you."

"I look like her," he replies. "She lives in Iceland."

"My grandfather lives in Denmark," Thor says. "He moved after… He looks like my father, so I guess I look like him."

He touches Thor's shoulder as he sits beside him. "Is that a good thing or not?"

He chuckles, covering Loki's hand with his own. "Perhaps if you like grouchy old men. I do think you will like my cousins. The six of them-"

"Are you two willing to join us for true dessert?" Nal asks from the doorway, drying his hands with a dish towel. "Or will you two go for another round of 'I'm so happy you're not dead OMG' sex?"

Loki stares at him as if he's lost his mind, and Thor erupts into laughter. "You just said OMG."

"I did," he replies. "Hurry."

Thor glances at him. "Again?"

"No," he says, "later."

Thor strips down to nothing after dinner, regarding him with a dark look and a grin, and Loki's held to his word "later." He pushes his own needs somewhere else while Thor touches him. The tactic of not thinking but doing is employed as he reciprocates with as much of his usual enthusiasm as he can grasp.

When his uncle tells Thor he's driving him to school at breakfast, Thor's expression of dread is the funniest thing that Loki's seen in days. Thor gets up from the table with a sigh, and Loki watches with amusement, adding a remark about him having a good time at school without him.

Suddenly alone, he goes to explore the unexplored parts of Nal's loft, finding that the balcony on the second floor leads to stairs that lead to a roof. He glances around the sparsely furnished roof and goes to the ledge, inhaling.

When he realizes what he needs, he sighs and grabs the spare keys. Perhaps his resemblance to his uncle will benefit him more than it ever has.

The cashier doesn't take a second glance at the ID, smacking her gum and sliding the packs across the counter. "$35.50."

He offers her a simper as he takes the packs.

"Have a good day, mister."

He nods and leaves the store, tucking one into his pocket and twiddling the plastic of the other pack in his hands. He feels an anxiousness thrumming in his bones, making him want to simply pull out one now and take a long drag, but he knows that the chances of him somehow encountering his uncle or Thor is high.

The rooftop is a perfect perch for him to enjoy his cigarette. His hands no longer tremble as he holds the cigarette to his mouth, and his legs no longer itch to pump until they are numb.

His eye is caught by Nal's Bugatti Veyron pulling up, and his uncle exiting to stand on the sidewalk.

Thor gets out of the car, and the two of them proceed to engage in one of the tensest conversations he's witnessed, Nal's glare not relenting throughout the talk and Thor's arms flexed through his blazer. Their conversation steadily grows louder until Loki can hear every other word.

"You… him… responsibility."

Thor shakes his head. "No… tried… schools. If… had not… fine. Your… fault."

"My fault?" Nal shouts. "Comical… you… terrible… mistake."

"He… resent… than… already. Do… make… I… to."

"If… deserves… not… mistake."

He takes a long drag of the cigarette. They're talking about Thanos, talking about him and Thanos.

"See reason!"

"No, you are the adult! You should think rationally!"

He puts out the cigarette with a sigh, brushing his teeth to rid of any evidence of his activity. He slips the cigarettes into a drawer of socks and descends the stairs as Thor and Nal enter.

Nal goes down the hall and slams a door shut while Thor goes up the stairs and slams a door to one of the bedrooms.

Loki sits down and enjoys a few episodes of _The Regular Show_. Their stupid, stupid rivalry will not ruin his calm.

Thor is the first to resurface though his tension is obvious, and Loki can barely stand to lay next to him in bed, rolling his eyes as Thor stares a whole into the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Thor," he says, sighing, and when Thor doesn't reply, he shuts his eyes and shuts him out.

That proves to be a terrible, terrible idea.

Violet irises greet him accompanied by the sensation of being pinned. Hysterical laughter comes from all sides as he attempts to break free, screaming for help that doesn't come. Something brushes inside his thigh.

"It's your fault."

He inhales sharply, blinking away the dream.

Thor's arms are tight around him, banishing the disorientation of missing memories. His own skin is warm, and his hairline is dotted with sweat, strands clinging to his forehead.

"Go to sleep," Thor murmurs, moving to release him.

Loki grasps his wrists and holds them around him, uncaring if Thor wishes to move. He settles back into his heat and shuts his eyes.

His limbs are heavy with something unknown when he awakens, and his mind stalls several times, only being pulled from the daze by Thor's touch.

Nal eyes him warily, staring at him while he sips his orange juice. "Loki, do you dream?"

"No." He didn't used to, not when he was sober.

"Currently, do you dream?"

He shrugs. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do, Loki." He swipes his finger across his tablet. "Did you dream last night?"

"Yes," he replies.

"Interesting."

Their conversation is cut short by Thor's entrance, and his uncle learns to avert his eyes elsewhere. Halfway through a sentence, he stops and smiles. "John's here."

A few minutes later, John enters with a frowning Craig in tow. "Hello, hello, sorry for my earliness. 6 fucking 15 am, Frost time."

Craig brightens as though he's seen his favorite toy or whatever 13 year olds like. Loki didn't like much, definitely not people. "So, you're Thor."

Nal clears his throat. "Yes, he is Thor, Craig. He is Loki's step-brother."

"And boyfriend." John gives him a thumbs up.

"The one he was all whiny over." He snickers, and Loki realizes that he's never having children. "So, _Thor_, why do you like Loki? He seems to be kind of… Dad, what's that word you call Uncle Nal?"

"Uncle Nal, hm?" Loki purses his lips. "Why Uncle Nal? Not even I call him that."

"He hates it," John says. "Look at him. He's on the verge of a damn aneurysm."

"Asshole," Nal says. "That's what John often calls me."

"Yeah, I mean, look." Craig shrugs and sits down beside Thor. "You're as cool as they say you are then. Anyone who can deal with Loki has to be pretty cool, right? Dad says that the first day he met him he knew he was Uncle Nal's nephew. You know, girls at school are all 'Thor is so dashing,' and, 'Thor is such a prince.'" Craig says, mimicking a girl's voice. "Even my own sister thinks you're like… 'hot.'"

"Emma's going to kill you," John says, grinning.

Thor scratches the back of his neck. "Er, many thanks."

"No problemo. Dude, you should hear how excited the eighth graders are. Next year, they're going up with you guys at SHIELD 1, and it's like a big deal." He frowns. "Even people are excited about meeting you, Loki. Girls are all, 'tall, dark, and mysterious,' or whatever. Yuck, don't see it. You're weird. And mean."

Loki sets his dish in the sink before returning to his seat, pulling his laptop toward him. "I have better things to do than accept insults from a thirteen year old boy who uses such phrases as 'no problemo' much like Tony Stark. I am sure you children worship him, correct?"

"'What's wrong with 'no problemo?' And no, I don't worship Tony Stark! He's weird too! No wonder you two are friends! Surprised it isn't you two together and doing weird g-"

Nal glares at Craig, and the boy shrinks in his seat, shutting his mouth. "Craig, it would be wise for you to cease talking."

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, that would be wise, Craig." He opens the browser and goes to check his email, uncaring that Thor is looking over his shoulder. He sighs at the 1000 messages from a "Tony Stark" he happens to suddenly hate.

He makes the mistake of opening one.

Two men engage in extremely rough anal sex, and his muted computer is suddenly on maximum volume. His efforts to turn it down are futile, only making it higher as though the maximum is only for show.

"Ice, what the holy fuck?" John exclaims. "Do that shit in private!"

"It's—Tony Stark!" he shouts, biting the inside of his cheek as another video pops up, four people engaged in anal sex this time. "He's doing this. I am not!" He slams his laptop shut just as another video pops up, facing the expressions directed at him.

Nal's impassive, Craig's slack-jawed, John is failing to stifle laughter, and Thor's eyes are—well, Thor definitely has other ideas in mind now.

"That was completely unplanned," he says.

"Gay porn," Craig says. "Holy crap, that was gay porn! Oh god, wait till I tell them about this! Loki watches gay porn and from his _friend_ Tony Stark!"

"Why do you say 'friend' in such a tone?" Thor asks, eyes narrowing, and Craig's cheeks go pink as he avoids Thor's eyes.

"Loki _is_ gay, Craig, so it should come as no surprise that the entertainment he indulges in involves other gay people." Nal beckons for Craig to follow him. "Come. I have something to show you before you leave."

"Oh cool, is it a new plane? Please be a new plane!"

He holds his phone to his ear, offering John and Thor irritated looks.

"Why, isn't it my BFF ever!"

"I despise you, you idiotic, impulsive, meddling fool!"

"Oh, you finally got the messages! This is great. Tell me you two went off and had wild monkey sex!"

He grits his teeth. "No, I opened it at breakfast with my uncle and John's 13 year old son Craig."

Tony starts to bellow, another laugh joining him in the background. "Rh-Rhodey, I'm a freaking genius."

"Can't deny that."

"I don't see the p-problem, dude. When I was 10, I had been inside a strip club. The kid's probably going to have some gay epiphany now, and you will have to thank me for that."

"Craig's not… gay," John says, overhearing Tony. "If he is, I think I'd know."

Thor takes the phone from Loki. "Hello, my friend." He looks up at Loki. "You claim It was not you who pulled such a prank. You also claim that Loki set this up as an attempt to seduce me."

Loki sighs.

"I'm outta here before I become an accessory to this crime of society, and then your uncle will try to beat my ass even though he knows I could beat his if I tried. Believe it or not, I like the guy, he's my best friend, so I'm just going to…" John points a finger at them. "Close the fucking door please. My son has the internet, but he doesn't need to witness any real life shit."

"Thank you, Stark. Yes, I will be sure to tell Loki not to tell lies."

"You realize that Stark is lying."

Thor starts to move toward him. "Do I?"

Loki walks backward around the island and out of the kitchen, hands help up defensively. He almost trips up the stairs but makes it to his room in one whole piece. "Yes," he says as Thor shuts the door, "you do."

He's two in two for not throwing up after sex, and as a celebration for such a victory, he enjoys a cigarette after Thor leaves for school.

"I am not surprised you have taken to this place. It is quite… removed."

He almost chokes on the smoke, narrowly pulling it out of his mouth to exhale. He keeps faced forward and drops the cigarette, quickly putting it out with his shoe.

"Oh, do not stop on my accord," Nal says. "I was aware that you'd found this place yesterday."

"You were arguing about what happened," he says. "It's not your place-"

"It's not my place to what, Loki? I can do as a please where you are involved. Even your mother knows that." He exhales. "Now, tell me what is on your mind. There is something eating away at you, and it is driving you to such measures. I do find your use of my ID to be quite clever. I often did that with your father's ID when I was still a minor. He cared not."

He sighs. There are several things eating at him, but he should start with the most obvious.

"I was naïve to think that he wanted more from me than to make me succumb, and he didn't. When he realized that he couldn't, he took drastic measures to ensure that I did. He didn't. I only wish that everyone else would forget it. It's my battle to fight."

Nal sighs. "You cannot go upon life with a 'me against the world' philosophy. You are a Laufeyson, so you are nowhere near weak. Naïve and rebellious is a better description."

"I have," he replies, "and I will."

"And what of me and my opinions?"

"You are aware I could care less of them."

"You are going to quit."

He peers at his profile. "Why?"

"I care too much to watch you kill yourself, and it is a terrible habit," he says, jaw clenched. "I need you safe, Loki. Your choices in life have brought me back to the memory of my past self, a teenage boy who watched his brother attempt to grasp at some semblance of an average life. That brother grew up, and his inherent need to rebel led him to his death, and with the track that you are on, Loki, it is not far-fetched to assume you are on an accelerated version-"

"Stop it. It's over. I'm safe."

"For now." Nal holds out his hand. "Give me the cigarettes, Loki."

"What? I told you-" He reaches into his pocket and feels the plastic, removing the pack with dread. "I'll quit. You don't have to police me like your my-" He shuts his eyes and drops them into his palm, his mind crying out for him to take them and run faraway.

Then he remembers another unopened pack in the drawer of socks.

He slips the cigarettes into his pocket and turns to Loki. "I hope you realize that telling me the truth would be more helpful than me finding out when something has happened. There will be consequences if I come across information that alerts me of your obstruction of justice, Loki, for all parties involved.

"And know that your step-brother can be… reasonable when one takes the time to listen. Turning off my paternally-inherited stubbornness allowed me to see his logic, and his altruism was helpful for once."

Loki sighs and falls onto the couch, turning on an episode of _The Regular Show_ and cranking the volume as loud as he pleases, knowing that his uncle is probably down the hall grumbling about Loki's immaturity or making some comparison between him and Laufey.

He wakes up when he's being moved, blinking away sleep to find himself in Thor's arms.

"You are awake."

Loki inhales Thor's scent, wrapping his arms around his neck. "I am."

"You two, there is no time for sex," Nal says from the bottom of the stairs. "We are going to dinner."

He rests his forehead on Thor's shoulder as he's put back on his two feet, Thor's heat warming his body. It's as if his presence is a shield against the outside world, and Loki is safe next to him.

Thor's arm is constantly on his shoulder as they make the journey to Nal's restaurant of choice, and he switches arms when they sit down in order to use his right hand.

"Your domesticity sickens me," Nal says. "I find myself on the verge of regurgitation."

Loki runs his finger around the rim of his glass. "Who's someone you've dated?"

"Well, I can say I have been waiting for such a question," he replies. "Your teenage minds so eagerly lap up romance that I am impressed you have lasted so long."

"I forget that you are human."

Nal takes a sip of his glass. "Millicent Collins," he says. "Our relationship has been quite… tumultuous though I blame her need for attention."

"You've had several failed engagements, correct?" He sits forward when Thor's fingers begin to tap the nape of his neck. "The latest?"

"Two years ago," he says. "The aforementioned woman and I did not work out. I ended our engagement. Before you ask for reasons why, I must tell you that I am not very keen on relationships, so it was only natural for us to not work out. You two have proved my point. Your relationship is rather… unfortunate."

Thor lets out a chuckle. "I feel quite the same with you and Loki's relationship," he replies, "so we are… even."

Nal nods. "That we are."

When Thor's fingers trail to his waistband, Loki gets up from the bed and excuses himself for a shower. He sees Thor's disappointed look and gulps down the lump in his throat, locking the door and falling to his knees to throw up his dinner. One touch without throwing up is the only thing he asks for.

"I will see you tomorrow," Thor says, standing in the doorway with his blazer draped over his arm. "I am required elsewhere."

Loki nods, shutting his eyes when Thor steps forward and touches his lips to his forehead. Something in Thor's words makes him want to ask exactly where he's going, but it's none of his concern. He cannot ask such things of Thor when he hates when he asks the same of him.

In his dream, Thanny, Carny, and Flint all advance on him, and not even the axe can fend them off. Thanny pushes him to the ground, and Loki's transported back to the bedroom for a moment, Thanny whispering the same things as he did then.

A scream rips from him as he's suddenly surrounded by dozens of Thannys, all touching him and expressing their desires.

He sits up from the bed, meeting his uncle's eyes.

"You were screaming," Nal says. His hands drift down Loki's arms, Loki flinching. "I am not going to hurt you, Loki."

Loki's breaths slow down as he stares into Nal's eyes.

"Is there something you wish to share with me, Loki?"

He starts to shake his head when a sob escapes his mouth, tears filling his eyes and spilling down his cheeks. He opens his mouth to apologize when he finds himself being held, his uncle's blurry shoulder under his cheek.

Nal's arms are secure around him, and his uncle's cologne fills his nose with each inhale. His slow heartbeat mixes with the sounds of his dying sobs and inhales. The soothing sound of each beat makes his lids grow heavy until pale skin turns into black.

His uncle sits in the chair, still in his pajamas, when Loki awakens, one finger pressed to his temple and another to his jaw. "Are you better?"

Loki nods. He enters the bathroom and looks at his bloodshot eyes, dark crescents below. With a sigh, he showers on the hottest setting, watching as his skin goes bright pink.

The bruises are gone, but Loki can still feel them though they don't hurt.

He sits down opposite Nal.

"Your throat is raw?"

Loki takes a sip of his tea and cringes at how it goes down. "Yes," he says, cringing yet again.

"I suggest that you refrain from as much human interaction as you can," he replies. "They will tax your throat."

He nods. He's going to be quite a lot of that today.

Nal stands up. "After you eat breakfast, I also suggest that you make use of the roof. It is a serene environment, perhaps serene enough for you to practice your yoga. You verily need to do some yoga."

If that's either an insult or not, Loki's unsure, but he listens to his suggestion and roots through one of Nal's closets to find a few yoga mats. He has no idea what his uncle uses them for, and he's okay with that. He looks around the sunny rooftop and spreads out directly in the center.

Clearing his mind is easy, much too easy. His mind is trying to protect him from the darks of the past, but in doing so, it's making him feel weak. He should be able to conquer such things, but he hasn't had an opportunity to.

He stands up into the last mountain pose and sees a flash of violet, shutting his eyes and holding his hands up defensively. He opens his eyes and pants, staring at the small scratches in his hand from the cement. The mat protecting his ass from such a fate.

Declaring his session over, he goes downstairs to distract himself with strange humor, spreading out on the couch to watch TV. When he grows bored of the antics of the raccoon and blue jay, he takes advantage of his uncle's uncaring nature toward money, ordering a movie to watch.

The girl falls down as the knife-wielding man chases her, and Loki lets out a laugh, holding a hand to his throat afterward. She futilely tries to fight the knife away with her hands, and he chuckles as softly as he can.

The front door opens, and Loki turns down the TV, straining to hear the firm steps of his uncle.

"Oh, nice, nice," Tony's voice says from somewhere.

He sits up and looks toward each entrance, sighing when Tony and Steve enter one. They have finally decided to pay him a visit. Great.

"Hey, free boy!" Stark shouts before falling onto the couch, Loki moving his legs.

Clint shoves Tony over and sits down. "Oh, I've seen this," he says. "Where's the popcorn? How do you not have popcorn?"

Natasha sits down like a civilized human. "Hey, you look better than the last time I saw you with IVs in your arms and in a hospital bed."

He opens his mouth to reply but shuts it, instead nodding.

"Oh, you lost your voice," Clint says. "Cool."

Steve nods Loki a greeting before sitting down. "Your uncle has nice taste."

"What do you expect, Steve?" Tony asks. "He's pretentious."

He would rebuke Tony's assertion, but he can't, and it's half true.

"I'm getting popcorn. I bet pretentious people have the best popcorn."

Natasha stands. "I'm following you," she says, winking at Loki. "You're welcome."

His uncle is going to slay them all for roaming free in his home, and Loki is going to write down a message referring to his suggestion that he not talk. How is he supposed to reign them in if he can't talk? Physical violence would be okay at another time, but… Loki doesn't want any.

"BTW, Your step-brother has no idea we're here, and I have no idea where he is," Stark says. "Just thought you should know. Also, LOL at that prank working. I know you two did have the sexy times afterward."

"Tony, he can't talk. How are you expecting him to respond?"

"I'm not." He snickers and reaches forward to poke Loki, Loki moving farther down the couch with a glare. "Jeez, acting like I have something. I don't. I swear."

Steve sighs and looks away from the TV as the man slits the girl's throat. "Tony, hand me the remote," he says, reaching forward and taking it. "Anyway, Loki, you should know that you haven't missed much at school."

Tony bursts into laughter before falling onto the ground, banging his hand on the ground. "Oh god, I can't believe I forgot this!" He howls, and Steve sighs. "Doomy, right, get this, he's in the hospital again! They put all these steel rods in his face and stuff. There was almost this mega smash bros back at the dock, and he got all up in Grim and Storm's face for some reason. They beat the shit out of him. Have no fucking clue why he was not fighting some HYDRA snake instead, but he's like 75% metal now!"

Tony sighs, trying to look forlorn. "More metal than man."

"How long have you been waiting to say that?" Steve asks. "That was bad, Tony. Even bad for you."

Clint drops the bowl of popcorn onto the table, Natasha catching it before it hits the surface and popcorn spills everywhere. "Oops," he says before sitting down. "Your uncle is the king of pretentious. There was some fancy shit then there was the actual stuff you put into a pan and pop. Circus popcorn."

Loki declines when Tony offers him some, imagining it going down and shivering.

"Bruce and Betty are a thing now," Stark says. "That's where he is, with Betty."

"I hope he murders you," Natasha says.

"Natasha," Steve says, frowning. He finally settles on something: _MASH._

He leans on his arm and tries to watch the mindless explosions and fighting onscreen, but the conversation about nothing continuously messes with his attention. He looks over in time to see Clint readying a piece of popcorn to throw at Steve and leaps over, grabbing his wrist. "Don't," he says.

"Wow, your voice is shot." He drops the popcorn into the bowl. "What were you doing last night?"

"Screaming as Thor tapped that," Tony says. If only he were right. "Want a demonstration?"

"No."

"Oh, Thor!" he screams. "Tap that! Tap that hard!"

"Who says that?" Clint asks. "Who?"

"Yes, Clinton, you are quite right," Nal says, standing arms crossed. "Not many use that term to refer to sex."

"Oh, hey, Nal," he says, rolling his eyes. "Good popcorn."

"It's John's."

"You're damn right it's mine." John comes into the room and takes a handful of popcorn. "You're lucky you recognize how much more awesome I am than Nal. If you were Stark, I'd punch your ass."

"Yay?"

"Ice, heard you can't talk for shit. How's life treating you?"

Loki smiles at John and holds up a thumb.

"Sarcastic ass even without his voice. Only someone related to Frost could pull shit like that."

Nal cocks an eyebrow. "If you are all planning to stay for dinner, I suggest that you not."

"You're saying that we can't?" Steve asks.

"No, Steven, I am saying that you are free to say but are discouraged from doing so."

"There's not much room for flexibility there," he replies. "I think we shouldn't if he doesn't want us to."

"No, kid, stay," John says. "Frost's stick is a few inches too deep today."

Clint and Tony snicker, Natasha shaking her head.

"John."

"Frost, Ice could use the damn company. They're pretty fucking funny. You like entertainment as much as the next man, Mr. I Fuck Supermodels."

"You do?" Tony shrugs. "Heh, not surprised."

Nal's eyes narrow. "What is that supposed to mean, Anthony?"

"Not the full name again."

"Well, John, you were not present for the catastrophic event that occurred when I first saw Loki at his present age."

"I bet it was your entire fault, Frost. You're a lot to take in."

"Yep."

"Yeah."

"Totally was."

He wishes to tell them all to shut up, but he settles for a loud sigh that gets their attention. He uses the sigh around twenty times by dinner, steadily growing louder.

The fact that John made mashed potatoes specifically with his throat in mind is not as amusing as everyone thinks it is, nor is the fact that Nal forbids him from eating any steak. He knows it isn't a matter of Nal worrying about his throat health. It's revenge that Loki smoked, and his uncle's been waiting to enact whatever plan he's come up with.

The front door opens and closes, Thor entering the dining room and looking rather put-off.

"It is quite nice of you to join us, Thor." Something flickers across Nal's eyes, and Loki inwardly groans. "You look quite exerted. What activity did you just come from?"

Thor sits down beside Loki, eyes narrowed. "I went for a run."

"With who?"

"Friends."

"Obviously not these ones." He shares a look with John. "You have already eaten, yes?"

Thor nods. "Is there a point to your questions?"

Nal laughs. "There is always a point, Thor. Tony, it is your birthday the 29th?"

"Um, yeah, but that's kind of creepy you know that." He holds up his fork defensively. "Are you stalking me?"

"No, I happen to know all of your birthdays. It is important to be aware of who my nephew surrounds himself with, is it not?" He stares at Loki. "I have made the miscalculation of underestimating the lengths one would go to, to get something they want. I will not do that again."

"Don't know what that has to do with my birthday but oh-kay."

"Frost, I sometimes wonder how you haven't killed anyone yet."

There's a chorus of agreements.

"How do you know I have not?" he asks, rubbing his finger around the rim of his glass.

Steve stands. "Tony, we should get going."

Loki chuckles as Steve thanks them for dinner and ushers the others out, shooting alarmed glances over at Nal. His uncle can be amusing when the stick that John keeps referring to is pulled out.

John and Nal clean up, and Loki goes upstairs, Thor following after him.

He falls onto his back and exhales. Thank the gods that didn't go as bad as it could have.

"You have lost your voice?" Thor straddles him, eyebrow cocked. "Your silence at dinner was… unsettling."

He opens his mouth to reply, but as sound comes out, he feels a pang. He shuts his mouth and sighs.

"If only this had happened when I first met you. The things you said made me… uncomfortable."

His brow furrows, and he lets out a groan of frustration when he can't reply.

Thor settles beside him, his leg between Loki's. He kisses Loki's collar bone. "I have an idea that you will not be so silent when I am finished," he says, his hand sliding into Loki's pants.

He holds back a jolt when Thor's hand touches him, staring at the ceiling as hard as he can. His hand is familiar and hot, but the bile in Loki's throat rises higher and higher with each second it's around him. He inhales deeply, pushing it back down.

"Our activity this morning left me quite… anxious for more," Thor says, thumb ghosting over the tip and causing Loki to jolt. "Focusing and you are not compatible."

Considering it is Saturday, Loki has no idea what he would need to focus on, but he cannot ask, and he cannot tell Thor that the same applies to him. Thor acts as if he is a normal person that one can get out of their mind. He's not, very far from it.

Thor's other hand slips underneath Loki and into the back of his jeans. His fingers are familiar but feel so foreign as they get closer and closer. When Thor finally touches him, Loki bites back a disallowance.

"I love you, Loki," he says.

A finger starts to slip inside of him.

"No," he whispers, turning to look at Thor. He grabs Thor's wrist. "No, don't."

Thor stares at him before nodding, pulling his hands from Loki's pants. "I apologize."

"It's not your fault," he replies as he turns away. He listens to Thor get off the bed and go into the bathroom, a tear falling onto the pillow.

He's pathetic.

When Thor returns, he makes to put a hand on Loki but thinks better of it, inches between them. His eyes are filled with confusion and hurt, and Loki feels them hot on his neck, unable to close his own eyes and go to sleep.

If he screams again, he doesn't want Thor to hear.

He stands up and leaves bed when the alarm clock displays 5:30, deeming it a reasonable time for him to be awake.

The sunrays move around his body, casting a shadow on the rooftop of him in the Downward-facing Tree Pose or handstand. Cars and other modes of transport move around the city, the normal sound of people's voices absent for the most part. Urban serenity comes to mind.

The effects of no sleep are minimal though he feels sluggishness in his movements. He exhales into Mountain Pose, looking toward the rising sun. Another day passed and another coming.

"You look refreshed," his uncle says, sitting a plate in front of his usual seat.

Loki nods. "I did a sequence."

"At 5:00 in the morning." Nal sets another plate beside Loki. "Your step-brother is in the shower."

That news shouldn't make him feel as relieved as it does.

"Your mother is coming to retrieve you at some point this morning. I predict her arrival to be around 8:50, knowing her daily beauty regimen. Women waste much time on trivialities such as the color of the sole of their shoes or what ring coordinates with their necklace. Your grandmother was no exception though her timing was excellent."

It feels as though he hasn't seen his mother in ages. She has been left to deal with Odin on her own, and Loki intends to make Odin's existence hard again. This carefree week without Loki's presence is going to end.

"_God morgon_," Nal says seconds before Thor enters the kitchen. "How did you sleep?"

Thor doesn't look up at Nal as he takes his seat. "Well enough."

Breakfast is silent, and Nal's looks aimed at Thor are minimal in comparison to the past few days. He focuses his attention on Loki instead, staring at him as if he's waiting for him to admit to something he's known the entire time. If Nal does know what Loki hasn't told him, good because Loki is never going to tell him or anyone for that matter.

Loki retreats to his room to shower and comes downstairs to Thor and Nal engaged in a stare down in the living room.

"Your mother should be arriving any moment, but I do have something to give you before you leave." Nal leaves the room and comes back with a black bag in his hand. "John and I thought that you two may need these."

He removes a white box from the bag and slides it open, revealing small metallic squares nestled in velour. Condoms, very expensive condoms. "You should find these to be quite… satisfactory."

He sighs. "Why did you do this?"

"Because I care about you, Loki," he replies, slipping the box back into the bag. "I do want you to be happy though your safety comes first."

"What are you implying?" he asks. Is he implying what Loki thinks he is?

"I am not implying anything unless you see something beneath my actions. What is it that you see, Loki? I am sure your step-brother is eager to hear as well, or does he have something to share himself?" Nal smiles. "Your mother is here."

Thor stops tapping his foot and stands. "I will get it."

"He was anxious," Nal says in Swedish.

"You are terrible."

"I may be, but my intentions are quite pure."

"Loki!" His mother's arms wrap tight around him, her chosen heels giving her five inch boost to his height.

Odin wanders in, Nal giving him a vampire smile. "Hello, Loki. Nal."

"Odin," Loki replies. It's the first time he has seen the man in weeks, Odin's sudden absence from home before these… events noted and not missed.

She strokes his hair and expresses her sadness over his absence, sounding like she hasn't seen Loki in a millennium. "But you're coming home now," she says, "and that is what matters, is it not?"

Nal's gift is left on the table because Loki has no use of those.

He lets out a sigh of contentment at the sight of home, and he gives Fenrir a pat on the head before ascending the stairs to his room. He's relieved to see it in the state he left it in. The last thing he needs is to think someone violated his privacy.

For the first time in over a month they have dinner as a family of four, and as a result, the conversation is stilted and minimal. The topics covered are inane ones that make the food on Loki's plate become a lot more interesting, and the careful way his mother tip-toes around words makes him want to call her out on her treatment of him.

Thor goes to his own bedroom, and Loki locks his door.

He buries his face under his pillows in the event he screams and wakes to find himself still alone and his door still locked. The screaming is gone then.

Missing school for one week fills him with dread as he goes about his morning routine. He has no idea what he should expect waiting for him at SHIELD with what went on. His own involvement in it is surely known, so the reactions from that are another thing he will have to face.

Thor puts a hand on his shoulder when they reach the front of SHIELD, and even his touch cannot change the inevitable encounters with his peers he must have. "Will you be alright?" Thor asks as he goes off to meet Jane in one of the observatory.

Loki nods. "Fine," he says, his catch phrase in his new life here. He inhales and starts down the seemingly empty halls, finding that they are not in fact empty as he continues down them.

A few girls frown at him as he passes, murmuring once they deem him out of earshot.

That is to be expected. They are girls, right?

Guido and a girl pass him. "…on purpose."

Loki grits his teeth and opens his locker.

Rick and America cease talking when they spot him. "Oh… hi, Loki."

He slams it shut. "Hello, Rick, America."

One could deduce it as simple whisperings of pettiness if they were unaware of the looks of disgust. Loki feels their eyes heavy on him back as he walks from class to class, and the convenient absence of his "friends" is noted. He understands, everyone is suddenly against him, and it should not be a surprise that they are included.

"Hey, you!" Johnny jogs up next to him, Ben a few paces behind him. "You're an asshole."

Finally, someone has the gall to say it to Loki directly.

"We all know what you did, okay? It was pretty creative and all, but I could see through it. You hanging out with Hero fucking Titan. Everyone's realizing just what the hell went down." He crosses his arms as they stop walking. "It was some ploy for you to get everyone to think you were really on our side."

Johnny _is_ Tony Stark minus the brains. Why would Loki go through the trouble of getting SHIELD's support when he has no use of it? What good would SHIELD's students liking him or believing he is loyal to their school do?

"You getting fucking Lindy involved was enormously douche-y too. She's not even fucking SHIELD, dude. You never bring the civilians into it!"

"Ben, you agree with him?"

"Duh. Johnny's telling the truth," he says. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Nice choice of your uncle to take you to the Hamptons for a hospital stay. Made it look real legit. I bet you partied with those HYDRA fuckers while you were out there, hm? Anyway, yeah, you're exposed. Sorry, but not sorry. Ben, let's bounce."

Loki can only laugh as he goes to his next class. The lengths someone will twist and turn a story to make him look bad. It's as if he's back in his old home again.

"Snake!" a girl shouts as she jogs by.

He's in the lunch line when his "friends" decide to make their appearance, Steve coming to stand behind him as he reaches for an apple.

"I heard what they're saying."

He chuckles. "You 'heard.'" He picks up his tray. "How long?"

"Since it happened," Steve says, coming to stand beside him.

The narrowed eyes of his peers stare at him as he stands in the center of the cafeteria. Yes, just like home.

"We stand with you." What a SHIELD thing to say however much SHIELD may disagree with Steve.

Tony pulls off his sunglasses. "Honestly, they're all douchebags."

"When are they not?" Clint asks, and Tony nods. "Don't worry about them."

"Yeah." Tony cups his hands around his mouth. "Fuck you all!"

"Tony, that was unnecessary."

"Was it, Steve? People are being assholes. They don't know. I know. We all know." As if his words make sense to anyone who doesn't know Tony Stark, he nods and gives a satisfied look.

In Earth Science, Mrs. Munroe hugs him without warning, and Loki tenses, staring over her shoulder as she tells him how glad she is that he's back and okay. Her smile disarms him after they pull apart, and Loki goes to take his seat with a strange tingling in his limbs.

With the progression of the week, the snide comments of where Loki's allegiances lie die down, or tuning them out gets easier. Either way, Loki's focus is elsewhere, a place where it actually belongs, a place he's neglected. Loki's been selfish, just as his "father" said.

Thor's renewed interest in pushing Loki's body to its physical limits leaves him exhausted, and Loki's focus is forced on their activities whether he wants it to be or not. When one's body aches in places it should not, there is no choice but to simply reflect on the activities that made them ache so.

He puts an end to Thor's attempt to draw out sex as long as he can Thursday night, letting out a groan of frustration when Thor goes to grip him at the base of his cock. He hooks his ankles around Thor's back and pulls him in, throwing his head back and letting out a moan when he feels the pressure in his gut building.

Thor's no match for Loki's ass, losing his battle against climax.

Loki cums as well, toes curling and biting his lip. Thor's grip on amplifies it, Loki's back arching off the bed. He grips onto the sheets and muffles his scream with the pillow.

"You weren't supposed to do that yet," Thor says, hanging his head as he pants.

He unhooks his legs. "I cum when I want," he replies, "and we have school tomorrow. Does that suddenly not matter to you?"

He falls onto the bed beside Loki. "No, not when I have you," he says, sounding entirely too serious.

Loki lets out a chuckle and cocks an eyebrow. "Thor, is there something you need to tell me?"

Silence.

"No."

Trust, trust is very, very important, and trust is the only reason that Loki does not demand that Thor tell him the truth. His ability to lie has improved greatly, but Loki's will always be much better. His ability to detect lies is better than Thor's lying.

"You look exhausted," Steve says. "Did you not get any sleep?"

He raises his eyebrows, and Steve turns red as he realizes why Loki was up so late. "I put the blame where it belongs," he replies. "I do hope McCoy is not in a mood to put us to sleep."

"Math is interesting," he says. "I think anything Dr. McCoy talks about is interesting." Of course he does.

He doesn't fall asleep in any of his classes, but lunch is free reign for sleeping. He ignores everyone's attempts to get him to eat and uses Thor's lap as his impromptu pillow. When he wakes up, he's getting sat in a chair in psychology, Tony banging his fist on the table as he chuckles.

"Shut up."

"Thor keeping you up all night, eh?" Tony clicks his tongue and winks. "Steve's done the same to me."

"Tony, jeez!"

"Don't hate the blamer, hate the blamed."

His need to show Thor he's equally as skilled in the art intimacy leads him to not making up any of the lost sleep of the week, but he resolves to use the upcoming weekend as a means to recuperate. He winces as he slides his jeans on in the morning, and a passing Thor chuckles darkly.

His friends have other ideas of how the weekend is to be spent because Tony insists that they go see _The Great Gatsby_ though Charles warned them not to and to wait until they see it as an entire class. Tony's need to undermine authority convinces their friends that such an idea if a good idea, and Thor's agreement means that Loki will have to put off yet another day of sleep. Great.

Within the first ten minutes of the movie, Loki is starting to fall asleep. Even the combined beauty of Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire cannot fight off the grips of sleep.

"Loki."

He blinks a few times to see Clint and Tony craning their necks to look at him. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing."

There are snickers, but Loki's eyes are shutting, and Thor's shoulder is far too comfortable.

"Loki, if you wish to go-"

"Thor, sh, we're fine." He lets out a sigh.

If anyone says anything else, he has no idea.

He wakes up in Thor's bed and doesn't have the energy to even feel annoyed with himself. He stretches his arms above his head, realizing that his pantslessness is due to him wearing one of Thor's t-shirts.

Thor enters his room and falls to his knees, sucking Loki until he cries out and begs him to stop as he grows painfully sensitive. He stands up with a smirk, kissing Loki's jaw before kissing his neck and sucking until it's sore. "_Min_."

Loki rolls his eyes and stands. "You aren't an animal, Thor. There is no need to be so primal."

He pinches Loki's ass, Loki yelping. "I cannot help it."

Clint and Natasha show up after lunch, Clint bouncing up and down on his feet.

"Barton, do I want to know what you want?"

"You all rested up?" He beams, and Loki rolls his eyes.

"What is the true reason for you being here?" he asks, lifting his eyebrows.

"You, me, her, rap and sing," Clint says. "Tony's B-Day is coming, and that rich bastard has everything, but this. You got the sexiness or whatever the fuck, and I got the flow. Your accent is a totally lady boner too, so you could read the back off of a soup can and chicks would listen. Tash, you're… you. Now, we doing this?"

He exhales. "I suppose so," he says. "Barton-"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" He pulls Loki into a hug. "You're the best! You're now my best friend!"

"Then what am I?"

Clint scoffs. "You're Tash, Tash!"

The corners of his lips quirk up as he stares at the exchange in his doorway. It does not take a Reed Richards to see that what is between them is something eternal that not many could even attempt to comprehend, something that Loki wants. Most take their entire lives to find what Clint and Natasha have.

31 days is what Loki has.

* * *

Everyone's acting the way they are for a reason.


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N:** It starts off fun and happy, right? Also: !Graphic Sexy Times! !Inner Homophobia!

* * *

Harry Osborn: Idiotic Unbeliever?!

After school Monday, he heads to Clint and Natasha's immediately, Clint's irritating reminders throughout the day successful in their job of both making Loki annoyed and getting him to their first meeting for this group gift they are to give Stark.

"Welcome to the fiesta!"

He rolls his eyes and shoves past Clint into the apartment, sitting beside an amused Natasha.

Clint pulls out his laptop and begins to explain as he flips through a PowerPoint presentation of outfit style and color ideas. He proceeds to pull a color-coded folder from somewhere and shove it into Loki's lap for him to look through, and Clint's creativity exceeds bounds Loki was previously unaware existed. The Halloween costumes were impressive, but what Barton is planning is ingenious.

"We cool?" he asks as he finishes elaborating fabric materials and movability.

Loki nods. "Clint, your eccentricity is more helpful than I have given you credit for."

Clint bows. "Thanks, Mischief. That's why you're my BFF, no matter what Stark says. He has Steve. I got you-"

"Babe?" Natasha smiles as Clint shrugs.

"Maybe," he replies. "Maybe not. Next year, we should do a mash-up of some eighties songs. Speaking of songs, let me do the honors of playing to you this masterpiece of modern electropop."

When Clint's "masterpiece" is revealed to be "Starstrukk," Loki has a laugh and congratulates him on his genius to reference that atrocity of a rendition Stark performed at his Winter formal party. He will enjoy the reference though Loki hopes not as much as he does. He wants Stark to be miffed because it is oh so comical when one gets under the skin of one of the most annoying people to have ever lived.

"Now onto the dance!" He stands, hitting a key on his laptop as he passes it. "Good, I'll demonstrate some of my ideas. Watch and learn, ladies!" He should correct him that he is not a "lady," but he's too focused on the fact that Adam Lambert is playing and Clint is dancing to it quite seriously. He sings along with Adam, sashaying so sassily that show-off Loki is feeling the itch to join him.

Natasha cocks an eyebrow at Loki when he holds his fist to his mouth and starts to tap his foot, barely restraining himself. "What you're doing to yourself is cruel."

He blinks as Clint sways. "I am not bothered."

"I never said you were, did I?" She chuckles. "You two are ridiculous."

Clint does a spin, and Loki has enough, shrugging his jacket off to go join him.

"You are terrible," he says as he lets himself meld with the music. He stands opposite Clint, keeping his face neutral as he moves. "You know nothing of how to dance to pop."

"I'm dancing now, aint I?" he asks, snapping his fingers.

"I have gotten myself involved in something possibly dangerous," Natasha says.

"Psh, anything with the Barton is dangerous, little lady."

Loki throws his head back and laughs. "Channeling Elvis, Barton? It makes sense with your terrible dance moves."

"You got the moves like Jagger! Everybody knows Jagger can't dance for shit!"

He does not refute him because Clint has a valid point. Mick Jagger's moves are atrocious, and that song about his moves is ironic and comical. That does not change the fact that Clint cannot dance as well to pop as Loki can, and Loki despises the degeneration of club and party music mainstream pop has become.

"I won!"

He rolls his eyes. "If that is what you must tell yourself to get to sleep, Barton, too bad because it is not the truth. I clearly won."

Natasha stares at the two of them with scrutinizing gaze. "It was a tie."

"A tie?"

Loki scoffs. "Favoritism. Most partners would spare their other partner the humiliation of defeat by calling it a 'tie.'"

"Would you do that for Thor?" she asks.

"No," he replies, "he could use a failure."

"Yeah, 'most partners.' You're cray and evil," Clint says. "You would probably make him give you sex to make up for it."

He is wrong because Thor is the one who always wants victory celebration sex, not Loki. Loki has no need to celebrate what is normal though he is in no way as accomplished as Thor. Then again, Loki is human, and Thor is impossibly perfect.

Thinking of his perfection ruins any chances for Loki to regain his focus, so he leaves with the intent of demanding victory sex as recumbence for the times he has given it however few those times were.

When he goes to find Thor, he's faced with disappointment upon entering Thor's room as Thor packs a bag of overnight supplies and clothes. He has been deprived of sex for 12 hours, 11 hours and 59 minutes too long, and he cannot get sex from Thor if Thor is leaving.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

Thor drops his laptop into his bag. "I am spending the night over Brian's."

"Aren't you a bit too old to have sleepovers?"

"You seem to not have thought so the many times we have had them," he replies with a smirk. "Brian and I have important… goals to reach before the end of the week, and this can only happen if we are together. Robert and Luke will be joining us, but it is simply the four of us accomplishing goals."

"I have goals too, Thor, and my goals cannot be accomplished if you aren't here."

"I apologize, but I do promise to make it up to you." He kisses Loki's forehead, and he is not fast enough to avoid the kiss on his lips.

Loki bites his bottom lip as he pulls away. "I expect you to keep this promise, Thor." He grips him in his hand. "Or there will be consequences."

"These consequences do not sound alternatively bad."

"The phrase 'look but don't touch' comes to mind."

Thor looks momentarily disappointed. "Well, I intend to fulfill this oath. In time, I trust you to take care of yourself. _Tjenare_."

With great yearning and the use of his stores of memory, he takes care of himself though it does not compare to the genuine thing. Months of knowing Thor and wanting Thor yet not being able to touch Thor have prepared him well enough for the hardship of temporary abstinence.

The thought of what these "goals" Thor was talking about could be stays with him throughout the night and the next day. He is tempted to ask Thor each and every time they have an encounter in the hallways, but his own respect for Thor's privacy overrules the need to know everything. Well, there's that and the other fact that he knows Thor will resist telling him even more because of him asking.

At the end of the day, Robert spares Loki a look and inclines his head when Loki bids him a farewell. Even so, it is no victory because the hostility is still there in his eyes, and Thor's presence is the only reason he acknowledged Loki's existence.

He has been quite happy to act as if Loki is a wraith that unfortunately gets acknowledgment from everyone else whether said acknowledgment is positive or negative. Loki could explain to Robert that he had no hand in Lindy's involvement, but he owes him no explanation when he was so eager to treat him so ill. He may not have gone about the route of Johnny Storm and told him that he "knew" about Loki's allegiances, but he feels much like half of the student body though their accusations have died down significantly.

Thor goes for a run with Fenrir, so Loki's streak of nonsex continues.

If he is to not have sex, he will use the time productively.

He pulls out his notepad and headphones, trying to come up with his verses for the song. It's very easy to form his feelings about the boy into lines following the meter of the original song because Stark is the kind of person one can describe in a borderline threatening rap, and Loki is the kind of person who takes great joy in telling people what he thinks of them.

Finishing his verses, he goes to cleanse his ears of the analog synth with a better variant of Electronic Dance Music: Daft Punk.

He strips down to his boxers and stands up, waiting with anticipation for the guitar of "Robot Rock" to begin playing.

A thrust of the hips there, a lot of arm waving here, Loki is the embodiment of French House as he moves his body to the rhythm. If he had been born a decade earlier, he would have been trouble for the ravers of the early 2000s. He's found that not many can resist his moves, all sexual orientations and genders alike.

What is this I'm feeling?

If you wanna leave, I'm willing

He ceases movement, craning his head to look at the song playing. This cannot be what he thinks it is…

Loki's jaw drops in both shock and confusion. He does not recall making any purchase or download of _Random Access Memories_, and come to think of it, he didn't even go out at midnight to buy it. Somehow it slipped his mind, but in his music library sits one brand new Daft Punk album he has no recollection of being there.

He sets his headphones down on his desk and notices two things he also has no recollection of. Atop the stack of old notebooks are a vinyl record and CD with covers identical to the unremembered album on his laptop.

"_Inget knulla sätt_."

His mother's mind is on wedding planning, Odin is Odin, and Nal has spared Loki of his presence lately.

He goes into Thor's room without knocking, catching him freshly out of the shower. "I know."

Thor's face turns alarmed after a few seconds. "Loki, how-?"

"How could I not know, Thor? I am not blind though my skills of observation have been slightly off as of late." He points at him. "I cannot believe you didn't tell me!"

"Loki, what did you want me to say? I didn't want to make a mess out of something so insignificant."

"Insignificant?" He is not insulting Daft Punk, is he? "You should trust me, Thor, especially with things like this."

He gulps, and Loki cocks a brow. "If I knew that you would not lash out on me-"

"Why would I lash out? Thor, I love you."

"Does love change what I did?"

Loki rolls his eyes. "Yes, yes, It does. It means that you are the most amazing person I will ever know," he says, and Thor looks confused for some strange reason. "It's unfair how perfect you are, do you know that? There's supposed to be a downside. If you're attractive, you're stupid. If you're physically fit, you're unattractive. You? You have hit the lottery of life, and I see no downside."

It is superficial and ignorant to say such a thing, but for the most part, it is true. Even when Thor has gone through problems, they have been resolved far more easily than they would for most, and no shortcomings of his are known by his enemies. He is ridiculously close to achieving perfection, and it both causes Loki to rage and makes him admire Thor though he will never tell him that.

"Do not say things when you do not have all of the perspectives," he replies as he puts on pajama bottoms. "Your expectations of me are unrealistic."

"I have no expectations."

"You say that, but your words speak otherwise. You think me infallible, Loki, and I must inform you that I am very, very flawed."

"Please, Thor, modesty does not-"

"This is not a case of modesty or immodesty. I know that I am quite accomplished, but I have failures like the general populace. As you have done so many times, I am arrogant though this appears to be a call to humility." He sighs. "May we be done with this conversation?"

Loki gapes at him. Perhaps he would have done the same to Thor a few months ago, but Thor doing this to him? He cannot believe Thor is being so blunt of his dismissal unlike his usual gentle nudges onto a new topic. He should be angry, but he is impressed.

"Thor, no matter how much you say it, it does not change anything. You got me Daft Punk without me even asking. You claim to not be perfect, but you are near it." He smiles. "If you did not already have my heart, I would carve it out of my chest and lay it into your hands."

Thor scratches the back of his neck. "Yes, I, uh, knew that you would want the album. It was only a matter of getting it before it sold out, and with the three of them, that was a small feat."

He bites his lip as he steps up to Thor, inhaling the smell of his body wash and the remaining woody scent from his run, and it goes straight to his cock. "Goals, hm? You made me a promise, one which coincides with my own goals."

He turns away from him and pauses at the doorway when he realizes Thor is simply standing there. "Are you going to come?"

As Thor sits on Loki's bed, Loki cannot help but think of how hilariously anxious he looks. Perhaps it is Thor's attempt to prove Loki's words wrong, and if it is, he is doing quite a good job with appearing uncomfortable.

With the door locked, he unplugs his headphone jack. Odin will not interrupt this dance.

"I never finished dancing in the record store that day," Loki says as he chooses a song.

"We were much too eager to skip over that part."

"'We.'" He turns his back to Thor. "I always finish what I start." The last time he danced for Thor, it ended in an unresolved hard-on and a failed communication attempt. He can only hope this will be much different seeing as how they are in a different period of their lives.

Then again, it has only been a month, and now is not the time for risks.

His dance moves are unserious though he does keep a straight face throughout, barely suppressing his smile when Thor starts to snicker. He stops and feigns offense. "If I am so funny, you try it."

Thor stands up. "I will," he says, and he makes a gesture for Loki to sit. "Watch the master."

Loki's grin breaks free. "What? No, I will not do such a thing. I will show the master how much better I am."

"Da Funk" comes on, and Loki starts doing a mixture of the vogue and the robot while Thor is forever great at everything and manages to make pelvic thrusting sensual.

At some point, he's spun and Thor starts to grind against him, and any attempt at keeping rhythm is given up.

His head tilts back to rest on Thor's shoulder as Thor's hands undo the front of his jeans, and he gasps when Thor takes him in hand, his thumb rubbing along the slit and sending jolts up Loki's spine. The music fades into the background as Thor's breaths rasp in his ear, the hairs on his neck standing up straight and goosebumps forming down to his arms.

"You are so perfect," Thor whispers, and Loki opens his mouth to reply, but his breath is taken away by Thor's hand gripping him almost painfully tight. "Perhaps perfection in human form."

Yet again he is unable to reply because of the sensation of Thor sliding in between his ass but not inside, silky soft and hot. He prepares himself for Thor to press inside with each glide against him, but he never does, and Loki grows frustrated quickly.

Thor's cock starts to leak, and it only takes for some of the sticky-wet to work its way inside of him to remind him that he is currently empty and only an angle away from being filled like he so desires to be.

"Thor, push it in."

He moans in Loki's ear. "Hm?"

He lets out a needy sound, and oh gods is he going to feel mortified later. "Thor, please.!"

"No."

Loki opens his eyes, and he is not going to cry over something as trivial as this. "What?"

"No, not yet."

"When?"

His question is answered a few seconds later when he is pushed onto the bed, and Thor pulls apart his ass cheeks, slowly sliding inside of Loki and filling him with both his cock and his cum.

Loki lets out a silent scream as he climaxes, clenching around the visitor that is Thor, and his lower half goes numb from sensory overload, a slight burning and pleasure clashing and spreading throughout the rest of his body.

"You asked me to 'stick it in,'" Thor says, his chuckles vibrating on Loki's back as he presses a kiss to his spine. "Was it satisfactory?"

He nods, unable to even give a hiss when Thor pulls out.

Walking is more of a challenge than is usually is, and It is usually not a challenge at all. He feels as though every step he takes is making the ache worse, but he cannot teleport from place to place, so he is forced to bare the discomfort.

"You look like you have a stick up your ass," Clint says as Loki joins him and Natasha in the gym. "Oh, ew, um, never mind. Don't tell me what the hell is wrong with you. I don't give two shits."

"And neither does he want to," Natasha says, and Loki glares at her. "I couldn't resist an opportunity to mock your overzealous activities in the backdoor. You would do the same if you were in my place."

Loki would, but that does not change anything.

He "raps" the lyrics he wrote for Clint and Natasha, the both of them howling in laughter and approval after he finishes.

"That's great," Clint says, patting his shoulder. "Oh god, that's great!"

Natasha nods as she grins. "Stark's not going to know what hit him at all."

Every other dance move ends with a grimace and a wince, and Natasha quickly catches on, halting their practice.

"I'm fine," he replies, wincing as he straightens up.

"You're not." She takes his elbow. "Practice is finished today. Your asshole hurts."

"You have always wanted to say that, haven't you?"

"Who wouldn't?"

He sits on Thor's stool because he is the reason why it hurts to sit for prolonged amounts of time, so Thor does not deserve to feel comfortable in his usual seat. Humans are adaptable, but that doesn't mean they want to adapt, and Thor has proven that the same goes for him as it does for everyone else.

His mother pats him on the shoulder as if she understands, but her motives are revealed when she is suddenly in need for a perfectly sliced apple. "How was school."

"Fine."

She eats a slice and regards him. "Do you have plans tomorrow?"

He cocks an eyebrow. "No," he replies. It is a lie, but he wishes to know what she has in mind. His mother doesn't suddenly care about his social life as long as he is not in a relationship with Bruce Banner or Tony Stark.

"Heimdall is arriving tomorrow," she says.

Loki makes a noise.

"You are to pick him up." Of course there is an ulterior motive.

He opens his mouth for inform her that he does in fact have plans when the phone rings in the den and she goes to answer it, leaving him glaring after her.

"Heimdall is amiable," Thor says when Loki relays his new duty to him. "You two may… clash initially, but with time, I do think you could grow to be friends. I have known him the duration of my friendship with Sif as he is her step-brother-"

"Are they-?"

"No, Loki," he replies, shaking his head.

"So that's just us then."

Thor stares at him for a moment. "Yes. As I was saying, Heimdall is a great person just as you are. You two already have something in common besides your sharing of extreme skills of organization. I look forward to witnessing your interaction."

From Thor's description, it sounds as if Heimdall is capable becoming another Nalian figure, and Loki does not need another Nal in his life. One is more than he needs, which would preferably by zero with his last action of buying condoms and insinuating something Loki still hasn't identified.

At dinner, Odin says praise for Heimdall as well, and his mother comments on how much she looks forward to his arrival. Loki is the only one who sees the negative in the descriptions of "strangely neat" and "sometimes overly-immaculate."

He sets his fork down. "He's neurotic, isn't he?"

Odin purses his lips.

"Well, depending on one's perspective, Heimdall can be quite… anal," Thor says like the fool he is.

He opened himself up for that double entendre. "I quite like anal."

"I am aware," he replies, quickly realizing his mistake.

His mother almost spits out her wine, and Odin's eyes narrow.

Thor clears his throat. "You have displayed a vast ability to organize," he says. "As you recall, our Earth Science project was well-organized."

"Yes, I like that anal as well. It is much less painful for me though I cannot say the same for other parties." He bites the insides of his cheeks to keep himself from grinning.

Thor gives him a curious look before realization replaces the curiosity, and he turns away to stare guiltily into his food.

"Loki, keep your preferences to yourself," Odin says. "We know that you share a love for the same-sex. There is no need to speak of it over dinner."

"Don't be a prude, Odin," his mother says. "Loki and Thor both like anal."

Odin turns a glare on them. "I am afraid I do not know what you are referring too."

"They're gay. You knew before me, so no playing the fool. Loki even has this mysterious boyfriend he is keeping from me. By the way, It has been five months, Loki. Give him my congratulations."

Loki sends Thor a sideways glance. "I'm sure you could do that yourself, Mother," he says.

"Oh, I do know him already. " She takes a sip of her wine. "Is he one of your friends?"

"Yes though we share more than friendship."

Thor's hand touches his knee.

"It is not Tony Stark or Steve since they are together," she says. "It is not Bruce Banner either because he is straight. Clint is not remotely your type. Natasha is the wrong gender. That leaves one person then. You, Thor."

The prospect that his mother might know makes his heart stop until she takes another drink of her glass, and Loki sees the exasperation in her eyes. Perhaps it is denial on her end for the reasons that Nal outlined early on in their relationship. His mother is no blind woman, and they have not been the most secretive.

"Loki, If you do not want to tell me, I would rather not play games. When you feel the need to introduce me to this boy, I will be ecstatic, but until then, I am happy to remain ignorant." She stands up from the table. "You are excused to your rooms."

Odin shoots a look of triumph in Loki's direction as he gets up to help his mother, and only Thor's hand on his knee prevents him from replacing that look with one of disgust.

Clint lets out a sigh when Loki notifies him that he is unable to attend practice and decides that he hates Heimdall already. "Loki stealer is what he is."

"I am not yours."

"You're not his either!"

The reason Loki is the one getting Heimdall instead of Thor is because of an after school project for seniors only, which he discovers when he tries to get Thor to go to the airport in his place. Thor presses a kiss to his forehead before wishing him luck, and his friends laugh as Loki pouts, their laughs increasing when Loki bats Thor's hand away from his face, flips his hair, and struts away from his locker.

Of course traffic is not as heavy as he wishes it were, and he arrives at John F. Kennedy international Airport in under 30 minutes.

Heimdall is scarily easy to spot, his appearance immaculate and no flaw easy to spot. He stares at Loki as he walks to him, and Loki stares back because he cannot lose their first battle though his golden eyes are unsettling. "Loki," he says, offering his hand.

Loki shakes it. "Heimdall."

Heimdall only has a carry-on with him, so Loki's help is thankfully unneeded. "A car quite suited for you," he says as he glances around the interior.

The car starts, and Loki inhales before he puts his hands on the steering wheel. He drives exactly the speed limit because he will not earn Heimdall's scorn for something as trivial as speeding or going too slow.

He doesn't speak though he scrutinizes Loki throughout the drive, and a few times, Loki looks over to meet his unwavering stare, turning back to the road with gritted teeth. Who does this man think he is judging Loki as if he has a clue who he is or what his life is like?

When he goes to park, he finds his usual space occupied by a gaudy vehicle that blinds him with reflecting light. Whose car it is remains a mystery as he grits his teeth and goes to park in front of his mother's car, thankful that the house next to them is otherwise unoccupied. He is not inconsiderate enough to park in their space because of someone thinking it okay to take his.

Loki pulls on his sunglasses before getting out.

"What a vibrant machine," Heimdall says as he pulls his bag over his shoulder.

He circles around his car, eyes squinted in the silver glow coming from the car.

Odin stands there with a self-satisfied look, one much more arrogant than his usual one. "Heimdall, my old friend, what a pleasure it is to have you. I trust your entire trip was safe."

"More than, Odin," he replies.

"Oh, Heimdall, you have arrived!" his mother shouts from the doorway. "Come inside! I have so much to talk to you about!"

"Thank you for being prompt, Loki," he says, and Loki nods.

Odin glances at Loki, the corner of his mouth quirking. "It is an extraordinary car, is it not?"

"It's chrome."

"Yes, Thor has always had an eye for the… extravagant things. For a 16 year old boy, you would have expected nothing less, and a Koenigsegg CCXR is quite the car. He has great taste in many things though that has seemed to balance out with his other, not as great preferences."

Loki crosses his arms and goes to stand near the car's hood. He can actually see his reflection clearly. "Like people?"

"Oh, Thor has a great sense of wrong and right, and though it sometimes takes him a while, he does see reason. At Oxford, it will benefit him majorly."

He shoves his hands into his pockets and feels for the pack of cigarettes. "I am sure it will."

Thor gets out of a taxi, his eyes immediately widening at the sight of the car. "Father, what is the meaning of this?"

The look of delight on Odin's face makes Loki wish to gag himself. He thinks he is so clever with his use of gifts to make Thor forget the part he's played in their relationship and the end it almost reached, but Loki sees right through his ways.

"You thought it good to leave your vehicle back at our home in Sweden, but it is quite clear that having it here will do more good than harm," he says. "Sports cars are not in fact entirely impractical for city travel."

Loki rolls his eyes as hard as he can.

Thor touches the car. "Mjolnir."

At that Loki's brow furrows. Did he just call his car… Mjolnir? That is simply either the most hilarious thing Loki has ever heard or one of the most endearing things about Thor yet. It could be both.

"Father, I—You have many of my thanks," he says with a grin. "I was not expecting this at all."

"I know." He throws Thor the keys. "It is your car, my son. Do with it what you please."

Odin leaves the two of them alone, and he gives Loki another triumphant look. He has not won yet.

Loki goes up the first step.

"Loki, where are you going?"

He turns around. "I am going inside," he replies.

"No, come with me."

"I have Chemistry homework." He does have Chemistry homework though it isn't due until Friday. "I am going inside to do my chemistry homework."

Thor shakes his head. "As if you need to do complete it. Lensherr would grant you a perfect grade without offering you any work if he could," he says, and he unlocks the driver's side door. "Loki, come with me now. We are going for a drive."

Loki sighs because Thor is right, however bitter he is about it. He gets into the car, letting out a noise of incredulity at the red interior. He was far too blinded by the exterior to notice the red through the windshield. The red is the same shade as Thor's bedspread, which Loki knows quite well.

After the car starts, Loki remarks, "Mine sounds far better," earning an eye roll from Thor.

Because Thor is who he is, he pulls away from the curb extremely fast, far faster than the speed limit, and he gives Loki a look as the engine purrs. "I have to state my disagreement."

"Well, that doesn't change a fact, does it?"

"But that is not a fact."

"According to whom?"

Thor scoffs. "Anyone."

"Whatever you say, Thor," he replies as he goes to press the play button. He is unsure of what to expect, but the sound of rock music is not a surprise. He cocks his head to the side and places the voice. "Jared Leto, the pioneer of the sex voice, really?"

"Their music is fine."

"I never said it wasn't, did I?" Loki turns his attention outside of the window, the landscape steadily fading into suburbia before turning into endless fields of grass as the sky above darkens. Any chance of that homework being finished has been lost.

The car comes to stop when the sky is inky black and the fields expand in every direction without an end in sight. They're alone for the first time since they have met, civilization seemingly forgotten miles ago.

"You mentioned the light pollution a few weeks ago," Thor says as he pushes a button that lowers the top, and the light dotted sky appears above them. "It is unfortunate that so many miss out on the wonders of the skies."

Thor actually listened to his tired rant about human stupidity and the beauty of the stars. He shouldn't be too surprised at that.

Loki tilts his head back and takes in the Northeastern quadrant of the sky.

"The stars are different in Sweden save for Polaris," he says, fingers ghosting over the nape of Loki's neck. "It's the star that connects us all."

He turns to give Thor an annoyed look, but he can only take in the sight of him looking up with such awe. Feeling Starkian, he goes to pull his phone out of his pocket as quietly as he can as to not ruin Thor's concentration, but it slips from his grasp and onto the floor.

Thor's eyes find his face, and his brow furrows.

"It's only my phone," he says as he bends forward to retrieve it. His hand comes up empty after a search in front of the seat, so he goes to the next place, beneath it, and Thor inhales sharply at the moment Loki's hand feels something that is not his phone. He pulls the object up and into the moonlight. "Personal lubricant?"

"It is not mine, or it originally was not."

"It's in your car," he replies.

"Yes because my friends thought it funny to be prepared. They overestimated my want to have sex with any of the girls that threw themselves at me, and I mean severely overestimated. I suggest you not look in the glove"—Loki opens the glove compartment and sees tons of condoms and other sexually intended objects—"compartment. Those are also courtesy of my dear friends."

Loki reads over the label and gives a sound of satisfaction. "It is a shame it would have never gone to use."

"I had no intention to-"

He breaks the seal with one hand and undoes his pants with the other.

"That's—Loki, this is perhaps the best moment I have had in this car."

He goes to lubricate his hand when Thor catches his wrist.

"No, let me." He catches Loki's mouth in a kiss before climbing over the center console, his knee between Loki's legs. He stares into Loki's eyes as he applies lube to his fingers, Loki letting out a moan when they slip into his underwear and around him.

Loki unzips Thor's jeans before he is too far gone to think past Thor's fingers. He pulls them down Thor's hips and urges Thor to stand up, Thor pulling Loki's pants down as Loki does the same to him.

They meet into another kiss before Thor's fingers begin to push inside of him, and he breaks away to moan.

It hits him that he's having sex under the stars only when Thor is pressing inside of him. When they are skin to skin, Loki lifts his head to kiss him because this moment has to be cemented with a kiss.

"You are so beautiful," Thor says, biting his bottom lip.

He chuckles. "Thank you," he replies, putting his hands on Thor's shoulders. "Now fuck me."

"Are you sure-?"

"I heal fast, Thor. Just fuck me already."

He's going to regret doing this in this position, he realizes as Thor pounds him into the seat, but he has time for regret in the future. Now, he wants to continue being fucked until he can barely think of something other than "please, fuck me" or "Thor, harder," and Thor is making that look like a definite possibility with each thrust inside of him.

Loki screams when he climaxes, pulling Thor along with him, and their distance from other people has never been more fortunate.

"You screamed," Thor says as he falls into the driver's seat.

He shifts and hisses at the ache of being empty. "I did. Very, very loudly."

"I love you."

Loki shoves the lube back under the seat for future times of need. "The feeling is mutual."

"You are my date for prom." Thor is more cunning than most give him credit for. Get Loki blissed out with sex and simply inform him instead of ask. If asked, Loki can say no, and he can say no otherwise, but sex snuffs out most rationality. Yes, he is quite sneaky.

He exhales. "I suppose I am."

Thor grins as he starts the car, and Loki doesn't have enough energy to feel much more than impressed. Well played, Thor. Well played.

The cool air whips his hair around his face as they speed back toward the city, and Loki watches as the dots in the sky fade until a soft yellow glow covers the navy above. This is a top ten moment of his life without a doubt.

As the two of them go into the house, he has to suppress his own smile when he sees Thor's grin. Two smiling sons will give away their recent activities.

"You are back," Odin says from the living room.

Thor inclines his head toward Heimdall. "Hello, Heimdall. How is Sif…?"

Loki washes off the leftover products, and under the hot spray, his aches are soothed. As terrible as the after effects are, Loki is unwilling to give it up. As he told Thor, he heals fast, and no time is left for recuperation.

He is able to walk without discomfort the next day and participate in dance practice with Clint and Natasha without problem. Their dance is coming together quite well, better than well if Loki is honest. With who they are and their capabilities, it is not a surprise that they have little problem with moving in sync with each other. Only the finishing touches are needed before their trio is ready for Starkian consumption.

Stark's lament over not being a senior makes Loki smirk and continue talking to Bruce about problem, ignoring Stark's pleas for him to stop. He grabs Steve by the shoulders and shakes him, demanding to know why he isn't a senior.

"I would be going to college, Tony," he replies as he sets down his newspaper. "Do you want that?"

The salad never makes it to his mouth, and Loki sits frozen for a few moments as he's reminded of the wonderful fact that Thor's graduating and heading across the ocean in a few weeks. He oh so loves that fact. It makes him so, so happy.

"Oh, sorry, Loki, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay." He puts the salad back on his tray and looks over at where Thor is talking to Brian. Thinking about him not being there with his golden hues and grins makes him want to implode into a singularity. After Thor leaves, that's what he'll be, sucking everyone's happiness away like a black hole of depression.

"You know I have a private jet," Tony says. "I don't use it. They're too much work, but you're free to use it. England's like eight hours away, so you can just sleep on the way."

Stark's offer isn't declined because Loki's willing to do whatever it takes to be with Thor. He's codependent, yes, but there's nothing he can do about that. His options are limited, and that's one of the least insane ones.

Heimdall finally speaks to Loki for the first time since his arrival at Saturday's breakfast, a comment on the handprints on Loki's hips as Loki stands on his tip-toes to grab the cereal, Thor coming up behind him to grab it down with ease.

Thor doesn't react to Heimdall's words, simply making himself his tea.

"I, um—it's nothing."

"Nothing?" Heimdall crosses his arms. "Thor, you should learn to be more gentle. You would not want to hurt him in the heat of the moment."

Loki grabs a banana and takes the largest bite of it as he can, focusing on chewing.

"I would not," he says. "I have control."

"It is not a matter of your control. It is a matter of his durability."

"Loki is quite durable, my friend."

"Though probably not enough to withstand your strength. It was most unfortunate that you left him so wounded after you excursion Tuesday." Heimdall wasn't even here Tuesday. "A break would be good for his health."

"I heal fast," Loki says, swallowing.

Heimdall silently stares at him. "Physically you do."

His mother enters and diffuses the beginning of what was becoming a very tense conversation. "Heimdall, Loki, are you both excited? We are going to see the final cake design."

Thor peers at him over his mug.

"Yes," Loki replies, "so happy."

He could not be the farthest thing from happy about the day of activities he is going to be forced to participate in. He is unsure if he will withstand Heimdall's scrutinizing gaze and his Nalian skills of observation. Nal is much more covert with his scrutiny of Loki, and he looks like another person Loki has experience with.

His mother and Heimdall converse as Loki half-listens for something that may pique his interest, but no, he could not be any less interested in their topics such as flower arrangements and cufflink metals. Heimdall is the perfect person to respond to the strange things she says when her lack of mental filter results in something socially unacceptable being said, and he takes it far better than most would be able to.

"Do you happen to know my uncle Nal?" Loki asks after Heimdall points out a flaw in the cake design before offering a correction with the proper calculations that fix the instability.

He turns from one of the baker's assistants. "I have not made his acquaintance, but I am aware of his existence."

Loki is slightly surprised at that. With the wedding coming, that is going to change, and the universe will implode from too much affectation in one place.

He is forced to sit and watch as Heimdall and his mother choose fonts, paper materials, colors, and thicknesses for the wedding invitations. He contemplates suicide via boredom when Heimdall turns to him and shove a pen and notepad in front of him.

"You are to write the actual invitation," he says. "I am told that you have quite the way with words."

"Thor has a way with words," he replies as he picks up the pen.

"I am aware, but Thor is not here, is he?"

The first letter pierces through the first few sheets of paper, and Loki relents on the force he applies, feeling Heimdall's eyes on him as he begins to write a voiceless and brief invitation to the—impending end of his life—wedding. He tears the page out and drops it in Heimdall's hands with a smirk. "Satisfied?"

Heimdall nods before standing and leaving him to sit alone at the table.

"Loki, you are absolutely perfect," his mother says as they go for lunch. "What would I do without you?"

"What would I do without Heimdall?" he replies with a smile.

Heimdall continues texting whoever on his phone. "Yes, what would you do without me?"

His mother laughs, but Loki simply stares at him, Heimdall looking up and meeting his eyes.

He is not intimidated by him. He is unnerved by his clairvoyance and onyx eyes. The people he has met with strange eye colors have all proven themselves as untrustworthy, and Loki is not going to make the same mistake again. He will watch this man until he leaves Monday, and he could care less if he knows Loki is watching him.

"How was your outing?" Thor asks.

Loki falls backward onto Thor's bed. "You are a liar."

"I suppose I have learned it from the one I love so dearly."

He shuts his eyes, opening them when he feels the weight of Thor above him. "You are oh so clever."

"I warned you that it would not be easy to be around Heimdall, did I not?"

"Actually, you said that we would be compatible," he replies. "You could not have been farther from the truth."

"Tell me how bad it was."

"'Yes, what would you do without me?'"

Thor chuckles. "What did you say to provoke such a thing?"

"Why did I have to provoke him?"

"I know you well, Loki, and I know Heimdall better." He presses a kiss to Loki's clavicle. "He is a very passive person."

Loki rolls his eyes. "I was being sarcastic."

"Heimdall is a very straightforward person though not in words. He does not take well to sarcasm and other modes of speech meant to mock others." Thor rolls off of him. "He prefers neutrality. He is not overly polite nor is he rude."

"I cannot wait to see him meet our friends then."

At breakfast, his mother informs him that today they are to go to a tuxedo fitting, and she is not going with them but instead going with Mrs. Munroe for her dress fitting. Loki is left with only Thor to defend him against a person Thor does not perceive as a threat.

"Oh, Loki, relax. You are my Man of Honor, and this is just another of your duties." She pats his hand and leaves the dining room.

"What nice weather it is outside." His mother did not inform him that Thor would also have to defend Loki against _him_.

Nal and John walk into the dining room, Nal wearing his smile reserved for times when he is in his worst mood and John looking more annoyed than usual.

"Ice," John says, nodding. "I see you've been driving."

Heimdall stands, and somehow the universe has increased its tolerance for pretentiousness in one room. "I possess an license, and I am 29. Those are the requirements for Loki to drive."

"They are," he replies. "Dude knows the laws of the road. John Blaze."

"Heimdall Velez," he says.

Nal simply stares at Heimdall. "Nal Bergelmisson though you already were aware of that."

"Don't be a twat, Frost, Jesus."

"It is fine, John Blaze. I do not mind."

Thor stands, brave enough to conquer this disarray they have been forced into. "Are we not due somewhere?"

Nal's grin disappears. "Thor, it has been two weeks too long."

He pulls Loki up by the hand. "I think not."

"Nothing has changed then. You and my nephew are still… together."

Loki glares at his uncle though he is too busy engaging in a stare down with Heimdall.

The stare down is temporarily suspended since they cannot continue without one of them walking backward, and his uncle turns his attention to him when Loki stops to put his outerwear on. "Loki, you are as unappreciative as you were the last time we conversed."

He takes his jacket from Thor when he tries to put it on and does it himself. "What is there to appreciate?" he asks as he opens the front door, eyes assaulted by the reflection of sunlight on Thor's car.

"Oh, yes, Thor, I admire your taste in cars," Nal says.

"Damn right," John says, and he goes to blow a kiss to the car. "That's a beautiful, beautiful hunk of metal. Paint job is sick. The red looks fucking amazing. You're a good kid, Thor. Frost needs to stop being such a fucking ass."

"If cars are how you determine character, John, you are no authority on who I should or should not like." Nal walks to the bright orange car parked across the street.

"This is quite a fine vehicle," Heimdall says, forever pointing out the obvious.

"Whose car is it?" Loki asks,

"It's John's," Nal answers as John raises the keys over his head and hits the unlock button.

"Duh it's mine. Your uncle wouldn't know a nice ass car if Ferrari knocked on his door and offered him a concept car." He grins. "I'm not stupid."

Loki is thankful that he does not end up seated between Thor and Heimdall though he does end up behind his uncle. Thor is the only redemption of his seating. Thor is the only redemption in his outing.

His mother does listen to the things he says, he realizes when Nal gives John the directions to Charles' haberdashery.

"Shit's classy," John says as they enter the shop.

The old man beams at Loki. "Hello, young man. It is always my pleasure to serve you. Your mother has informed me of her impending nuptials. Congratulations to you."

"I do not think he wants to be congratulated for that," Nal says, and Heimdall gives him a look, but Nal continues staring at the man.

"Thank you," he replies though his uncle is right.

"I have many pieces for you three to try on. If would be so kind as to follow me."

Nal watches with amusement as the man piles garment bag after garment bag into Loki's arms while Thor and Heimdall are spared of such a fate. "Nephew, do not hesitate to ask your beloved for assistance if you become overwhelmed with the tuxedos. He would be elated to indulge in assistance disguised as public fornication."

"Frost, you're being obscene."

"I am only telling the truth."

After so many times of witnessing this old man's magic, he is left unsurprised that the first tuxedo he tries on both fits perfectly and looks perfect from a fairly objective standpoint. He is attractive at all times, so clothing cannot detract from that, but this tuxedo is undeniably perfect for him. He runs a finger down the lapels of and opens the ice blue jacket to take another look at the tan bordering on gold waistcoat before buttoning it.

"Thor, you look like an Odinson," Nal says from outside the dressing room. "Oh so golden. Heimdall, the same is true for you."

"Ice, the fuck is taking you so long?"

He smirks at himself. If he were capable of such a thing, he would in fact "fuck" himself.

"Ice-oh there you are."

Thor and Heimdall are already back in their dressing rooms.

Nal steps forward to adjust a lapel. "The embodiment of what so many strive for yet they will never accomplish."

"Um, thank you?"

"No, thank your father for conceiving you. Thankfully, I had no part in that." He pats his shoulder, and Loki gives him a curious look. "It appears that your suit has been found. With our remaining time, we will pay a visit to your mother and peer at what progress she has made on the bridal wear front."

"Wait, Loki-"

He slips back into the dressing room just as Thor exits and locks the door.

Thor knocks. "Loki, may I come in?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He hangs the jacket up. "Because I say so."

John chuckles. "Odin's son, you'll see him on the big day. Might even step forward and say you want to marry him. He looked that good."

"No such thing will ever, ever happen, John," Nal says. "I still live, and even so, I doubt my father would be glad to find that his grandson has married this… boy."

"Nal, may I suggest that you refrain from voicing your disdain for the relationship between Thor and Loki? It obviously does nothing but make them want to continue it which defeats your purpose, does it not?"

"No, not at all. My purpose is to protect my nephew, and as long as I can, I will."

"He does not need to be protected from me."

Loki slips his shoes on as fast as he can.

"Oh, Thor, let us not play games. You and I are both aware that you are not longer—my nephew, has resurfaced."

He slips his hand in Thor's and leads them from the store and away from the judgments of his uncle who thinks his opinion matters anymore. He lost his chance to give input into their relationship when he almost led to its demise.

"Insanity has become a possible future for me."

Loki leans his head against Thor's shoulder, letting out a contented sigh when Thor's arms encircle him. Leaned against a sports car in New York City with the boy he loves holding him is what makes this day worthwhile.

Also, the look on Mrs. Munroe's face when she sees Nal is one that Loki will never forget: a mixture of shock and disbelief. "Nal, what a pleasant surprise," she says, and she chuckles at John. "John."

"Oruro," John replies. "Long time, no see."

"You have gotten involved with the Odin wife," Nal says. "I am surprised. I was sure with this new era of your life that you would not want to associate with women who-"

Loki glares at Nal who shuts his mouth at the sight of his mother.

"Oruro, where—oh, you have all come to join us." She sighs. "Loki, I am happy to see you. Come and see this dress. I think it is the one, but your opinion is more trustworthy."

He sends Nal a look of warning before following his mother. Whatever Nal was going to say was not going to be positive, and for him to even think it okay to say something like that in front of Heimdall, a person he barely knows, is lowly even for Nal.

"Did you find your tux?" she asks, pulling her shirt off.

"Yes," he replies, "it is perfect."

She changes into a large golden dress with lace sleeves, and Loki zips her into it. "How do I look?"

He takes a step backward and regards the dress. He did not only inherit his looks from his father, so no surprise that she looks beautiful in the dress. He steps forward. Something is missing, something…

He turns and leaves the dressing room, ignoring the inquiries from his uncle as he seeks out a staff member. He taps a woman's arm and puts on a professional grin. "Hello, hi, I require assistance."

She looks terrified for a moment before she nods.

"Follow me." He holds a hand out to halt them at the doorway after Mrs. Munroe enters. "Not beyond this point."

"Sir, yes, sir," John says, and Nal and Heimdall both sigh.

"Sir, what can I help you with?"

"What can you not help me with?" he replies with a sigh, and he goes to stand behind his mother. "There are several things wrong with this dress, but I will start with the most obvious thing. Along the sleeves, have abstract shapes embroidered in ice blue since it is the tertiary color. Have a sash placed along the waist in the same color. Am I understood?"

The woman hurriedly scribbles down what he is saying on a notepad.

"Excellent. Now, have the bottom hem ruched, and the layers of skirts are excessive. I want it to flow as if she is water, and she looks rather like a pile of snow. In fact, the add the embroidery on the main gown as well. It would make it more cohesive. As for the veil, have it in the same blue."

"Is that all?"

"No. Elongate the train by a few inches so it trails behind her. Key term, 'few.' I would not want my poor aunts to trip over the train and make utter fools of themselves."

His mother disguises her chuckle as a cough.

"I am finished. That will be all."

"Hey, never get married," John says. "You'll be the groomzilla to end all groomzillas."

"I admire your initiative," Heimdall says. "Your observations and suggestions were all very acute."

"Your grandmother would be proud." Nal claps. "Farbauti, change out of that dreaded thing, so we may eat. Thor and Loki are growing boys, and unfortunately, Loki has stopped growing, but Thor has potential."

"He's like 6'2"," John says. "That's pretty damn tall."

"It is tall," Mrs. Munroe says. "Nal, you have not changed at all."

"I am so very insufferable," he replies. "I do not need to change. I am adequate the way I am."

"Some would disagree," his mother says, and Nal gives her a look.

Thor ends his phone call and stands from his seat in the waiting area. "Are we leaving?" He exhales and presses a kiss to Loki's cheek. "Good. Shall we wait in a place lacking in gowns?"

He grins. "Are you afraid of a little femininity, Thor?"

"Of course not."

Loki brushes a finger down his chest. "I ponder how you would look in a dress."

"That was my first thought upon entry," Thor replies, and he shrugs when Loki cocks a brow. "You are beautiful. It is only natural I think of you in beautiful wear. Perhaps you-"

"I am not going to wear a dress, Thor."

He smirks. "You could change your mind."

"Thor, that is not going to happen. The day I wear a dress is the day I marry, and as far as I know, that day is not ever happening."

He has seen what marriage has done to others, and he may have moments of self-loathing, but he does not wish that misery upon himself.

Thor frowns. "Oh."

Loki does not ask because he does not want to know why.

Any curiosity is snuffed by lunch which is a raucous affair of adults not acting like adults. The most mature one is John, John Blaze, the crazy driver who wears too much leather and has a questionable relationship with his uncle.

Thor stares wide-eyed at Nal when he starts talking about infidelity, and Loki is about to ask what is wrong other than the obvious when his mother stands up and leaves.

"Douche nozzle," John says as he and Mrs. Munroe stand up to follow her.

Nal chuckles. "It is quite great to play with the minds of simpletons, right, Thor?"

Thor looks down at his hands. "I would not know. I do not have such sociopathic tendencies."

"You do not?" He frowns. "What? Thor, I thought that you were all too okay with-"

"Nal, your snark is unneeded," Heimdall says, and Loki grins at the man. "You are causing conflict."

"I am exposing conflict. There is a difference."

"Those with empathy know of no difference," he replies, and Nal crosses his arms and stops talking.

His mother never returns though John does to explain that she and Mrs. Munroe have departed, and the four of them enjoy a very tense car ride home.

"I will see you soon, nephew."

Loki slams the door, apologizing to John. "I am so very excited."

"I am going for a run," Thor says, and he pulls his flannel off and sets it in Loki's arms. "I will see you tomorrow morning."

Heimdall makes a noise in the back of his throat. "I was much better off not knowing your uncle."

Heimdall and Nal are nothing alike. Heimdall is remotely tolerable and considers the emotions of others.

Loki is graced with a call from Bucky at midnight and invited to a barbecue to commemorate Memorial day. He isn't about to decline, but Bucky seems to think he is and makes a vague threat of "Americans do not take to kindly to those interlopers who do not respect our culture." He holds back a chuckle and stares at the phone in disbelief.

"I will be there, Barnes."

He can hear him grin. "Good. See you then, Swede." His patriotism shows no limit, and Loki is both impressed and disgusted with that. He is loyal yet mindless.

Heimdall peers into his room to bid him a farewell and wishes him "well luck" for whatever reason.

Thor's words hold truth when Loki sees him the next morning. The strange anxiety Thor exuded is replaced with his natural aura of red and gold and happiness, so Loki finds himself optimistic of what the day holds. Thor is glad to accept the invitation to Barnes' barbecue and goes as far as to go through Loki's closet and dress him in blue while he wears his usual red.

"We are patriotic," he says as he finishes buttoning Loki's shirt.

A horde of their friends shout their approval when they join them in Prospect Park, Bucky looking up from his station at the grill to point a spatula at him and nod.

Thor's arm around his shoulder is constant as they converse about anything and everything, a few off-limits topics narrowly avoided with the word wrangling of Luke. Thor presses random kisses to his face, sometimes mid-sentence or when Loki is simply staring up at the clear blue sky with contentment. Loki never complains though he does rolls his eyes when Thor starts to murmur his love against his neck as he carries on a conversation with Natasha, and he switches to French, Natasha following seamlessly, and enjoys the look of suspicion Thor gives him.

"What did you two speak about?" Thor asks as he returns with food.

Loki dips his finger into the ketchup of Thor's hotdog. "Boys."

Thor glares at him, and Natasha laughs. "I heard no 'garcon.'"

"Oh, Thor, you know some French?" She cocks her head to the side. "I'm impressed, and we were talking about you. Pointing out obvious things. Loki also told me about your part in the colors you are both wearing."

"Traitor," Loki says, picking up his hotdog and licking the ketchup off.

Thor watches him in the corner of his eye.

"Thor, please," he says. "When we get home, okay?"

He kisses Loki's cheek, and Loki tries to push him away, his arm caught by Thor. "You should not be allowed to eat phallic shaped things in public."

"Hey, hey, hey, none of that funny business here," Tony says, sitting down beside Loki. "This is a family establishment. Oh, Steve, yeah, eat that corndog!"

Steve pauses, the whole corndog is almost entirely in his mouth, and reddens. He pulls the entire thing from his mouth, strings of saliva attached, and there is a collective groan and a few curses aimed at Tony. "Tony, can I eat in peace?"

"Not when you're a hot as you are."

Loki eats his first corn dog as normally as he can with Thor sending him dark looks, so as revenge, he takes his time in eating the second one.

Thor does get his own brand of vengeance by leaning in and swiping his tongue across Loki's top lip. "There was ketchup. It was-"

"Bothering me," they both say.

"Wow, that's actually cute," Bruce says. "Hm, I finally see… it."

"Bruce sees it which means that its real!" Tony shouts. "America!"

"America!" a few people shout back.

"It's time, bitches! It's time!" Tony shouts as he pulls Steve up. He begins to jump up and down. "Run! We gotta get there!"

Loki stays seated when Thor stands up, and when Thor turns an expectant look on him, he makes a gesture for him to turn around. He wraps his arms around Thor's neck and his legs around his waist, nuzzling his face in the juncture of his neck.

"You should cease doing that if you wish not to be dropped."

He stops though his chuckles his Thor's ear, running his tongue over the goosebumps that spring. "You would never drop me."

Thor ruffles Rick's hair as they pass. "I would not."

Murmurs pass through their crowd as they walk the Brooklyn streets, and when they reach the Brooklyn Bridge and Tony calls for everyone to halt, the murmurs die down.

"And… now!"

In the sky, a circle of cyan grows before dissolving into individual sparks. Another circle shoots up from the cyan sign marking Stark tower in the distance, and the opening bars of the "Star-Spangled Banner" begin to play from various places around them.

The cyan spreads out and changes into various hues before an American Flag is formed.

Cars stop and people climb out to behold the spectacle unfolding, some removing their hats and others just staring.

Loki feels odd standing on Thor's back as people stare up at the sky with smiles and sad looks, and when it ends, he is more relieved than he should be.

"Shoot to Thrill" starts to play, a jarring transition.

The American Flag shrinks into a circle of cyan which explodes, the characteristic squeal of fireworks sounding above.

'One Day to Tony Stark's Birthday Week' is spelled out in the fireworks.

"I had no idea this didn't only happen in movies."

"My life is a movie, Mischief," Tony says, and Loki does not bother asking him what he means. "Wait, Steve, wait for this."

'Birthday Weekend starts midnight on Friday! I love you, Steve!'

"Tony?" Steve gives him a look of confusion. "Tony, that's—this was unnecessary."

"Fuck no it wasn't. I love you. I want the world to know."

Loki is slightly afraid that Thor is going to shout his love, but instead, Thor pats Tony and Steve on the shoulders and professes his approval for Tony's theatrics.

"That was fun," Loki says as he climbs off of Thor's back and into his car.

"Yes, I share a liking for how this day has gone as well." Thor touches his knee. "My night may surpass it."

They don't hurry up the stairs or strip down to nothing in seconds, but they take it one step at a time, one kiss at a time. When clothes are removed, they're done so with care, and the ensuing kisses after shirt removal are not lip bruising or lip splitting. They are the kind of kisses that Loki would only wish to share with the one he loves, with Thor.

He cannot imagine sharing the gift of intimacy with anyone but Thor, and any attempt to do so ends with him imagining Thor above him or beneath him. With that knowledge, he kisses Thor deeply, hoping to communicate just how much this means to him, and Thor responds with equal passion, his thrusts slowing down yet getting harder. Each thrust somehow melds them together more than they are, which is the most they can get without becoming one being, and simultaneous climax gives Loki a glimpse of what true unity would be like: incredible.

"I love you," Thor whispers, his fingers trailing down Loki's chest.

Loki curls up to his side and opens his mouth to say the same when his phone goes off, Tony's ringtone.

"Ignore it."

"I am," he says, but that is impossible since his phone goes off a dozen times within the next minute. He switches his phone to silent, but that does not prevent the onslaught of messages from 'Tony Stark.' Somehow he ends up with 100 text messages within ten minutes.

"He is overzealous," Thor says.

He throws his phone onto the nightstand. "When is he not?" He rests his head on Thor's shoulder. "I love you."

Thor kisses his forehead. "Good."

Tuesday is the first day of Tony's "birthday week" thus marking the beginning of Loki's decline of sanity. As the person with the worst luck in their group of friends, Loki is of course woken up by a costumed Tony Stark who wastes no time in taking advantage of his tired state and shoving past him into his house.

"What do you want?" Loki asks, shutting the door.

Tony goes up the stairs, so Loki follows him to prevent any Starkian incidents this early in the morning. "Is Thor in here?" he asks, and he opens the door before Loki can answers with an affirmative.

Thor stands stretching and as nude as Loki left him. The moment he notices Stark is marked by a widening of the eyes and a grabbing of a pillow to cover his front.

Stark removes his sunglasses as he gapes, and Loki grits his teeth. "Holy—Wow! Did you see the size of that thing? Dude, seriously, what in the two fucks is with you? You're hot as shit, and you have a big dick? What? You know what, big isn't even the right world. Ginormous is!"

As annoying as Stark is, he is very correct on his observation, but Loki is not going to simply let him talk like that about _his_ boyfriend's cock like that. Loki has eyes, and Thor is arrogant enough to acknowledge that everything of his is above average, some things more above average than others. He does not need to keep repeating the obvious.

"Get out," Loki says, moving to step in front of Stark. "Go wait downstairs."

"Why? Please, can I just stay and watch? This is a once in a lifetime thing that just happened, and if I had another chance-"

"Stark, now."

He sighs. "Whatever. Before I leave, I came up here to…" He looks around Loki's room, eyes pausing on Thor though a glare from Loki causes him to move them elsewhere. "Bingo!"

What Stark goes for is the atrocious "gift" he gave to Loki for Christmas, the helmet which has done nothing but collect dust in a corner of Loki's room. It is not a very useful gift seeing as how he desires to appear as a normal member of society, and his appearance does enough for attracting attention.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" He sets the helmet in Loki's hands. "It's my birthday week."

Loki narrows his eyes. "It is," he replies. "You made sure to text me 100 times as a reminder."

"Yeah, that." He winks. "As my best friend, you are obligated to submit to my whims. So… this is today's accessory for your outfit!"

"No," he says as Thor starts to chuckle. "No, Stark, you are being unreasonable."

"What? It's just a helmet, and why do you care what people think?"

"I do not care. I simply wish to not be gawked at."

Stark rolls his eyes. "Good luck with that, tall, mysterious, and extremely sexy. Let's face it. You're going to be stared at wherever you go. Why not do it in godly style and for a friend?"

Loki stares at Stark's grinning face. His points are all valid, but validity does not suddenly make something desirable.

"Loki, if my opinion counts"—Loki rolls his eyes because he knows where this is going—"you should know that I think you look enchanting with the helmet on."

"I only wore it once."

Thor shrugs. "One time was enough," he says, and he grins. "Perhaps if I wore mine-"

"Oh hell yes!"

"Would that be a motivation for you to wear yours?" Thor gives him one of his looks that banishes any of Loki's thoughts of doing opposite of what Thor wants him to. The knowledge that he is only standing with a pillow as a covering also helps his point.

"Fine."

Stark kisses him on the cheek, and Loki promptly wipes away the kiss. "I'll be downstairs. See you, my gods! Oh shit, this is a dream! Literally, I've dreamt about both of-" The door is slammed in Tony's face, and Loki turns an exasperated look on Thor.

"You are terrible," he replies as he pulls Thor's t-shirt off his body. "I am supposed to be the one who manipulates, but you're unsurping my title."

"Perhaps if you were better at it, I would be unable to."

"Oh, my fragile heart, Thor. You wound me so well."

As revenge for Thor being so willing to take the side of Tony, he denies him of morning sex and takes great pleasure in doing the job himself in the shower as Thor brushes his teeth at the sink, not shy in making as much noise as he wants.

Thor peeks his head into the stall just as Loki climaxes, and Loki smirks at his look of disappointment.

"Perhaps later," he says as he steps out of the shower, patting Thor on the shoulder before going to dress.

The helmet is heavy in his hands as he stands in front of the mirror, and he is aware that it is not the helmet that is heavy but his limbs with dread.

"Curse you, Thor," he murmurs as he sets it on his head. He does not look outrageous in it, and the longer he stares at himself, the more he becomes comfortable with the sight of it on. By the time he descends the stairs, he thinks that he would wear the helmet if he were truly Loki, the God of Mischief, but he is not, and he knows this because he is wearing this at Tony's request.

Tony turns around in the stool just as Loki reaches the kitchen doorway, and he beams. "Wow."

"I know," he replies. "I look so godly."

"You do. I mean, like, really. You do. Dude, is there something you might wanna tell me?"

He pushes the side of Tony's head as he passes. "What have you subjected our other friends to?"

"Oh, you'll see."

Thor wears his helmet with grace as if there is nothing on his head at all, and Loki blames that on the lack of horns on his. Feathers are light and do not cause any instability in one's balance.

By "you'll see," Tony meant that there is nothing to see because he takes such great fun in subjecting Loki to the fetishes he harbors for Norse mythology. Though Tony would never admit it, Loki knows exactly why he is doing this, and he also knows that Steve would not be too happy to hear of Tony's almost-obsession with making Loki the embodiment of the mythological Loki.

Thor is the subject of Stark's other fascination. Actually, Thor's "hammer" is the subject, the hammer Thor wields in his pants and the one that Stark accidentally saw because of his stupid need to not think before he acts.

As people they pass in the halls snicker at Loki, Stark makes conversation about Thor, the god of thunder's hammer Mjolnir and changes the subject to reincarnation in such a way that Loki is immediately sure that there is a "witty" comment at the end that ties in with his recent discovery of what lies between Thor's legs.

"Get on with the joke, Stark."

"I've come to believe that Thor is the reincarnation of Thor, the god of thunder, and his massive cock is acting as Mjolnir."

He walks away, leaving Stark to run to catch up.

"It's my birthday week! You can't blame me for things!"

"I can," he replies as he opens the door to Ancient History, "and I will."

None of his teachers have commented on the helmet though Erik was sure to compliment him with a grin, but Dr. Lactus immediately points at Loki from the front of the classroom and tells him to remove it. He is none too sad to do as instructed, and Stark futilely attempts to get Dr. Lactus to bend the rules.

"No headgear is to be worn inside of the premises," he says. "Mr. Laufeyson understands. Mr. Stark, it appears you are the only one with any issue."

Loki smirks at Tony's frown.

"Fine, fine, Dr. Lac. Have it your way."

Steve pats Loki on the shoulder. "I apologize on his behalf. He goes mad with power."

"I don't," Stark says. "I do, but it's my freaking birthday week. What do you want me to do? Be boring?"

"No," Loki replies, "act remotely sane is more realistic."

"That's a no can do, Mischief."

To save himself the burden of Stark whining, he places the helmet back on his head after class.

Thor does not get the same giggles and points as Loki as he walks down the hallway to them, his natural aura of red and gold only amplified by the helmet. He is practically glowing, and Loki is tempted to call him out on his arrogance when he is pulled under Thor's spell at a touch on the shoulder.

Loki's anxieties are banished with one touch, so he forgives Thor's need to be inhumanly perfect.

"How has your day been?"

He glares at his grinning face. "You are more than aware of how it has been," he says. "You have been spared the laughing and gawking."

"They are afraid," Thor replies.

As they walk to the lunch line, no looks of amusement are directed at Loki because of the person at his side.

"If only we had signed up for more classes together," he says as they sit down.

Loki thinks of spending every moment of the day with Thor and realizes how fortunate he is to be a grade below him. "If only," he murmurs, catching the slight narrowing of Thor's eyes and ignoring it.

"My gods, how do you like Earth? The mortals, they cute enough?"

Thor chuckles. "I fear that my sights are set on one of my own kind, Stark."

"Well, whatever." He shrugs. "Is he cute?"

"More than."

Stark sips from his soda with a wag of his eyebrows. "He into your hammer?"

Loki takes his apple into his hand and prepares to launch it at Stark's head.

"Whoa, whoa, birthday boy!"

He clenches his fist and the apple breaks into pieces on his tray.

"How the hell did you do that?" Clint asks. "That's fucking ridiculous."

He smirks at Stark. "I wonder how it would work on human bone."

Thor cocks an eyebrow, and Stark scoffs.

"You can't use my shit!"

"I have countless times, and no one is going to stop me, are they? You may be the 'birthday boy,' but you are still Tony Stark."

"And you are still the target of Thor's mighty hammer."

"Tony, please stop with your allusions," Thor says. "Loki takes offense in your jesting."

"I am not offended! I am annoyed, Thor. There is a difference. You wouldn't know that because you are oh so proud of the massive-" He inhales. "Your ego is just being fed, so you could care less. I have to hear this for the rest of the day because I have undergone the misfortune of being 'best friend' of Tony Stark."

Stark frowns. "Well, now I'm offended," he says. "You make it sound as if that is a bad thing."

Loki points to his helmet. "Would you call this a good thing?"

"I would." Thor touches one of the horns. "You look beautiful."

"Aw, how cute," Bruce says.

"It is," Natasha says. "Loki, you have to say something back."

"And tell him what he is already more than aware of?" He sighs. "Thor, you look magnificent."

Thor presses a kiss to his cheek that earns a chorus of "aw" from the other occupants of the table and stands, offering a hand to Loki. "I must escort you and protect you from the ignorant comments of mortals."

"Please, Thor, I really don't-"

"Loki, I insist."

"Oh, snap, he insisted. Can't deny an insistence," Clint says.

Loki can and has denied an insistence, but this is not one of those few. He allows himself to be led from the cafeteria and to their next class, Thor taking the long way as a time for them to simply be alone together. Loki accidentally says something that earns him a kiss, a kiss which becomes heated enough for Loki to end up pressed against a wall.

He goes to remove his helmet, but Thor tilts his head so the horns are no longer a problem.

"This is not something one sees every day."

Thor steps backward.

Vice-Principal Coulson stands there with an amused look. "In my senior year of school, I was witness to one Laufey in a very heated embrace with his girlfriend, and I thought, 'Hm, maybe I should warn them that a teacher is coming.' Laufey thanked me, and I decided that I liked him much better than his brother." He gestures behind his back. "I suggest you two stop doing this in school if you don't want Fury to decide he is in the mood for an impromptu lesson of sexual education as taught by him. Nice helmets by the way. Take them off."

Thor puts his unoccupied hand on his shoulder, and the two of them walk around Coulson.

"You're welcome," Coulson says with a wink. "I know Tony Stark far too well."

"I like him much better than Principal Fury," Thor says as he opens the door to Psychology.

Loki walks through the door, happy to have a bare head. "Yes, I do as well. He knows the truth to Tony Stark for one. That speaks volumes on is likability."

"I had no idea Farbauti went to SHIELD."

"She didn't," he replies. "He's talking about another girlfriend." He looks away from Thor as he remembers Nal's story of their forsaken love, the story he told before he forbid Loki from intervening in Thor's college decision process. That was oh so successful.

"Darn it, Coulson," Stark says as he sits. "What a hater."

"Tony, who isn't a hater?" Steve asks, and Tony shrugs. "My point exactly."

In English, Charles asks him to put the helmet on "as a means of entertainment," and Loki does so with a clenched jaw. "You look charming."

"He looks godly," Stark says, and Charles nods.

At the sound of the end of period bell, Loki removes the helmet and is too happy when Mrs. Munroe does not make the same request as Charles. She merely gives him a confused look which he answers with, "Tony Stark," and she nods in understanding.

He finds himself staring at his and Thor's helmets on the table throughout class as if it is symbolic for their relationship or some other comparison that relates to their love. He tries to play off the staring, but he meets Thor's amused eyes and has to suppress an eye roll as to not give away what he was doing. He knows that Thor knows, but Loki is not acknowledging that any time soon.

Gwen requests to wear his helmet, and he lets her, remarking on her potential to be a Norse goddess. "Sorry, too much pressure," she says as she hands it back to him. "You have to look like a god which you definitely do. You and your step-brother are perfectly named."

Stark is waiting for him outside of the classroom when he leaves, and Loki sighs as loudly as he can when he starts to talk about Thor though he is quick to the point: Thor's cock.

"I wish you would have told me how big it was though. When you told me it hurt, I was pretty sure that was a normal thing, but there was no way it wouldn't have. It's a freaking salami! Guinness should come and measure that, so we can know if it's the biggest in the world. It has to be, okay? I've seen a lot of cocks through the years because for some reason, I say my name and people drop their pants. Not many of them can remotely compare to that freaking behemoth of a cock your boyfriend carries around. How does he even walk?"

Loki shrugs and shuts his locker. Another valid question, but Loki is in no mood to speculate with Tony Stark.

"Thor should totally get it molded. I could arrange that, or you know get one of those kits. I saw one on a Japanese sex show. Don't ask. Anyway, he probably hasn't gotten me a gift yet. Damn would that be great. Using Thor's dick as a dildo. Shit, Steve would have to step his game up if he ever wants to fuck this ass."

Loki stares at Stark in wait for him to realize just how much of an idiot he is being.

"Mischief, the fuck are you giving me that look for?"

He shoves the helmet into his arms a bit too hard, Tony pushed into a locker. "Fuck your birthday week, Stark."

Today he has many things he needs to do but listening to Tony Stark voice his desire for Thor's cock is not one of them. If he hears another one of his remarks, he does not trust himself not to make it so his sunglasses will need to be much larger to conceal the damage of his fists. Talking can only resolve so much, and Stark is not a person one can simply verbally reason with.

When Thor dares to ask what is bothering Loki, he tells him, Thor following him to his room as he rants about how stupid Stark has become, or better yet, how his stupidity has become more evident.

"What is Tony Stark's fixation with my penis?"

"Really, Thor?" Loki rolls his eyes as hard as he can. "Don't play stupid. You know why."

Thor props himself on his elbows. "I do? Remind me."

Biting back a grin, Loki moves next to Thor, his hands undoing his jeans and pulling his pants down enough for him to access his boxers. "How about I show you?" He pulls Thor from his underwear, unsurprised that he is already hard. His admission that he has a perpetual hard-on when around Loki is not a lie. "See now?"

He puts his hands behind his head. "No, not really. Perhaps a demonstration of why this is such an important matter would help."

Loki is not going to let Thor get his way so easily. "Oh, Thor, now amnesia has stricken me as well. What am I to do with this, this hammer I have somehow acquired in my hand?"

"Let it hit you," he replies with an impatient look. "You are the target."

He trails a finger up the underside, ghosting over the gathering precum at the tip. "I was told not to let things hit me, especially things who quote Tony Starks."

"Loki, please."

From Loki's door comes a knock, followed by a, "Hello, Loki, it's Bruce."

Thor lets out a loud groan as Loki slips off the bed. "I am still unaware!" he says as he tucks himself back into his pants.

"And you are going to stay that way. Hello, Bruce."

Bruce gives him a knowing look. "I interrupted something."

"You did in fact," Thor says, coming to put his arm around Loki's shoulder. "What is it that you have come for?"

"Tuxedo shopping," Loki says, and he shrugs Thor's arm off. "Bruce, allons-y."

When they get to Charles' haberdasher, the second time Loki has been there in the past week, Bruce pulls out a biochemistry book to read, but Loki forces him to stand up and follow the usual old man to a dressing room. He resurfaces in a tuxedo, groaning about feeling ridiculous, and Loki sends him a glare that shuts him up.

He realizes that he doesn't know which colors Thor is wearing, so he calls him..

"Loki?"

"Thor, I need to ask you something." He gives Bruce a thumbs up when he comes out in his normal clothes. "What colors are we-?"

"Blue," he says.

He looks away from Bruce's smirking face. "Oh, thanks."

"You are welcome," he replies, and perhaps Loki was cruel for not enlightening Thor, but Thor has no excuse to use _that_ voice with him. "Do tell Bruce that I say hello, and thank him for this timing."

"I will." He exhales, and Bruce starts to snicker. "Goodbye, Thor.

"Shut up, Banner," he says as he goes to try on his tuxedo. "By the way, Thor sends his greetings." He opens the tuxedo bag, and is not surprised at all to see a navy tuxedo. That old man has strange ways, but Loki can appreciate.

"Tell him I said 'hi' back."

He pushes open the door and strikes a pose. "He also thanks you for showing up when you did."

"Well, his welcome. We already had plans, so he can use his hand or something." Bruce rolls his eyes and looks up from his book, tilting his glasses down. "That's so… you. You look Loki-ish." he says, "and you look great. As always."

Loki winks at him. "I take that as a compliment, Banner, though you were being an ass."

Thor is in the shower when Loki returns, so Loki slips into the bathroom as silently as he can, barely containing his giggles as he gets into the shower behind his turned back.

He covers his mouth when he almost laughs and composes himself to the best of his ability. "Nice ass you have got there."

Thor does not jolt, but he turns around to look at Loki with wide eyes. "You are back."

"I am," he replies, and he grabs his body wash and lathers in his hands before rubbing it over his chest. "Did you enlighten yourself?"

He rubs his foamy hands over Loki's shoulders. "No, I wished to wait however torturous it was."

"Thor?" Odin calls. "Thor?"

Thor groans. "What does he need of me?" he whispers. "Yes, Father, I am in the shower!"

"Hurry!"

"I doubt it will take much time," Thor says, and he reaches between them, gripping both of their cocks in his hands, a spurt of precum coming from his.

"Hm, you weren't lying."

He grins. "I am not you," he replies before kissing the frown from Loki's mouth.

Loki wishes to stop him and demand an explanation, but he cannot form words as Thor's hands twist and stroke between them. He kisses Thor as he cums to muffle his moan, and Thor has to hold onto his shoulders to keep him steady, shockwaves of pleasure spreading through his body.

He's never felt the need to broadcast his sexual activities to the world, but as he joins Clint and Natasha in the gym early in the morning, he wears a victorious smile. He feels as though he could do anything, and it shows in his ease with his dance moves and rapping.

"Wow, someone got some, some good some," Clint says with a grin. "Don't want the deets, but we're going to rock this shit tonight. If you getting good sex is what gets us this, hell yeah. Fuck yeah, or Fuck Loki, Thor!"

Natasha shoves at Clint, and he dips her down.

"One more dance before school, my lady?"

Loki leaves just as they begin dancing the tango, and he encounters one belligerent Harry Osborn.

"What the fuck are you looking at me like that for?"

He stares at him. "What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing because I'm not fucking gay, okay? Nothing's been in this ass!" So it is one of those problems. Yes, Loki was waiting for this. "I'm not fucking gay!"

"I never said you were."

"But you're looking at me like you think I am! Gay guys think everyone else hot is gay, but that's not true. Pete's not fucking gay. He's bisexual because he likes tits for some reason! Wait, he likes them for a good reason!" Harry kicks a locker. "Fuck this stupid ass sexual orientation shit! Why does it even matter?"

"It does not."

"Yes, it fucking does!" He points a finger at Loki's chest. "I can't be fucking—I'm not gay."

"You are not gay."

"Good." He straightens out his blazer. "See you at Stark's party later."

Now that is something he wishes not to share with anyone else because holding this as well as that kiss over Harry's head is going to be good fun. The boy thinks he is invincible, but he is just as vulnerable as Tony Stark, and the two of them are in need for a few reminders. Tony has improved, but Loki is just getting started with Osborn.

"Loki." Thor gives him a suspicious look.

He smirks and continues watching Mrs. Munroe at the interactive board. "Thor."

"You are planning something," he says. "I can… sense it."

"Is that so?" When the bell rings, he giggles and slips away from Thor.

At the end of the day, Tony stands outside of newsletter with Bruce and Steve. "Mischief, chamone."

He walks around the three of them and glances around the halls until he finds Thor talking to Jane with a frown and making lots of hand motions as she shakes her head. He shoves through students to get to them, the three of them still on his trail. "Thor," he says. "Jane Foster."

She gives him a sad look and moves in front of him, putting her hand on his chest. "I'm so sorry. Even you don't deserve this," she says before she holds a hand to her mouth and starts to cry, hurrying away.

Thor avoids eye contact with Loki. "I will see you all at the party." He presses a tense kiss to Loki's forehead and goes after her.

"Wow, drama llama," Tony says. "Hey, sorry about yesterday. Forgive me? Birthday boy, eh?"

Loki nods slowly as he stares after Thor. After tonight, he is going to try to talk to Thor and get to the bottom of whatever has been going on with him.

They stop at Loki's so Loki can get his clothes and the three of them can change into the suits in their garment bags. Tony's attempt to suggest he wear the helmet is denied by not only Loki but Bruce and Steve who point out how foolish Loki would look.

"Thank you so much," Loki says as he ties his bowtie. He undoes the bottom button of his evergreen oxford, pulls on his blazer, and declares himself satisfactory. "My confidence has soared."

"This is formal," Steve says. "If you wore a helmet, you stick out like a sore thumb."

"Who gets sore thumbs?" Bruce asks. "That's an outdated simile."

"It's Steve, Bruce," Tony says, and Steve glares at him. "Baby, you know it's the truth."

Steve holds his arm out to let Tony do his cuffs. "I just appreciate the past."

"More like you're stuck in it, but that's okay because I love you." They kiss, and Bruce makes a gagging sound. "Stop hating, Sci-bro."

Sports and luxury cars line the street in front of Stark Manor, and Loki lets out a sigh when he sees the lack of a Bugatti Veyron and a Ferrari concept car.

"I should tell you that downstairs is reserved for the peeps who think I want them there because of my last name being Stark. Pretentious people like your uncle, Loki. IDK if he's coming, so let's hope he doesn't, right?"

"Right," he replies as he follows Tony and Steve into the house, immediately feeling the air of snobbery.

The parlor James pulled him into during his Solstice break visit is filled with women dressed in cocktail dresses and a trio of men play brass instruments in the center of the room.

"Let's get the hell upstairs. JARVIS, when people start arriving, direct them upstairs. Don't be afraid to use them lights. I love them lights."

The sconces and chandeliers in the hallway go off, cyan overhead lights lighting their path up the stairs and into Tony's "party room."

"JARV, cue 'Birthday Jams Mutha Fucka.'"

Loki chuckles as terrible pop music he's happy to not know the name of begins to play and gives Bruce a look, the two of them going to seek out a room where they can escape the terrors of Tony's music choices. He feels himself chortle as he and Bruce slip into Tony's bedroom, and Loki is unsurprised that it is a massive room of modern furniture, unopened and opened wine bottles, and unfinished tech.

He sits down on the bed and uncorks a bottle of Pinot Grigio, Bruce handing him a glass. "You are not game?"

"Nope, I'm not. Me and drinking?" Bruce laughs. "No way."

Tony comes to find them as they lay on his bed and talk about the probability of Tony acquiring cancer with how much nuclear powered products he harnesses. "Ha, ha, you guys are the greatest friends, talking about my demise. Get the fuck out of my sanctuary and go talk to the hundreds of people I don't want to talk to."

Tony was perhaps underestimating the amount of people in his house as almost every room Loki passes is filled with people, most of them he doesn't know. He finds one room full of people he associates with and thanks the human need to congregate with those one is familiar with.

"Never have I ever fucked myself," Johnny says, proudly raising his hand and putting a finger down. "When chicks are not on this dick, I'm on this dick."

"Sounds gay," Tony says as he sits down beside Steve. "Super gay."

"You sound gay, Stark."

"I should, you know, since I am."

"Shut the fuck up, Stark. Who's next?"

"Looks like we got ourselves a new player!"

Loki turns to look behind him and sees that Bruce has disappeared. They're talking about him.

Harry beckons him in. "Come on. You scared, Laufeyson?"

"Of course, I'm not," he says, sitting down in the new space between Rick and Natasha.

"Good, now we can see how much the land of the free has corrupted your innocent, Swedish soul." He cocks his head to the side and grins. "We've got ourselves a real game now."

"Never have I ever hated someone."

Fingers go down on most hands, but Loki sits there, straight and proud because, in retrospect, he has never "hated" anyone in his life. Hate is such an overused word that's lost the true meaning of how Loki feels about most people.

"You, Loki Laufeyson, have never hated someone?" Rick asks.

"Yeah, I'm calling bullshit," Clint says.

"I have never hated anyone," he replies. "I despise people."

There's a bunch of dismissive mumbles and signs in his direction.

"Nope, no pedantic shit here. Hating and despising are pretty much the same thing except one is pretty collegiate sounding. Put that finger down, Laufeyson. Okay, next one. Um—wait, this one is going to be a good one…"

The game goes okay until Tony only puts half of finger down for a question about having sex and claims that he "hasn't been fucked, so it doesn't count." Harry notices that Loki puts a finger down and makes a huge deal out of it, demanding to know who took his virginity. Loki tells him though in Swedish and manages to get revenge on Harry by asking a question about sexual relations with friends. Harry and a newly joined Peter both put fingers down. After the game, Harry goes to confront Loki, and Loki tries not to laugh in his face.

"Clearly, Osborn," he replies to Harry's assertion that the boy he had sex with is in the house. "I would rather not have this exchange if you would care to keep your indiscretions private or not entirely private since the two of you were not kissing in the most private space-"

"You told him!" Peter frowns. "What the hell, Harry?"

Loki sees that Scott and Emma are in some heated argument in the corner, Johnny shouting obscenities at Scott about his worthlessness.

"I didn't tell him," Harry replies, rolling his eyes dismissively. "He must have seen accidentally or some shit like that. Who is it, Loki? Who did you fuck?"

"_When_ did _you_ fuck?" Loki mocks, grinning at the two of them. "Or did you not? Was it just experimentation-?"

"Cake time!" Tony shouts on the top of his lungs. "It's cake time, you assholes! It's my birthday, remember? No fighting on Tony Stark's name day!"

"This is not _Game of Thrones_," Bucky says.

"It might as well be with all of these damn scandals," he replies.

A familiar hand touches his shoulder, and Loki looks back at Thor standing with Betty and Jane at his sides. "Loki, come. There is not a need for trouble-"

"I'm not starting trouble," he replies. "It's the truth."

Peter's still confused. "Harry, you—what were-?"

Harry grabs Peter's shoulder and stares him straight in the eye, sexual tension obvious. "Shut up, and come with me to get cake, you idiot."

"Yes, that's a really good idea," Jane says, a lot more composed than when he last saw her. "Tony always has the best cake."

Thor's hand slips to his arm, and he's pulled to a corner of the dining hall, Thor telling Jane and Betty that they can get a better look without him. Thor frowns when he sees the expectant look on Loki's face. "I did not mean to seem angry. I am only curious."

"I know. There's no need to explain yourself." He stops himself from closing the space between them and giving Thor a reassuring kiss. "Your concern is endearing."

Tony's cake is absurd and garish and marvelous and Starkian, and Loki isn't surprised that it manages to be all at once. It takes up the entire half of the table which has to be over 20 feet in length, and there are three tiers, each one elevated above the other by what appears to be cinnamon sticks.

"Jarvis, hit the lights and log into YouTube because this is going to be good," Tony says. "Sing it in any language, any way you know. Take those sticks out of your asses please. And Barton, make those 'cha cha chas' great!"

There's a mash of various languages and various voices, and it is quite funny to see the pretentious adults sing with stoic expressions.

Tony blows out his candles. "You know what my birthday wish was since I don't believe that some sky daddy or holy programmer is going to take care of this for me? I wished that Steve Rogers will fuck my brains out, so if we play tomorrow, I do plan on putting that whole finger down."

"Oh, please, Tone!" Mrs. Rhodes shouts, and she grabs his ear, dragging him out of the room and instructing James to start cutting the cake.

The adults retreat back to the parlors while everyone else goes into one of the manor's theaters, and Loki is relieved that he didn't get any cake. He does not get stage fright, but he does not trust himself not to throw it up from all of the movement.

The lights dim, and James goes onstage to give a speech about his love for Tony, Clint coming to get Loki for their upcoming performance.

He changes into the costume Clint thrusts into his hands.

It looks as if they have arrived from the future in their geometric cuts, leather and polyester sections of fabric woven together to form perfectly fitted pants and shirts. Their black eyewear and leather boots give them an aura of sophistication though Loki doesn't quite understand why. He should feel ridiculous, but he feels-

"As if I can kick some ass!" Clint shouts, and he kicks the air. "Fuck yeah, we ready?"

Loki adjusts the clear earpiece inside his ear canal before nodding. "Perfectly."

Clint's voice rings in his ear as they walk onto the stage, his attempt at ominous somehow not cheesy. "Prepare to be… 'Starkstrukk.'"

It is a miracle he does not laugh at that though his turned back would hide his smile.

The beginning of Starstrukk begins to play, and Clint spins around.

"Cocky smile, stupid face, making me go ka-pow. That's because he's Tony Stark, goofy bastard…"

At the bridge, he and Natasha turn, performing basic handwork.

"Cause he is Tony Stark. He's Tony Stark," Clint says, repeating thrice. "It's his birthday."

All three of them join in for the chorus. "I think we should cele-brate The birth of this witty kid like he's fucking P. Diddy bitch. Shout! Loud! Happy birthday, Tony Stark, the narcissistic billionaire bitch. Wow. Dude you're really douchey but you can be really awesome sometimes, so happy birthday Tony Stark, the narcissistic billionaire bitch_."_

They switch places with Loki ending up in Natasha's spot and Natasha in Clint's.

He stifles his laughter when Natasha starts to rap her part. The intermixing of Russian makes it sound as if she's threatening Stark's life instead of wishing him a happy birthday, but the way she dances: too seductive for any straight man to remain sane, balances it out.

The breakdown to the remix comes, blasting in his ears and signaling the formation change, and Loki takes his place in the center.

"You know you're really not all that funny. Joking and failing to jest with me." Loki makes an affronted gesture with his hands. "You should give up, Tony. I have heard it all. I could care less if you are Tony Stark. Calling me 'Mischief' like the god. For some reason I tolerate you though not for your supposed charm."

They sing the last chorus before they end with Clint forming a T and Natasha forming an S, Loki kneeling between them.

"Well, people, looks like there's no better present one could give me ever," Tony says, hopping onto the stage. "And I mean, like ever. That was fucking spectacular. Made Poppa Stark's heart swell with pride. BTW, _Mischief_, I am funny, funnier than you."

"Whatever makes you feel like the Birthday Boy," he replies with an eye roll though his eyes are hidden.

Thor grins at him, following him into the dressing room and locking the door behind him. "This is what you have been doing with your spare time then. I find it more than a productive use."

Loki pulls off his sunglasses. "I do too." He steps up to Thor and kisses him tasting the raspberry of Stark's cake on his lips, and he makes a satisfied sound before pulling away. "I should have gotten some," he says as he turns around, shrugging the jacket from his shoulders.

He makes it to his belt before he's being bent over the table, his pants shoved down to his ankles, and it takes a few moments for him to formulate thought, too many moments as Thor is already rubbing saliva slick fingers around him. "Thor, wait-" He inhales as three fingers enter him and bites the inside of his cheek, tasting copper.

"You look purely appetizing," Thor whispers, Loki moaning when he removes his fingers too fast. He lines himself up with Loki, and Loki feels his breaths speeding up, eyes widening for what is to come.

"Slow down," is at the tip of his tongue when a knock sounds at the door, the pressure against him disappearing and Thor's heat moving away.

"Hey, you fucking in there yet?" Luke calls.

"No, not yet," Thor replies.

Loki stands up straight, glancing his distressed state in the mirror, and he has to look away as he goes to dress in his own clothing. He braces himself against the table and turns to see Thor watching him. "You can open the door."

"Damn, you two were definitely fu—oh." Luke drops his raised fist. "You have time to fuck later. Come on."

His friends are a welcoming sight for once, and as they surround Loki and pull them into their crowd of writhing bodies and flailing limbs, he focuses on the moment instead of the past, instead of what just happened.

His previous plan to talk to Thor is scrapped when Loki decides that talking to him will not be fruitful. If there is something wrong with Thor, he will not tell Loki upfront, and if he does, Loki is afraid of the answer. There are many possibilities, and not many of them end in joy.

The obvious conclusion to jump to is: 15 days, the amount of days they have left together. Loki is only sane because he hasn't thought about it. He simply cannot allow himself to go to a place where he has to face the inevitable end of something he has only had a taste of, a taste that has left him yearning for more.

"Thor, who are you going to prom with?" his mother asks.

Loki's hands pause over the keys of his laptop though he continues staring at the Google homepage.

Thor touches his shoulder. "Loki."

She only stares at him. "That's quite adorable," she says. "I am happy to see the both of you bonding."

He wishes to shout his love for the boy next to him to her, but if she truly wants to ignore the obvious truth, nothing that Loki does will make her see it. She is stubborn like his father was which is why Loki himself has a will harder than diamond. Diamond is still able to be scratched.

Friday comes fast and before he knows it, he is doing his bowtie as Thor sits on his bed, doing the lace of his Oxford and talking to Darcy about something that eventually makes him stand up and leave the room. Loki does not want to know. Loki is not going to ask.

Odin is purposely absent, but his mother is standing in the entrance hall with her camera flashing every few seconds as she tells them to smile though Loki does not give her the gift of any teeth.

Thor's plans for the night are clear when he takes a few minutes to scroll through his iPod, settling on a song Loki cannot help but associate with the feeling of hands on his hips and being filled. Since the strange encounter at Stark's, Thor has not attempted to pick up where they left off. Loki's unsure of whether he is happy about that or not.

He gives Thor the pleasure of opening his door for him and takes the hand Thor offers.

"You are beautiful," Thor says, and Loki sighs.

At the sight of dozens of flashbulbs, he and Thor exchange a look before pulling out their sunglasses, Thor's own resembling the chrome of his car. What is it with him and chrome?

"Odinson!" a group of senior boys wearing their own sunglasses shouts as he and Thor enter the lobby. There are high fives and fist pumps exchanged for no obvious reason, and Loki is saved by the entrance of—he was sure he would never be saying this—Jane freaking Foster and Darcy.

Darcy pulls him into a hug. "Hey, sorry on behalf of my school," she says. "They're kind of cunts."

Jane slaps her in the arm as she reddens. "Darcy, you don't have to use _that_ word."

"It's the truth though," she replies. "They're cunts, twats, pricks, every name in the book. I hate 'em, but what can you do? The education is good."

Loki gives her a tight smile and thinks not about what she's truly referring to. "You look beautiful," he says as she spins, the bottom of her dress flaring. He gulps and looks at Jane. "The same to you."

She only gives him a look which could be described as sympathetic, and Loki is happy to have Thor grab his hand and pull him along behind his group of friends.

He finds Bruce sitting next to Betty talking radiation and takes a seat beside them, joining the conversation easily. The brief moments when Bruce and Betty pause and stare at each other are when his mind starts to stray, and he is thankful when they begin to speak again, the love in their eyes dimmed for his benefit.

He takes Thor's jacket when he comes to check on Loki and inform him of his intention to dance, Loki promising that he will join him later. He cocks his head to the side and stares at him for several minutes, and Loki only stares back before his eyes start to burn with something other than dryness.

"I love you," escapes his lips, and Thor bends down to press a kiss to his forehead.

"I love you too," he replies, and he grins. "You must uphold your promise, Loki. I expect your presence on the dance floor next to me."

"What was that about?" Bruce asks. "He's been acting weird."

Loki stands. "Anxiety," he says, and as promised, Loki makes his way to where Thor and his friends dance in the center of the crowd.

Thor smiles when he sees and beckons him closer, and they simply dance like that, barely touching, for a few songs until the music slows down, and everyone adjusts accordingly. Thor puts his hands on Loki's waist, and Loki wraps his around Thor's neck, resting his head on his shoulder as they sway.

"Loki, have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"

He chuckles. "I recall you having said something of the sort once," he replies, and he glances up at Thor's smiling face. "If you are fishing for compliments, I must tell you that you look like you always do."

"And how do I always look?"

"Perfect." Loki inhales Thor's scent and his eyes drift shut. He attempts to take a snapshot of every smell, every touch, every sound for the moments when he doesn't have this. "You may even get lucky tonight if you keep talking the way you are."

"I get lucky every night, Loki," he replies. "You have turned me into a sort of sex addict."

"I have done nothing of the sort."

Thor cocks an eyebrow.

"Maybe I have but… can I be blamed?" He places a kiss on Thor's neck. "We are then even. I am a sex addict as well."

"I know." Thor chuckles as Loki rolls his eyes. "A year ago, I attempted to talk to you after our parents married, and you rebuked my attempts."

"Well, I was unsure if you were another mindless machine with muscles, a handsome face, and great hair," he says. "I eventually figured that out, but… I don't regret it. If I'd have talked to you, I would have fallen for you a lot sooner, and we both know how disastrous those months of denial were. I couldn't believe that I was in love with you of all people. You're somehow perfect and wrong, and I couldn't comprehend—still cannot. You are impossible, Thor."

He kisses Loki without warning, pressing into him until Loki is bent over backward. Loki's hands come to cup his face as Loki reciprocates with the same fervor. Loki feels something more than passion as he kisses him, and he can't ignore it as he has. It's starting to become unavoidable.

"And here are the results for prom queen and prom king of the Class of 2013!" There's a drum roll. "Our prom queen is… Jean Grey!"

With that result is no surprise as Jean is perhaps one of the most loved students in the graduating class. Emma, on the other hand, is someone people envy and worship for superficial things unlike Jean.

Loki claps, smirking at Thor's oblivious expression. He is going to be prom king, and anyone who thinks otherwise is either an imbecile or in denial. Thor is the only choice for the biggest title of them all.

"And our prom king is Thor Odinson!"

He rolls his eyes at Thor's expression of confusion. "Suddenly modest?" he asks, and he gives him a gentle shove toward the stage. "Go ahead, prom king."

Bruce comes to stand beside him, Betty on Loki's other side, and he claps with a frown. "Is anyone surprised?"

"Only the winner himself."

The golden crown is laid upon Thor's golden head by a grinning Raven, and the smile on Thor's face is toothless though all the more impacting. He knew. Loki is not fooled. Thor is as confident and arrogant as he was that day in Earth Science.

Jean laughs when Thor kisses her hand like a medieval knight, and her grin is bright as they go to take their places in the center of the dance floor, swaying to the music in perfect rhythm.

In a parallel universe, they are together, but thank the gods that is not this universe.

"Care to dance?" Luke asks, coming up with a hand offered. "Afraid of a little mortal shaking?"

Loki takes Luke's hand with a an eye roll. "Of course not. I am a—oh my gods, Luke!" He almost shrieks when Luke lifts him above his head without warning. "Put me down!"

He does as told, but he laughs. "Wow, you freaked the fuck out."

As they settle into an actual dance, Luke leading, Loki relaxes. "Did you not feel the need to perhaps warn me?"

"Hell to the no. Wouldn't pass up an opportunity to mess with someone as 'controlled' as you. Thor calls you controlled. How weird is that shit?" Luke's face lights up as a piano ballad comes on. "This is my jam."

Loki cocks a brow. "'A Thousand Years,' Luke, really? This is from that atrocious vampire movie."

"But it's a good as hell song. Come on, dip."

He smirks as he dips down deeper than needed and comes up without falling. "I know how to dance, Luke."

Luke mimics the lyrics, holding their joined hands to his heart. "Shit, this gets me in the heart. Sing it with me. You know the lyrics. 'Time has brought your to me. I have loved you for a thousand years.' Come on, you twat."

"I am not a twat!"

"You're acting like one! This is the anthem to you and my best bro's love! You need to sing it!"

"Anthem to our love, Luke, really?" Thor stands with his arms crossed, a look of amusement on his face. "If that is so, may I request a dance to my anthem of love with Loki?"

He releases Loki's hands. "All yours, prom king! If you two end up fucking after this, I'll see you bitches over the weekend or something. Have fun!"

Loki brushes his hand over one of the tips. "You have been elected by the people, my king," he says, and he bows dramatically. "How may I service you?" He loves a good double entendre.

"In any way you please though I request another dance."

Their fingers interlace.

"I am obliged to fulfill such a request, my king." As soon as they take their first step, the song stops. "It appears our anthem has ended."

"Any song will do as long as I share this dance with you." Thor kisses his forehead, Loki letting his eyes shut.

Fast, dance music begins to play thus marking the end of their slow dance.

He opens his eyes and runs his tongue over his teeth, taking a step away from Thor. Perhaps they cannot slow dance, but Loki has every intention to dance. This will mark the first time he is sober and not dancing traditionally.

"Watch and learn," Loki says, "my king."

Perhaps his dance moves are better fit for a modern pop music video about late night club excursions, but the mixed look of amusement and want he's getting from Thor makes him continue moving his body in sensual ways around the boy. He has nothing to lose and not enough time left to care.

Things are fun until a remix of "Beautiful Liar" comes on, and Loki pretends as if he's the scorned lovers singing, his movements almost threatening and most definitely teasing. Thor's smile falls, and he watches Loki with a strange look in his eyes, one that makes Loki stop dancing and press a kiss to his lips.

"Why the sad face, my king? Are you not entertained by your beautiful liar?"

"Loki, there is… I must tell you something."

Loki stops dancing, his smile falling. "Thor, is this about what has been bothering you?"

Thor exhales and glances away. "Excuse me."

Asking was perhaps the worst thing he could have done. As much as Thor tries to pride himself on his honesty, he can be as secretive as Loki is in one of his trusting moods, very secretive.

He follows Thor, increasing to a jog when Thor's pace becomes too fast for him to keep up with.

Thor stops walking and turns to him in front of the school, seeming annoyed though that does not deter Loki. Something is amiss with Thor, and as both his… "friend" and partner, Thor's issues are his own as well.

"Thor, talk to me."

"And what am I to say?"

"Answers, Thor," he says. "Can I have answers?"

"If I give them to you, you will not be satisfied with them. I would rather not discuss the obvious problems plaguing my psyche with you of all people."

Loki's brow furrows. "With me of all people?"

"Loki, please, do not be ridiculous. I am referring to the fact that I—I care too much about you to have you carry the burden on your shoulders as well." Thor runs a hand through his hair and sighs. " When you said that you never planned to marry, Loki… why not?"

"It is a matter of choice," he replies, his pulse speeding up. "I am also a teenager."

Thor rolls his eyes. "Irrelevant."

He shouldn't ask.

"How so?"

"I am also a teenager, and I am absolutely sure that I wish to marry. I am also sure of whom I wish to marry. My parents married when they were 18. My uncles married my aunts when they were teenagers. Age is not a factor in marriage."

He should not ask.

He _really_ should not ask.

"What?" Loki shakes his head. "Love is?"

"Yes, it is." Thor's hand slides into his pocket, and the rounded corner of something square protrudes. The corner of his phone? "I love you, am in love with you."

Loki takes a step backward because they are suddenly too close as if that is possible with how much he wants to become one with him. He should have never said anything about marriage involving him because the natural thought progression leads to marriage with him and Thor. He is 16 years old and very much in love, but marriage is a leap he is unwilling to take. Simply saying he wants to spend the rest of his life with Thor is vague enough for no commitments needing to be made.

"Thor, what are you saying?"

"Your mother would want you to be happy, Loki. My father is beginning to understand, and his understanding will only increase with time." Thor runs a finger down Loki's cheek. "My goals were not entirely accomplished, and they did not only consist of waiting till midnight for the release of a new record. My friends were more than supportive, but I was doubtful that you would… accept."

Loki inhales sharply. Is Thor about to do what he thinks he is, or is Loki merely being paranoid?

"When I say I do things for my future—Loki, you are a part of my future. Any path I take, I want for you to be there beside me, and a way to ensure this is to-"

He kisses him and stops him from possibly making a mistake. Neither of them are cut out for verbal resolution at the moment, so physical communication is what Loki must resort to. He is unnecessarily enthusiastic, wrapping his arms around Thor's neck and pressing their lips together hard.

Thor's hands are unsure on his shoulders, confused. This is for the best whether he knows it now or not.

"Odinson is getting some!"

Loki's teeth cling onto Thor's lower lip as they draw apart, Loki giving him a dark look when he finally releases it.

Robert slings an arm around Thor's shoulder, Thor staring at the ground. "Look, Loki, we're sorry… we'll we're not really. You two have already had more sex than the average person will have in their life, so we're taking him for the night. We're celebrating our asses off."

Luke slings his arm around Thor's other shoulder. "We cool?"

He nods. "Below zero."

"Oh!" A few high fives and chuckles are shared among the group of Thor's friends.

"That was pretty hilarious," Robert says. "Good to see you're not entirely-"

"Yeah, peace, Lokmaster," Luke says, shoving Thor and Robert toward the stairs. "My king, let's ride in your chariot of fucking magnificence!"

Though he dodged a hit, he can feel his pulse racing beneath his skin, and his heart hammers in his chest as he summons enough calm to hail a taxi and tell the driver the address of someone he knows will listen to what he has to say without evading his questions.

"I'm surprised to see you." Erik cocks an eyebrow. "Come inside."

Loki shrugs his jacket off, not jolting when he feels Erik pulling it off the rest of the way. "I hope I did not interrupt anything."

"I'm here alone, so there's nothing to interrupt."

His apartment is as metallic as his classroom, metal shelves, metal photograph frames. He thinks about pointing out Erik's affinity for the material, but he figures Erik knows and simply doesn't care.

He sits down when Erik gestures for him to do so, happy that his couch is not metal.

"So, what brings you here on prom night?" Erik asks, lifting a tumbler of something amber to his lips.

"Thor," he replies. "He's been acting rather strangely, but… that is not the issue."

"Ah, yes, he has, hasn't he? He raises his hand in class and answers questions. Of course he does it with this look in his eye and a smirk, but he participates more than he has since that situation in December. I figured it was something that had to do with you."

"But I am unsure if it is." Loki accepts the glass from Eric and raises it to his nose, disappointed when the inhale does not burn.

"You're underage."

"It hasn't stopped me before." He drinks, thinking of the taste. A mixture of apple and tea. "I think it's college."

"It sounds like that to me. He's attached, and Odin seems like the type that does not care about attachments. He was quite nice to me though that was because he thought something was going on between us." Erik shrugs. "He explains why Thor is the way he is. How was your night besides whatever made you ditch the place?"

"I didn't 'ditch' the place," he says. "Thor's friends took him off to party, and I wasn't invited. He won prom king."

"Charles told me that a day ago."

"Voting was only yesterday."

Erik chuckles. "That doesn't stop Charles from somehow finding out. Maybe you're-"

"Overreacting?" Loki sets down the glass. "I think not."

Erik sits down beside him, their shoulders pressed against each other. "Maybe you're not," he says, and he sighs. "Loki, you're 16 years old. You're too young to be worried about a relationship like this, but I know what love is like. My advice would be for you to enjoy it while it lasts. You don't want to look back and think of all the missed opportunities, do you? If something happens, take it in stride and move along.

"You love him, okay, but you must remember to worry about yourself first and foremost. If this becomes toxic to you, run."

Loki turns to stare at his profile. "Run?"

"Yes but fight first."

Things have a way of coming full circle. His often employed tactic during childhood was to run from the problems inside, to outrun them until he was dry heaving and numb, but it only weakened him. When he learned to stop running and turn, he learned that there was no way to escape himself. Loki was his problems, and Loki knows his own weaknesses.

It was much too easy to destroy those problems. In their absence, a yearning for power sprung forth, but malice was not his pursuer. Instead, it was his partner.

Eight months since he was in a place where he and his running partner fought off the antagonists of his old life and Erik is telling him to revert to the person who lashed out at the easiest taunt with insults that did more than destroy, the person who used his powers for his own benefit, the person reveled in the feeling of being both loathed and venerated.

Like a knife through a pillow, he could again become a being of hatred.

Thor.

Loki stands. "I appreciate your advice though I cannot say I will be taking it anytime soon."

"We all say that, but…" Erik sighs. "I hope you're right for your sake."

He nods as he allows Erik to slide his jacket back on. He hopes he is right too.

The cool welcome Odin gifts him with is not returned as Loki sits down in his seat at breakfast.

"How was your night?" his mother asks, stirring her tea with a slight frown.

Thor takes his seat, and he looks as if he has been through the wringer.

"Good," he replies, and he gives Thor a brief smile when they make eye contact.

Tony graces him with a call at 8:00 pm to remind him about his impending extravaganza. "If you're not there, Mischief, then I will-"

"Then you will what?"

"You'll be there," he says. "You will."

Stark is right, but Loki is not going to give the satisfaction of knowing that he is even if it is his "Birthday Week." His birthday has come and gone, and Loki didn't even listen to him on his birthday. What makes this day any different?

"Will I?" He sets the phone down on the bathroom counter and turns on the faucet.

"Hey, are you in the—wait, by the way, I expect some personal entertainment from you tonight. That thing Wednesday was great, but you have set a precedent."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Okay, Stark," he replies, hitting the end button just as he steps into the shower.

His talk of Loki having set a precedent is absolutely ridiculous. With who Tony Stark is, there will be no need of entertainment from him though if there were, Loki would not be so gracious as to provide it.

He closes his bedroom door behind him, eyes finding the source of the music on his nightstand.

"You're My Best friend" plays from Thor's vibrating phone, and Loki goes to grab it, staring at the "Lightning" on the caller ID. He knows no person by the name "Lightning," but he answers it.

"Hello?"

Thor's phone beeps with the alert that the call has ended, and Loki pulls it away from his ear with a cocked brow. Perhaps it is some joke he is not in on.

A text message pops onto the screen under the same caller ID, and as Loki goes to tap it away, he is taken into Thor's inbox. He is not technologically inept, so mistakes like this do not happen very often. Yes, it's only a mistake, he thinks as he stares down at the immense list of conversations. He cannot be blamed for a mistake.

He glances up and sees that his door is still closed before tapping the first conversation: Loki. He expects nothing more than the messages they exchange when Thor is in the mood for shenanigans or feels the need to remind him how much he loves him, but he gets much more than that.

Red exclamations of "Message Delivery Cancelled" mark a large amount of texts.

'March 12, 2013, 11:11 pm

_Loki, _

_I am sorry for telling you that way. I should have warned you that I was sending an application to Oxford.'_

He exhales and scrolls down to the next one.

'March 21, 2013, 1:34 pm

_I do not care that you kissed Gwen Stacy. I love you.'_

If Loki had gotten that text, perhaps things would have been different, but there is no sense in wondering. The next message is also cancelled.

'March 21, 2013 11:56 pm

_I should hate you, but I do not. What you did was… terrible, but I understand that I hurt you. I only wish for you to forgive me, but I would not forgive me if I were you either.'_

'March 22, 2013 5:00 pm

_I love you.'_

'March 31, 2013 12:50 pm

_Why do you do this to me? I thought you understood what I meant, but… The sex means something , Loki.'_

'April 20, 2013 1:00 pm

_We should do something tonight.'_

'April 21, 2013 4:13 pm

_Loki, you do not have to lie to me. You should trust me.'_

'April 24, 2013 3:46 pm

_I am only doing this to show you how much you hurt me. You hurt me, Loki, and what hurts more is that you do not care. This does not matter. You matter, but I will not tell you that. You deserve this much.'_

He cocks a brow, but his expression quickly changes to something else at the next block of unsent messages.

'April 28, 2013 11:44 am

_I wish to murder Hero Titan, but I only keep him alive because he makes you smile._

12:30 pm

_I cannot guarantee I will not beat Hero Titan to a pulp._

12:45 pm

_You should thank Luke and Robert for being rational.'_

No, Loki will not be thanking them.

'April 29, 2013 8:04 am

_Are Hero's stick swinging skills enough for you?_

8:34 am

_If you wish to be with him, you should tell me._

8:36 am

_Only if you want him murdered of course._

6:05 pm

_I require this victory sex that Tony Stark speaks of!_

8:09 pm

_Where are you? I want to talk._

'April 30, 2013 1:00 am

_I am so, so, so, so, so, so sorry for what I did, Loki. I thought you wanted someone like those Titans you so dearly trust and love. Others throw themselves at me, and I mean many, many people, but you remain uncaring! It shames me to think I stooped to such a level to try to keep you interested. I would never, ever do what I said. I suppose it was a better plan in my head, but I only feel like Thanos Titan, and I hate Thanos Titan. I love you, but my feelings do not matter right now. I want you to love me. Please?'_

Loki almost stops there, but he keeps going through the force of his curiosity. If this is what he found thus far, what will he find next?

'May 1, 2013 1:00 pm

_If you want to be with Hero, I want you to be happy, so go ahead.'_

'May 2, 2013 3:45 pm

_Loki, I am so proud of you. You are the most remarkable person I have ever known. I cannot wait to tell our children of such tales.'_

His heart drops. That's… of course it was a month ago, but does Thor still feel the same?

The following 50 plus messages are all pleas for Loki to return, andLoki has to glance away from the screen. He can imagine the frantic motion of Thor typing out those messages, and he feels guilt rising in his chest. If Loki hadn't been so stupid and naïve, Thor would have never gone through that.

The last of the unsent messages is the longest of them all.

'May 11, 2013 6:00 pm

_Loki, _

_I am a coward, and I only realize this as I type this message to you. I am no better than those people who decided to bring you into their game of life or death, and for that reason, I wish for you to find something better. When you renounced my feelings, I felt as though I had been abandoned… again. In truth, I am the one to abandon you, and though you are unaware, I have already abandoned you. _

_I did not mean for it to turn-"_

"Lightning" appears on the caller ID, and Loki answers it, not speaking immediately.

"Thor?" The voice is distantly familiar, and Loki tries and fails to place the accent.

"Hello, it's Loki," he replies. "Who is this?"

The line goes dead, and he stares at the "Call Ended" screen with a furrowed brow.

How did he know that voice, and what was he doing calling Thor at such a time?

The phone is snatched from his hand, and Loki looks up to Thor's steely gaze.

"I—someone was calling." He's pushed onto his back with Thor straddling his thighs, Thor slipping his phone into his back pocket. His brow furrows. "Thor-"

"Sh." Thor yanks the towel from his lower body and throws it onto the ground. His tongue trails up from Loki's navel to the impression in his clavicle.

"Someone was calling you, Thor," he says, breaths starting to speed with the sensation of jeans against him. "I answered your phone, but they-"

Thor is staring down at him, eyes dark with two somethings, one of which makes Loki's heart skip a beat and the other that makes him want to shove Thor off and cower in a corner. "Do not answer my phone," he says, the corners of his lips quirking up. "Ever."

Loki slowly nods, and Thor grins, placing a kiss on his shoulder before laying down a trail of kisses down farther and farther until Loki is sure he is going to stop, but he doesn't. He starts to protest when Thor's lips get deeper within his inner thigh, but his words are stopped by a yelp at the sensation of something wet and soft where it should not be.

"Thor, what are you—please-" He lets out another yelp, and oh gods should that mortify him, but that is not the actual reason blood is rushing to his cheeks. This cannot be happening. "Don't!"

He looks up at Loki, running his tongue across his lips, and Loki should be sickened, but it's only making him harder.

"Just—not there. That's…"

Thor's head dips between his legs again, and Loki bites his lip and digs his fingers into the blankets as Thor's tongue swirls and nudges a place where Loki would rather it not be. There are many things he is okay with, but this is a new level of insanity on both of their parts. He should be stopping this for the sake of Thor's health and his own rationality.

He plants a wet kiss in a much… cleanlier place, and his fingers replace his tongue. "Relax and-"

"Trust you?" Loki gasps as his body is assaulted by the simultaneous ministrations of Thor's tongue and fingers.

He trusts Thor?

Yes, he trusts him…

"Loki, stop thinking."

He does exactly that as Thor touches him, and he reciprocates with his usual eagerness though he is doused with a wave of confusion as he goes to dress in the now empty confines of his bedroom, Thor having gone off to shower.

He realizes that he shouldn't have answered Thor's phone however "helpful" he was attempting to be as he wouldn't want Thor to do the same for him. He thanks his timing for not getting caught looking through the messages because if he had, he's sure their encounter would have gone differently.

Thor presses a kiss to his forehead after Loki descends the stairs. "I love your chosen attire."

He glances down at himself, smiling when he realizes why Thor loves these clothes. His leather jacket is red, the red Loki now attributes to Thor. "The same can be said for you every day of your life," he replies with a roll of his eyes.

Due to their status as close friends of Stark's, they are waived by without the credentials that the other guests have to show and sent to one of the upper floors of the penthouse which Loki is relieved to see lacks the plethora of people as the other floors they pass inside the elevator have.

Pepper claps her hands as they exit the elevator, bouncing up and down on her heeled feet. "You're here, you're here. Good. This is good. Tony's not here yet, but-"

"Stark is not here?" Loki glances around the penthouse, noticing those he goes to school with and others he does not know. "I am unsurprised."

"He has to make a big entrance," Clint says, back flipping off of a couch. "Sup."

Steve is absent as well though he is probably wherever Tony is, attempting to convince him not to do whatever he is getting himself into.

Stark's entrance is signaled by the bright flash of cyan light outside the wall of windows, and Loki stands, Thor doing the same, to go to the window.

At the end of the gallery, Tony stands, his hands upraised as shouts come from the balcony below, and Steve stands next to him with a parachute lying at his feet.

"Aw, we missed it," Clint says. "Steve looks patriotic as hell."

Steve enters the penthouse, pulling his American flag sunglasses from his face. His blue suit and red shirt are the epitome of the patriotic heart that lies within Steven Rogers. Oh how does it make Loki want to laugh, but he holds it in for the benefit of a miffed looking Steve.

"Parachuted from a-?"

"Helicopter," he says. "I told him it was ridiculous, but Tony never listens to my suggestions. Steve knows nothing."

"At least you look styling," Clint says. "Mr. America."

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose. "I can't wait for this night to end. JARVIS, how many people are here?"

"8,000 throughout the top twenty floors of Stark Tower, Master Rogers. Is that all?"

Yes, Loki is quite fine up here away from all of those people. Loki doesn't know 8,000 people.

"My fucking friends!" Tony beams, his stupid sunglasses swapped for a red and gold pair. "What are you bitches doing sitting up here? People are having a blast, and we're sucking eggs!"

"There are 8,000 people here," Pepper says. "8,000, Tony."

"So? Damn, that's still pretty low. It's only been 30 minutes, so we got time." He claps his hands. "Come on. We're heading down."

Loki gives Thor a look when he starts to follow Tony. "Stark, you are being unreasonable."

"No, you all are. Whatever, whatever." Tony taps the clear earpiece. "You two have come to the best party you will attend until next year of course. The top floor of this place is yours if you need a place to go and get your freak on. I know this week is going to be shit with all that wedding shit."

He could almost cry at the fact that Stark actually listens to what he says.

"Tony, thank you," Thor says with a smirk. Loki should prepare maybe?

The elevator opens, and Tony steps in. "I wanna party, and you want be farty."

"Can't rap for shit," Clint says. "We were better."

"Whatever makes your arrows pointy, Barton. Get in, losers. It's party time."

"I will shield you from the horrors of strangers," Thor whispers as he nudges Loki into the elevator. "I give you my word."

He crosses his arms. "You are a terrible boyfriend," he replies in jest.

Thor is silent behind him.

"Thor, what's wrong with you?" Steve asks as he boards.

Loki turns around and glances at Thor's wide eyes.

"Loki was kidding, dude. Jeez."

Thor gives Tony a sharp look.

"Jesus, okay, okay! He wasn't kidding even though that's a lie. What do you want me to say?"

He should turn attempt to comfort him but "Lightning" appears in his mind as well as the threatening look in his eyes when he told Loki to never touch his phone again. He shouldn't have answered his phone, but he did not deserve that reaction.

"Just go down, Tony," Steve says, and he and Loki share a look of shared understanding perhaps for the first time in months.

The floor they get out onto is filled with hundreds of people who all move out of Tony's way, which saves Loki from having to move through a crowd of unknowns. They shout birthday congratulations for Tony and offer propositions, those giving the latter getting a glare from Steve.

"I know, I know, I'm awesome!" Tony shouts, his voice coming from above as well. He beckons them to step into a glowing circle in the center of the room, and Loki thanks the gods for his natural balance as the circle begins to rise until they are a body length above the crowd. "If you could all shut up, I'd be pretty freaking happy."

Loki casts a glance around the room, noticing that there are a few people he's seen though not in person. Yes, Tony Stark is _the_ Tony Stark, which one could forget with how idiotic he acts.

"I'm skipping the stupid thanks because I'm not thanking you for coming to _my_ party. You should be thanking me, but wait, stay quiet. Don't want to hear your screams just yet. In this past year, my life has changed for the better, so thank you probability for always working in my favor. Anyway, let me introduce you to two of my new friends."

He grits his teeth when Tony grabs his hand and raises it.

"This is Mischief. He's my best friend behind Pep and Rhodey, which—Rhodey, where the fuck are you at? Get on this damn stage!"

James appears out of the crowd, stomping up the stairs and taking the place beside Pepper.

"Yeah, we're all good now. This blond beast of sexiness is Mischief's wonderful step-brother. Hey, you stay the fuck away from them, okay? No fucking them. No fucking any of my friends. Now, go back to partying."

Loki jumps from the stage and exits onto the balcony, thankful for the relatively smaller amount of people standing around.

"Sir, I must tell you that you cannot go any—oh, I apologize." The burly man steps aside, and Loki continues to the bar.

He sits down and asks JARVIS for a glass of rum, rubbing his finger along the rim as he stares over the edge of the balcony.

"Give me what the fuck he's drinking," someone says, sitting down next to Loki. "Tony always have that dope shit."

Loki continues staring over the balcony.

"Bitch got that billionaire taste, good ass taste. JARVIS, give Ye that Pinot Noir from last time. Yeah, you know what it is. Yo, kid, you okay?"

He turns to the person, and Loki can almost kick himself for letting his emotional needs compromise his ability to observe the environment around him. "I'm fine."

"Fucking fine. Take this bottle, and let it drown out that sorrow. Life's too short to be wasting it being fucking normal. Thank you, JARVIS. Take damn care of my friend here. He's one of them pretty boys."

"You are welcome, Master West, and I do my best to ensure the health of Master Laufeyson."

Loki shrugs to himself before he grabs the uncorked bottle of Pinot Noir.

He finishes only one bottle because one: JARVIS refuses to give him anything else besides water, and two: Thor comes to sit down beside him while he gives him one of his apologetic looks that Loki can hardly bare to look at.

"I apologize for my recent conduct," he says. "The stress of my upcoming departure to England has clouded my approach of the present, and I meant least of all for it to affect our relationship. Your questions have been warranted, and I still would not like to answer them in fear that I will ruin the remaining time we have together." Thor sighs. "I wish not to waste it."

"We have…" Loki pauses and frowns at his calculation. "We have 12 days left."

12 days, three away from single digits, and most of which will be spent in the company of other people who are unaware of the depth of their relationship. 12 days is an arbitrary number that does not truly represent the time they have left. It is an overestimation.

"I am aware."

Loki inhales deeply. "Then let's not waste it," he says, and he stands. "Come. Let us make good on Tony's offer."

Thor stands, putting an arm around Loki's shoulder. "I met Beyoncé though Clint seemed to have some kind of panic attack which consisted of him insisting that he perform the "Single Ladies" dance."

"Did he?" Loki grins. "He did. He definitely did."

"She seemed impressed."

As the board the elevator, Tony surfaces from the crowd, eyes widening when he sees them, and he beams, waving his arms around his head as he pelvic thrusts.

He waves to him as the doors shut and the elevator begins to ascend.

The top floor of the penthouse is completely empty. Perfect.

Thor sits down on the couch while Loki goes to the screen on the wall.

Loki scrolls through the database of music and taps the play button on the screen, "LoveGame" beginning to play from the speakers around the room. He goes to stand in front of Thor, placing his knee between his legs as he bites his lip and gives him a playful smile.

They are undressed in under a minute.

"You're so… so tight," Thor says, three fingers inside Loki. "I should have fucked you earlier."

Loki lets out a whimper when Thor's fingers press upward. "You can now."

He blacks out when he climaxes, and when he opens his eyes, he looks down and sees that he has the means to continue. His stamina has finally adapted to Thor's touch though he cannot say the same for his single-session endurance.

"I promise that we have only just begun," he says before falling to his knees behind Loki, and yet again, Loki is left flushing in mortification as Thor's tongue dances around the forbidden place Loki has stupidly given him entrance to.

Oh yes does Thor keep to his promise. Positions they have tried and others they have not are tested, and with their combined strength and flexibility, each one succeeds in bringing them to the peak they continuously reach until the sky outside is pale blue and the sun is a fourth of the way across the sky.

Loki lies on the ground of Stark's penthouse, a drawn out whimper leaving his mouth as Thor pulls out of him. He takes a few moments to gather enough energy before standing up on trembling legs, walking barefoot into the kitchen and pulling out ingredients sufficient for a lunch they are both in great need of. He cocks a brow when he finds everything—and he means everything—he would need for a usual lunch.

He sets a plate in front of Thor before standing in front of his own, not in the mood or state to sit down.

Thor takes a bite of potato. "I am happy my choice of partner has great skills of cooking. Now I shall spend life with a full stomach."

He makes a noncommittal sound. "Stark planned this," he says. "He even had lingenberry sauce."

"Perhaps he just likes it."

Loki narrows his eyes at Thor. "Thor…"

"I may have mentioned my desire to spend time solely with you to our friend, but I did not ask outright for this. Tony Stark has an imagination and understands our… dilemma. He sympathizes."

"Team Thor."

"Yes, our number one supporter."

Tony's intentions are dubious with his recent fixation with a particular part of Thor, so Loki will thank him when he is 30 years old, and Tony Stark has mellowed out. A thanks now will only get him a dramatic speech about how much he loves him which Loki is not wanting to hear.

They pass the elevator to go shower and notice a bag sitting in front of it.

On the attached note in familiar scrawl reads:

'_Sorry for disturbing you guys. Got you some clothes I know you'll need. I hope you guys had fun._

_-Steve R.'_

"We have traumatized him," Thor says with a grin.

"No," he replies, "I think Tony has that covered."

When they finally leave Stark Tower, Loki is overjoyed not to encounter anyone he knows as he can barely walk without looking as if he is a strutting megalomaniac, which Thor sees amusement in, but they are not as lucky at their home as they ascend the front stairs as one Odin Borson opens the front door.

"You two have come back," he says with a frown. "It is nice of you to join us for dinner though I have to say that I will be absent from it. I have other matters to attend to."

Loki glares at him as he walks around them and continues to do so until Thor pulls him into the house.

His mother watches him as he walks, Loki trying and failing to keep his gait normal, before she greets them, her face smiling though her eyes are blank. Her words hold an edge to them as she speaks at dinner, and the way she cuts her meat almost threatening. Certain words such as "boy" and "brother" are ones she says with the most sharpness, and Loki can only think that the diamond has gotten scratched.

Upon seeing him next morning, Tony holds his arms out as if a deity. "Who's the fucking man?"

Loki shoves past him. "I have no knowledge of who this 'fucking man' is, or who he is fucking."

"You sure he's not Thor, and you sure the man is not you?" Tony cackles, wiping fake tears from his face, and he gets an eye roll for his troubles. "You two were going at it, weren't you? JARVIS said you left at 8:00 p fucking m! Me and Steve have had some times recently, but damn have we never gone that long. You gotta give me your secrets."

He shuts his locker. "Okay. Listen, Tony. First, you must be a god, and second, you must not be Tony Stark."

"Worst rules ever!" Tony shouts after him. "Also, you're welcome!"

Bruce rolls his eyes as Clint retells the story of him dancing for Beyoncé and declares that he is happy to have not missed anything. A look is exchanged between everyone besides Thor, Loki, and Bruce, and Clint informs him that he did, Loki crossing his arms and staring down at his food.

"What?"

"Day-long sex romp," Tony says. "Thor and-"

"You fucking piece of shit!" Harry shoves Peter in the center of the cafeteria. "You asshole!"

"No, you're the asshole!" Peter shoves him back, and Loki feels himself grinning. "You are too up your own ass to see the truth! You are too damn afraid!"

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Being gay!"

Tony, Clint, and Bruce chortle while Thor cocks an eyebrow and turns to Loki, Loki's grin growing with each passing moment.

"How am I afraid of being gay? I fuck you, don't I?"

Yes, Harry's lack of screen has finally come to his disadvantage. The entire cafeteria knows he has had sex with Peter, fucked him, and it is only a matter of minutes before the entire school is aware. Harry has just outed himself, and for being suddenly homophobic, it is what he deserves.

"Holy shit."

Peter shoves him again. "You fuck me? You are a piece of shit, Harry! Why the hell do I love you? You claim to be my fucking friend one moment and only my friend, but you have no problem 'fucking' me. It's just fucking to you, Harry. Fuck me? Fuck you."

Harry seizes Peter by the collar. "You fucking love me because I love you, you dumbass." He releases his collar before storming out of the cafeteria, Peter following after him.

"So that's what got Osborn so pissed at my party," Tony says. "LOL, he's gay."

Loki raises an eyebrow and soon he's chuckling. How such a stupid thing is funny escapes him, but everyone at their table laughs, and it feels quite great.

He feels quite great from Stark's comment until he and Thor are seated across from each other after Thor decides to inform him of a dinner reservation. Loki lets a small smile occupy his mouth as Thor talks to him and absorbs everything he says even if it is inane or obvious. Days like these are the ones he would like to cordon off from the rest of the time stream to relive for the rest of eternity or until the heat death of the universe.

"I wish I heard you laugh more often," Thor says as they walk to his car, his hand on Loki's lower back. "It is an extraordinary sound like no other."

He slides into the passenger seat, Thor closing the door. "If it comforts you, you have heard me laugh more of any other person to exist."

Thor grins, starting the car. "It does comfort me as well as the fact that I am the only one to do many things to you."

"Like what?"

His grin shifts into a smirk. "I have been the only one to make love to you, will be the only one to." Loki exhales at that. "I am your first boyfriend."

"And how do you know that?"

"You hate people, people other than me."

Loki scoffs. "Let's not get more arrogant than we already are."

"Impossible," he replies. "You have told me several times that I am the cockiest person you have met. I disagree though you are an outside perspective."

"No, I wouldn't say cockiest." He gulps and turns to glance at Thor, Thor's light pushing out the beginnings of darkness. "Continue."

"Excluding one, I have been the only one to use several different techniques of sexual gratification on you. Most recently, I have given you your-"

"Shut your mouth," he says, blood rushing to his cheeks.

"Make me." Thor knows what he's doing by challenging Loki, but Loki still accepts the challenge, knowing just how he will win.

He bends over the center console, pulling a hard Thor from his pants. He takes Thor as deep into his mouth as he can, Thor's hips lifting from the seat and one hand coming to rest on his head.

"You want me to crash," Thor says as Loki twists his hands around the rest that will not fit into his mouth. "This is a ploy to kill both of us."

He makes a noncommittal sound around him, and Thor's fingers tighten in his hair. He has not made him shut his mouth yet, so he has not won.

He removes his mouth before rubbing his lips along the underside, eyes staring up at Thor as his one hand massages his balls. He blinks up at him innocently as he feels him begin to pulse. "You shut your mouth," he says, letting his teeth graze Thor.

Thor removes the keys from the ignition before dropping his hands to Loki's head, his eyes shutting and mouth opening in a silent moan when Loki takes him back into his mouth. He doesn't let out a sound when Loki's mouth is filled.

Loki wins.

He sits up, his lips and chin covered with the overflow, and Thor pulls him into a kiss, his tongue coming out to taste himself. When they pull apart, Loki's mouth is no longer smeared with stickiness though a salt aftertaste lingers on his tongue.

"I love you," Thor says, and Loki leans in to kiss him, finding himself stilled by Thor's hands on his shoulders. "Wait, your mother has just exited her car."

His mother holds her phone to her ear, one of her large handbags slung over her shoulder. She stares at Thor's car, eyes narrowed.

Diamond cannot simply be scratched. It has to be smashed with a hammer.

"I am going to tell her," Loki says as he turns to open the door.

A hand catches his bicep before he can push the door open. "Wait, Loki, you should not."

He turns to Thor, and the look of easy contentedness has been exchanged for a guilt-ridden gaze. He doesn't ask why because he can see Thor forming the explanation.

"I have to tell you something." He removes his hand, and Loki's heart threatens to burst from his chest at any moment. Finally he will understand just what Thor has been keeping from him for what Thor called Loki's sake.

"There was someone else."

* * *

**A/N:** Before you hate Thor, here's a few snippets from his perspective: SPOILER ALERT CITY: story/story_edit_ ?storyid=9211228


	22. Chapter 21

Zeus Panhellenios: Thieving Fornicator?!

"After you… renounced me, I met someone. I made my intentions of remaining his friend clear, but I also knew that he desired more of me. Throughout the month, we met under the guise of a platonic camaraderie, but we were both aware that we were lying to ourselves."

Thor exhales, and Loki steps backward, the distance between them too small.

"When he kissed me, I… I did not immediately push him away."

He, this he who is not Loki, kissed Thor, Thor who is supposed to be Loki's, only Loki's.

Loki finally finds his voice. "When he kissed you?" He grits his teeth, eyes burning. "Just _when_ did he kiss you?"

"Three weeks ago."

Th-three weeks?

His entire hand stings from fingertip to wrist after he draws it across Thor's face. The red blossoms across his palm while Thor's cheek is unmarked. He cannot even properly hurt him. He cannot make him feel the pain both inside his chest and in his hand.

"Why are you telling me this now?" he asks, and he ignores the jolt that goes up his arm when he clenches his fist. "Why now?"

Thor touches his unmarked cheek and the pity comes out at full force. He wants pity from no one, least of all him. "I meant to tell you after it happened, but other forces prevented me from doing so."

"Other forces?" He wants to hit him again, but he doesn't, knowing that Thor will remain unscathed. "Really, Thor, tell me why! You owe that much to me!"

"Loki, I love you."

"And love somehow makes your infidelity okay? What happened to you, Thor? I thought you were different than anyone in this world, but you are merely a man." He jabs a finger into Thor's chest and wishes to direly that Thor would flinch. "You made me fall in love with you. You made me doubt my own feelings for what? Why have you done this?"

"It was only a kiss."

He can almost laugh at that, but he doesn't because he doesn't trust himself not to start sobbing.

"Is that supposed to lessen the blow? I could care less if it was only a kiss, Thor! You waited this long to tell me, so it had to be some kiss, correct? It meant something as much as you deny it didn't." Loki shakes his head. "It makes sense now. You've… been acting guilty because you are guilty."

He slams the car door, slightly disappointed when the window of Thor's precious "Mjolnir" does not shatter. He cannot hurt him physically as he has hurt Loki emotionally, so other avenues of revenge will be sought out after Loki gets as far from him as he can.

"Loki, wait!"

He spins around and bears his teeth at Thor. If only he hated him enough to raise his hands and shove him backward to what would have some effect on Thor. Loki's own hand may not hurt him, but a fall like that would leave a bruise, proof of what he has done to Loki.

"Wait? I have been waiting for you to tell me the truth, and you have decided that today was the right time!" He clenches his fists. "You have been seeing this boy for how long?"

Thor doesn't answer.

"How long?"

"Two months."

He lifts his fist but drops it when he sees the resolve in Thor's eyes. "We will never truly reach solstice," he says. "You have lied almost half of our relationship and led me to believe that I have been the one in the wrong. 90-10? No, 40-60!"

Thor simply stands there as if he doesn't compute the gravity of the situation, as if Loki is the one overreacting. It only reaffirms the decision that Loki has just made.

"Thor, I have come to conclude that our relationship has just ended." He leaves his… ex-boyfriend standing there and goes into his bedroom, slamming the door as hard as he can. He rakes his hands through his hair as he begins to hyperventilate.

For two entire months, over 60 days, he's been seeing someone else on the side as if Loki was something to keep his attention while he was at home. Loki was a plaything for Thor to enact his desires on when whoever he was seeing couldn't be bothered. Each time he rebuked Thor's touch, he pushed him closer to that someone unknowingly. When he was touching Thor, Thor was probably imagining him.

Loki has been blinded by stupid love. He was foolish to think that everything was remotely fine. His life is never going to be fine, and it was naïve for him to not jump to the worst conclusion. Loki should always expect the worst.

He's been lying for two months, so who is to say they just kissed?

Oh gods, the condoms.

His own uncle knew, and Loki didn't see the connection of the purchase and the reaction Thor had.

A firm knock on the door and he opens to his mother standing there, meeting eyes equally as angry as he knows his own are.

"What has happened?" she asks, entering his room without permission. She shuts the door and locks it, a motion that used to bring goosebumps to his skin and a lump to his throat. "Why did you hit Thor?"

"He deserved much more than a slap, Mother. My slap did not even hurt him."

"You have no right to raise a hand to your step-brother."

"I do not?" He laughs. "You and Father had little problem with raising hands to each other during arguments." When she feigns ignorance, he chuckles and steps into her personal space, eyes narrowed. "That is what couples do when they fight, do they not? Thor and I were a couple, Mother. It is what they do when they have a disagreement."

She frowns and walks around him, Loki turning around and watching her try to put distance between them. In two strides, he could cross the distance and make her face the source of her disgust. "Were?"

"You can save your congratulations, Mother. There is no longer a relationship to congratulate."

His mother wraps her arms across her torso and stares at the ground. "Perhaps it is for the best."

What a predictable thing for her to say with her need to justify everything that happens within the world. His father's death was just another part of the grand scheme of things, and Loki was to not question it. He listened, but now, he is unsure if he wishes to continue doing so.

"Your relationship was… wrong," she says as she gestures with her hand. "You two are step-brothers, and though you do not share blood, you are to share a new sibling. Your relationship was making things rather complicated."

Ah, an admission that she did know.

And an admission of-

"A new sibling?" He realizes the defensive posture she has taken and the position of her arms as he sits down on his bed. "Maybe I should be congratulating you."

"You should." She smiles and finally looks at him. "Loki, you will get through this. I will help you move past this brief period of misguidance, and together, you, Odin, and I will provide this child with the best home environment it can possibly get."

The kind of home environment that Loki did not have.

Her hand pauses on the doorknob. "You and your step-brother will remain friends after all of this passes. You are teenagers, and teenage love passes quickly."

He clenches his jaw. The things she says are her attempt at reassuring herself. Nothing she is saying is making any of it better for Loki.

"My father would disagree with that," he says, one of her feet past the threshold. "You were never the love of his life."

His books rattle on his shelves when the door shuts, and he falls onto his back.

He and his mother can both relate to uneven love.

A piece of Loki holds onto the words Thor has said as of recent, the romantic murmurings as he pressed kisses to Loki's skin and sent sparks up Loki's limbs. The same piece yearns to parley with Thor to get to the core of the affair he had with this other boy.

A larger piece of Loki rages, liquid hate running through his veins and arteries and pouring from the hole in his chest where Thor has half-successfully ripped his heart out. This piece does not wish to talk but wants to hit and punch and stab until a mess of blood and flesh lies in his place.

Together, they mold into a person so reminiscent of the Loki he left behind in Sweden that none of his friends would recognize him or his modus operandi.

Yet Loki cannot forget the glue that holds these pieces together: life experience. In the intervening months since leaving Sweden, he has been through trials that have changed him from an agent of hate into a fool for love.

One day he will thank Thor for opening his eyes to the truths of the world, but today is not that day, tomorrow will not be either, and Thursday is out of the question. Years from now when Loki is as strong as he once was before this golden boy managed to light him up like the sun, he will look back and realize that this is what needed to happen.

Until then, he is going to fight, and when enraged, Loki fights fairly well.

He readies for the first battle, staring at himself in the mirror as he dresses, the upcoming school day weighing heavily on his shoulders. Nal's own warning that their break-up would be nothing of a conundrum due to their relation outside of romance was valid though Loki never foresaw the messy circumstances that would surround it.

He inhales deeply before he goes to face his opponents, a silent storm brewing inside him in the event he needs to unleash a rain of harsh truths upon their heads.

What welcomes him is no one at all, no one until he exits the house and discovers Thor sitting on the front stairs. He grits his teeth and stares at his back.

_"There was someone else."_

If he could shoot fire with his eyes and spin tornadoes with his hands, he would wreak havoc among the city streets. He would find this someone else and demand of them an explanation of to what he had that Loki didn't.

Loki does not sit down and descends the stairs to look at Thor's face. He gives him his best look of dismissal and waits for him to speak as Loki knows he wants to.

"I want us to be brothers this time."

He stares at him incredulously because there is no other reaction appropriate for the stupidity that has just exited Thor's lips.

Thor holds out his hand, not to hold but to shake as if they are merely business partners. "If you feel the same-"

"If _I_ feel the same?" A laugh escapes him, a laugh unlike one he's had in months, and he throws his head back. "You are jesting, correct? Were you not present last night?"

He exhales as if this is Loki's fault, and Sigur Ros plays from Thor's pocket, Thor staring at him helplessly.

"Read it," he says with a fake smile, one he knows that Thor would know was fake if he truly cared enough to look. "I am sure it is from this 'Lightning,' is it not? He was the one who called, and the nickname is very endearing. How cute."

"_Someone else_." Red, hot fury and cold, icy betrayal.

"Loki, I-"

"You are a young, handsome, _single_ man," he says, tracking Thor as he begins to walk toward his car. "Do whatever you desire, brother as It is no longer my concern, correct?" Thor opens the door, and it is a surprise it does not rip off. "Let's be honest. It was never me concern even when we were together, and if it was, you didn't seem to think so!" he shouts over the engine.

Thor speeds away, and Loki walks to his own car,

His friends stand in a group in front of the school, all wearing expressions of confusion, and Loki rolls his eyes at Thor's lack of tact and composure. Could he not keep this one tidbit from their friends, or was he so eager to reveal his victory over Loki?

No worries as the war has just begun.

"Loki, dude, what happened?" Tony asks, the five of them falling into step behind Loki. "Thor came before you, and when we asked where you were, he stopped smiling entirely and completely ignored us."

He sits down in one of the seats in the lobby. "Why would I know?"

Natasha and Clint exchange a glance.

"You're together."

If Thor has not informed them, Loki will gladly take the liberty to do so.

"As of last night we are not," he says as he stands.

Tony's jaw drops. "N-no! No! No! Please, no, please, be kidding. Ha, ha, ha, JK?"

"Thor and I have diverged a long time ago. It's time that we both see it."

Clint scoffs. "That's the bullshitty-iest thing I have heard in my life," he says. "Tell us the truth straight up."

"No, Loki, you don't have to," Steve says. "It's none of our business."

"Yes, it is!" Tony shouts. "I have put too much into this relationship to watch it fucking fall because of split paths or whatever the hell he said. I will not watch it die."

"It has died, Stark." He tucks a lock of his hair behind his ear. "It has been cremated."

"I'm Tony fucking Stark! I can bring back the dead if I put my mind to it."

The corners of Loki's lips quirk at this show of false optimism. They are as foolish as he was if they believe that there is anything salvageable about this relationship. If they truth knew, they would not be whining about it. They would kick themselves for not noticing.

"Steve, shall we go to Dr. McCoy?" He walks beside him and away from their friends, letting out an breath he had no idea he was holding in.

His previous relief over having 20 minute periods is gone because it means that lunch approaches much faster than usual.

Summoning the storm yet again, he exits Ancient History behind Tony and Steve.

"Oh god, this is totally going to suck," Tony says. "I have to talk to him. I have to get him to take you back-"

"I broke up with him," he says, and Tony and Steve turn to stare at him. "Yes, I broke up with him." He glances his familiar form moving down the hallway with Brian. "No, I do not want to take him back either."

"B-but?" Tony snarls. "No! Loki, please! You can't do this to us!"

Having no time for Tony Stark's melodrama, he walks to the cafeteria without checking to see if he follows. He is unsurprised to see Clint, Bruce, and Natasha standing at the doors in wait.

"Loki, how's your day been so far?" Bruce asks.

"Inane does not suit you."

"I'm genuinely curious. It was hard for me since Betty went here too-"

"I could care less about him." He ends that conversation by grabbing a plate and taking interest in getting food over what Bruce has to say. He has no interest in what any of them have to say about the topic because it is one that only Loki can decide upon.

His friends seem to think otherwise, and he means all of his "friends" though he would not call all of those who sit at their table his friends in the same sense that he calls Bruce and Natasha friends. They are acquaintances that Loki is connected through by mutual friends and classmates, not close enough for Loki to even consider their opinions on the matter.

Clint offers him a sheepish smile when he sits down at the filled table, betraying his part in all of this.

To say it resembles his first day would be an understatement since they have realized that the lack of space can be remedied by pulling up chairs and crowding so close that personal space seems to have escaped their minds just as the concept of minding their own business has.

"How joyed am I to see you all," he says. "I was not the only one involved in the relationship. Thor was as well."

"Yeah, but he won't talk to any of us," Pepper says. "I've tried over five times. Each time, the conversation starts off normal until I mention your name then he looks at me as if I did something."

"He does the same to me," Bucky says. "I got right to the point, and I was sure we were about to duke it out for a minute, but he went to his next class instead."

Thor's tactic of ignoring them is doing nothing but creating curiosity.

"I'm sorry," Pepper says before she starts to cry, and Loki rolls his eyes, James giving him a look as he pats her shoulder. "If I wouldn't have made you tell, you two would have never gotten in that whole weird break thing. You two started to split apart after that, and it's my fault."

Tony shouts "ow" when Loki pinches his side. He should learn to keep his mouth shut if he wishes to have bruiseless skin.

"No, it's… it's mine," Gwen says from beside him. She sighs. "I should have never kissed you. I don't-"

"Do not apologize for that." He looks her straight in the eye. "You were not at fault for you were emotionally vulnerable and discharging your grief through other avenues. A simple kiss is not what broke us up."

"Then what?" Clint asks. "Dude, you've got to give us something."

Loki stands. "I owe none of you anything. I owe no one anything." He glances at Natasha. "Are you coming?"

She stands, wearing a small smile. "Of course."

As they walk out of the cafeteria, Loki realizes that Natasha knows. Of course Natasha knows as she has skills of deduction that could get her a very lucrative career in espionage, and Natasha is not too busy asking questions to simply sit back and put the pieces together. He is unsure if she had an inkling of the cause of Thor's recent behavior, but he wouldn't be surprised nor hold it against her. Thor is the golden boy. One would not expect something so low of him.

"Who was it?"

"I don't know," he replies as they reach the locked door of Psychology. "I am more than sure that it is no one that goes here."

"HYDRA, maybe?" Natasha shakes her head. "No, Thor wouldn't do that. He hates them too much."

And Thanos would have had no problem informing Loki if his mistress was of HYDRA creed.

"I know it's none of my business, but can I ask how are you feeling? I know you're on edge, but…"

"I am as good as I can get for a boy who has just discovered his boyfriend was seeing someone on the side." Loki exhales, listening to the footsteps of his peers in the distance. "The boy kissed him, and he didn't immediately push him away."

"_Eto uzhasno_." He speaks no Russian, but he hears the tone of her voice.

"It is."

A line of students separate them as they wait in the hallway for Dr. Strange to unlock the door, and Loki tries not to dwell on the familiar sensation of Thor's presence not three feet away. He shouldn't care.

When the door opens into all-too-familiar darkness, everyone enters the room with sighs of resolve, and even in the darkness, everyone fortunately finds their seat with ease.

"It's like even Strange wants us to get to the bottom of this," Tony says, and Loki takes his ear buds and iPod out. "He sees that it's fate for you two-"

"Tony, please, stop with your meddling," Steve says. "I understand. It's hard, but it's none of your business no matter how much you think it is. It's their business how their relationship is defined. If they no longer fit, who are you to try to force them together? You can invent many things, Tony, but you cannot invent love."

Loki keeps one ear bud out to listen to Tony's rebuttal to that fantastic piece of reason from Steve.

"I can synthesize it, okay? I know what it's like. I love you, Steve. It's a great feeling. I want my best friend to feel this feeling too. Can I be blamed?"

"Why attempt to force an unwanted feeling, Stark?" Loki asks, gritting his teeth, and he taps a song, the audio obnoxiously loud to the point where he can hear every single lyric from the dangling ear bud. Thor is listening whether he wants to pretend he isn't or not, and he is going to hear every single word and know just what Loki means.

"Oh, I like this song," Pepper says. "I find the ironic analysis of antiquated cultural expectations from the modern female's point of view to be one of the best in contemporary pop, and Kimbra has a totally good voice too."

"Kimbra?" Peter says from a table over. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I know who that is."

"Who?"

"'Somebody that I Used to Know' girl."

"Steve, that was almost our theme song," Tony says. "Now, 'Marry You' is."

"Get a room," Wade says. "So much gayness. I can hardly take it."

"There are only like… two gay couples here, Wade," Theodore says.

"No, you forgot the two gay gods over there."

Ah, somehow Wade has not been informed of the recent events of his and Thor's non-relationship. Loki sits back and waits for someone to bring him back into the loop of the informed and smirks in the darkness, imagining the look of anxiety on Thor's face.

"Wilson, no one told you?" Tony makes an enraged sound. "Okay, I'm Loki."

"No, you-"

"Shut up, Barnes, I'm doing this for the sake of theater, okay? 'Ooh, we called it off again last night, but ooh, this time I'm telling you, I'm telling you. We are never ever, ever getting back together. We are never ever, ever getting back together. You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me, but we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together.'"

He chuckles at Stark's use of a trite pop song with zero effort lyrics because however ridiculous it is, Loki does empathize with the enraged tone of the song's narrator. If he had terrible taste in music, he would perhaps employ it as his temporary theme song.

"Oh, you two broke up then."

"Duh, Wilson! Loki, this fucking isn't funny at all! You're sitting here blasting your asshole music about fucking heartbreak making you dance. What in the two bat shit fucks has happened to the guy who was in love like yesterday?"

Loki grins. "He died with the relationship, Stark," he replies before putting in the other ear bud.

Heartbreak will make him a dancer. He will not let it bring him down because he is no longer blinded by his light. He can finally see, and he missed so much in his rays.

Charles gives him a look devoid of emotion when Loki sits down, and Loki continues sneering at everything and nothing at all for the rest of the period, meeting the same cold eyes when he stands up after the 20 minutes of class. He thinks of asking him what he has done, but he doesn't actually care.

He does care that he has to spend 20 minutes sat next to Thor in Earth Science, and Thor seems to feel the same way, glaring back at Loki when he goes to take his seat. By dismissal at 10:50, Loki can only think of Thor and the mixture of pain and hurt he feels because of him. He is so weak, and he must rid himself of this weakness as soon as possible.

Eradicating everything that Thor has gifted him is fairly easy though the idea of throwing out _The Tamerlane_ over a failed love affair is preposterous, and Loki takes care of it being in sight by depositing it into a safe box at the bank during his spree of errands.

He is almost ashamed with how much of his closet space has become occupied with clothing gifts from Thor who oh so loved to treat Loki like his human doll. In some regards, Loki was his doll. He fulfilled his carnal needs when the other boy probably couldn't be bothered, and he was so eager to bend to Thor's will when it came down to it.

No longer will Loki be someone's doll. If anything, he will have his own doll, and with the inquisitive looks he gets from men and women alike as he shops, it will not be hard at all. He does not have to lift a finger to do much other than beckon them, and his allure will do the rest.

"Loki."

He turns around and sees Nal standing there with a blonde woman in a tight leather jacket that pushes up her cleavage. He can see that she is a model, so it is only reasonable to guess this is Nal's old flame. "Nal."

The woman steps forward and pulls him into a hug, the edges of her jewelry pushed into his skin. "I am so happy to finally meet you. Nal was telling me that he reconnected with you, and John was talking about how much like him you are."

He steps away from the woman… Millicent Collins? "I am happy to inform you I am nothing like my uncle."

She giggles while Nal simply stares. "Well, I'll leave you two to talk." She presses a kiss to Nal's clothed shoulder. "I'll be near the leather jackets."

When she disappears, Loki says, "You have a thing for companions in leather jackets," with a smirk.

Nal crosses his arms. "Thor told you. I am surprised that he did it after all of this time."

"If he didn't, I wouldn't have ever found out."

"I'm sure you would. Perhaps from the boy he's been 'seeing.' It was only rational for me to keep tabs on Thor when he began to disappear for extended periods of time unaccounted, so unlike the altruistic boy I met. I take pride in the fact that my own actions brought upon the end of the Odinson's thrall upon you." He begins to smirk, and Loki's heart races. "I would have told you if I weren't so sure you would believe me to be lying after my first suggestion. As I told you, Loki, I do not make mistakes. It was premature to think that I had failed when I have clearly succeeded."

Oh how he wishes he could feel anymore betrayal because it keeps piling onto him with each word that comes from his uncle's mouth. More and more revelations and Loki barely has the emotional capacity to properly react to them.

"Do not be so emotional, Loki. You have been saved for an impossible relationship as your mother agrees. I have to state my amusement over her overreaction. It was just as I told you, was it not? I am never wrong, Loki. You have learned that the hard way."

"She's pregnant," he says, unable to say anything else.

Nal cocks an eyebrow. "She is? Hm, I will have to look into that."

"I despise you."

"I need not your love to perform my duties as your guardian, Loki." When Loki's brow furrows in confusion at Nal's seemingly cryptic words, Nal's eyes smile though his mouth remains a smirk. "Your mother has been keeping this from you as well, it appears. I am surprised she did not inform you that in the event of your father's death, his rights of parentage were transferred to me though my own powers were secondary to those of your mothers. In light of recent events, your mother has given me primary power over your affairs. She and I both agree that it is the right course of action."

His uncle has finally taken his father's place though he is but a pale imitation of the true shadows and cold looks that Laufey was. His mother did not even think to consult him on this, and the fact that his uncle was one of his guardians is another one of the pile of secrets his mother is keeping from him. With time, they are shown to Loki, and as he gets toward the bottom, he is afraid of what he will find there.

"I must fetch my dear fiancée," Nal says. "Oh yes, Loki, I have tried another attempt at marriage. I will see you on Wednesday."

Letting out a sigh of resolve, he goes home, noting the absence of any other vehicles, and he sits in the afternoon June air and attempts to enjoy the rest of his day. An invitation to Tony's sits in his phone, and after earlier, Loki's unsure if it will be a session of "Question Loki." So, he can only enjoy this while it lasts: the calm, the solitude.

Solitude. In more ways than one, Loki is solitary, and it's the first time in months that he's free to do what he wants without romantic consequence. As a teenager should, some would say, but Loki has had a taste of togetherness, and it is addictive.

He pulls himself together and takes his things inside, changing into a new outfit because he can and because he wants to.

"You are magnificent," he says to his reflection, and he means it.

Tony lets out a frustrated sound when he opens the front door, but Loki ignores it. "You look pretty and different. You changed clothes. Who have you got a hot date with?"

He smirks at him. "You, of course," he replies. "Did I not get invited here by you?"

"Psh, yeah, shut up."

Natasha nods him a greeting, and Bruce waves at him.

"We're going out to see a movie!" Tony exclaims, falling into Steve's lap as If he's just fainted. He sits up and pulls those stupid sunglasses from his pocket. "Hangover Part III bitches!"

Engorging on popcorn and other unhealthy snacks doesn't do much to ease the tightness in his chest, but it replaces it with a feeling of disgust for everything sugary. He waves off candy when offered by Natasha and settles back to watch the debauchery unfold on the screen, finding himself laughing at parts that should make him roll his eyes at their simple-mindedness.

They go to a restaurant after the movie as Tony and Clint sing breakup songs about girl power, and the rest of them send the wait staff apologetic looks as they hit a particular high note in a song with the words "freak the freak out" in it repeatedly. Steve murmurs, "VICTORiOUS," when Loki opens his mouth to ask. He doesn't ask what that is.

"Hey, Yoga Boy." Malcolm stops in front of their table, grinning. "Ah, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. It's nice to see you to as well."

"'As well,'" Tony says with a frown, and he sends Loki a look across the table. "Looking nice, Malc. Like a Dalmatian or Neapolitan ice cream." His attempt at intimidating is so terrible that everyone sighs.

When Loki invites Malcolm to sit down, he ignores the looks he gets from his friends and listens to Malcolm's words, learning the things that he's never gotten to ask Malcolm: he's 22-

"Loki's turning 17 in a few weeks," Bruce says.

He sighs and grins. "So, you're 16."

"17 in six weeks, so I'm practically 17 already," Loki replies. "Also, I am a Swedish citizen. The age of consent is 15 there, not that it is important..." He does not blush because of his implication that the age of consent matters for whatever their relationship is to become.

"It is 16 in Scotland," Malcolm says before continuing. He has recently become a teacher and has several degrees in several fields of science, one in particular, biology, piquing Loki's interest. He's also single.

"Wow, so is Loki," Bruce says, smirking into his burger while Clint and Tony murmur under their breath and jab their food with more force than necessary. "Like since yesterday actually. It's like fate."

"One man's fate is another man's probability." Malcolm smiles and sips his drink, giving Loki a look that makes him feel guilty though he shouldn't. "Well, I must be off, Yoga Boy," he says. "See you at the gym, hey?"

"'One man's fate is another man's probability.'" Tony frowns. "I hate that guy. He's got stupid hair and a weird accent."

"He is Scottish, Tony," Steve says. "He probably thinks we have weird accents too."

"He actually likes my accent," Loki says without thinking, and he gets four looks of worry and one of happiness, the latter belonging to Bruce. "He asked me about it the first time we met."

He cannot dwell on the past for a moment longer. He must move forward now, fighting his way through the vines of emotions dangling in front of him, and his machete has been sharpened.

"Loki," his mother says when he enters the house. "Where have you-?"

"I do not report to you, Mother." He toes his Converse off. "My uncle is my guardian now."

She frowns at the ground. "He… told you."

"Yes, unlike you, he does not wait too long to tell me things. His intentions are clear however sociopathic they are." He stops on the top stair. "Be sure to know that I no longer answer to you while I am here. My grandmother and grandfather both plan on travelling this summer, so I will be out of your hair as soon as I can."

"Loki, I did not-!" His door shutting cuts off her words.

Pulling his headphones on, he turns on _Random Access Memories_, the copy he downloaded himself, and blasts it as he stares up at the ceiling and contemplates the sorry state of his life. He is allowed a period of angst after all of this, and everyone who says otherwise can go "fuck themselves" as Stark would kindly say.

He is woken up by a knock downstairs, and when he doesn't hear any other footsteps, he gets up to get the door himself. Things have changed a lot, have they not?

In the course of one opening of the door, Loki's worst nightmare and his best fantasy comes true. It's as if someone has taken his original impression of Thor and split it into different bodies, adding a few superficial differences for a laugh. If only Loki thought it was funny too.

"I do not remember Cousin Thor being as beautiful as you," the brown-haired one says, and he brings Loki's hand to his mouth, lips brushing over his knuckles. "I am Balder, and you are-"

"Loki," one says, Thor with an air of maturity. He steps around Balder and shakes Loki's hand. "I am Hoder. It is nice to meet you. Is Uncle Odin awake?"

He shakes his head. "I am unsure." And he doesn't care.

"Whoa, you are polite." A Thor clone down to the eyes—his hair is brown—steps forward and pulls Loki into a hug. He's gentle. "I am Bragi, and I apologize for ruining your slumber. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"We have just arrived and you are already mothering him," an exact clone of Thor says, but the gruffness of his voice and irritated look on his face differentiate him. The orange knit cap on his head reminds Loki a lot of the people that frequent the streets of SoHo. "You, new cousin, are you going to regard me or give me a hug?"

Loki's brow furrows. "Are you going to command me or give me your name?"

"Oh, snap, Vidar, he's going there." A black-haired twin of Balder steps through the threshold. "Hello, Loki. I am Tyr."

"They are twins," Bragi says.

"He has working optical circuits," Balder says, and he turns a smile on Loki, one so full of arrogance that his smug tolerance is almost overloaded. "Loki, I see you are clearly gay, no offense intended." As if that takes away the offense.

It is quite easy to distinguish them all from Thor now that he has heard them speak. Thor—the one he thought he knew—would never say something like that within moments of meeting someone, and Loki has a great feeling that Balder is not only doing this for this occasion. That smirk is one of his past, one that graced the faces of his attempted torturers and peers who thought Loki was great fun to taunt.

"Your attempts to poke fun at him are not funny." Another black-haired boy enters, a few inches shorter than the rest of them but exactly Loki's height. His hair is cropped short like Hoder's, but as a proud owner of black hair, Loki knows dyed hair when he sees it. "I am ashamed to be your brother."

"We feel the same," Tyr and Balder both reply, and Loki gives the boy a look of sympathy.

"I am Loki," he says, not offering his hand, and the boy doesn't seem to mind.

"Hermod."

"Aw, are you two having a moment?" Vidar asks. "Bragi, cook up that feast I know you are planning. Loki has not eaten, and you see that he could use the meat on those bones of his."

"He's lithe," Balder says, and he does not need this boy to defend him. "It suits him."

Hoder cocks an eyebrow. "Let us not congregate here. The kitchen will be better suited for talking."

Balder takes Thor's seat, shoving Tyr from the stool beside his—Thor's stool—and turning an expectant look on Loki.

With great dread, he takes the seat beside him, feeling entirely too small in this room of gods. As he has said before, the Odinson genes breed giants, and though none of them are quite as tall as his uncle, their presence makes them feel just as imposing.

Bragi works at the counter with incredible speed, adding ingredients to bowls like a seasoned veteran. Is it another Odinson trait to be so perfect?

"You look like you have not slept in days," Hoder says as he sits down across from Loki. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Yes, I noticed the pallid tone to your skin as well," Bragi says. "You are free to go back to sleep, Loki. We will be sure to save you some breakfast."

He does not want to go back to sleep. It is only a temporary escape from this world he has spent too much time running from. Loki is fighting, goddammit, and the words of very attractive men will not convince him to do otherwise.

"I'm fine."

"That you are," Balder says, and Tyr throws an apple at him, Balder catching it and taking a bite. He turns to Loki as he chews with a smirk, and Loki looks away in disgust. "Do you have a boyfriend then?"

Why he is asking this, Loki is unsure, but he really doesn't want to answer.

"Oh, please, Balder, save it," Hoder says. "I understand that you have recently gotten over a relationship, but there is no need to get involved in the personal affairs of others. You were so adamant about your brothers and us staying out of the picture, and we did. When you began gallivanting around with girls, we did not say anything then. You should extend the courtesy to Loki."

"He is calling you promiscuous," Tyr says.

"A whore is what they call that here in America." Vidar chuckles. "America, the land of the free."

Balder shrugs. "You are one too."

"I never said I was not, did I?"

"Cousin Thor has graced us with his golden presence!"

Loki does not turn around, simply staring down at his hands.

"Hermie, you really did not have to go wake him up."

"Yes, I did."

"And I was not asleep anyway," Thor replies, and the hair on the back of Loki's neck rises as he approaches.

"What was keeping the golden boy up?" Tyr takes an apple from the dish. "Blinded by his own light?"

"How have you been, my cousin?" Hoder asks. "It appears that you have not slept well also."

Vidar snickers. "Wonder if there is a cause in there. _Gossip Girl,_ Dan and Serena?"

He feels himself brightening because he gets that reference well, but the fact that Vidar, a hipster frat boy, watches _Gossip Girl_ catches him off guard. Their family manages to defy stereotypes.

"Oh, Vidar, please." Bragi sets a platter of meatstuff in the center of the island. "Thor, you look absolutely terrible. Are you sure that you are okay to be awake? I suggested the same to Loki as well. You two are exhausted."

Loki could not feel more energized, emotionally that is. He does not care that Thor isn't sleeping because that is no longer a problem of his. It stopped being Loki's problem along with the other things that no longer were of any concern to him the moment those words left his mouth.

"Move."

"Nope." Balder grins. "I am the guest, Thor. I have precedence."

"I have sat there the entire duration of our move," he replies, and the all too familiar edges of anger seep into his voice. "It is therefore my seat. Move."

"Find another!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Bragi circles around the counter, and Loki finally turns to see him pulling the chair from beneath Balder's ass, Balder easily catching himself. "Neither of you will have it. Do not argue over petty things, you imbeciles."

"Rude!" Balder crosses his arms. "I am an idiot, not an imbecile."

"I am neither," Thor says, and he shoves Balder's shoulder. "You are both."

"You are still an asshole," Vidar says, and a chuckle escapes Loki's mouth before he can stop himself. "It looks as if your step-brother agrees. I cannot imagine the horrors you have subjected the poor boy to."

No, he cannot, and Loki wishes he were in his shoes.

"I wonder if he likes to humiliate him as much as he loves to do us," Tyr says. "Loki, tell us of the wrongs Thor has committed against you."

"His existence is a major one," Balder says. "You know, I am going to ask this question one last time: Loki, do you have a boyfriend? I am curious. You are family now, and I like to get to know the significant others."

With the opportunity to make Thor feel even worse, he is going to make Balder think that he has won this battle of query. "No, I do not."

"Really?" Bragi sets another plate on the island. "You seem like an amiable boy."

"He is 22 years old, and he sounds like a grandfather," Vidar says, pointing at him with his thumb. He grins. "I bet you are thinking 'How is he his brother? He's so dashing and stylish and awesome.' The answer? The same one to how the hell we are all related to Thor: fucking fate."

Hermod comes to stand beside Hoder with a sigh, pulling his hood over his head and having Bragi turn around to pull it back down.

"Hermie, already feeling down in the land of the free?"

Loki gives Hermod a look of understanding. He cannot imagine having to spend eight days with them, let alone 365. Hermod is as free to angst his life away as Loki would do the exact same in his place though a few murders would have occurred along the way.

"I am always feeling down."

"Boo-hoo, cousin," Vidar says as he mocks crying, and he is exactly as Loki imagined Thor to be: an asshole, a bully, incredibly attractive. The Hipster aspect is an extra trait that contradicts Vidar's shown persona. "You whine more than an infant."

"I do not whine. I share my feelings how they are," he says, and he straightens up with a sigh. "I am going somewhere you are not."

He has the right idea with getting away from the lot of them. Such a great idea, that Loki sees its genius and decides to do the same.

"I have school, and it is 4:00." He stands up from the stool. "I am going to go to my room."

"Yes and do get some sleep, Loki," Bragi says. "Thor, it would do you good to follow suit."

Thor pulls his hair back into a tie, and Loki tries not to stare at his exposed neck. "I am to go for a run with Fenrir."

"Oh, your hound?" Tyr enters the room—Loki didn't notice him leave—with Fenrir following close behind. "He is a beauty. Hm, Fenrir, what a name." He turns his gaze on Loki, and the knowledge there is evident. "Loki, is this your dog?"

For such hulks, they have a keen sense of observation which Loki has already grown to resent, and though they are no Nals, it's strong enough to do the necessary damage.

"No," he replies, "it's Thor's."

"Wow, so lovely, hm? You named a dog after your step-brother's mythological child." Tyr smirks. "Lovely Loki gifted Thor a dog, his favorite kind of dog."

"How romantic," Bragi says, and Loki swallows. "I have done so for past girlfriends myself but—oh, I-"

"Even Bragi sees it!" Tyr shouts.

Balder takes a hard bite of his apple and sends a glare at Thor.

Hider sighs. "You two are together... romantically?"

"Sexually," Vidar says with a snicker.

"How unfortunate. Loki said he had no boyfriend which means-"

"They are broken up," Balder says. "Oh how sad is that? Cousin Thor's golden hues could not keep our Lovely Loki, could they?"

No, they could not because they were never truly golden. They are marred with splotches of darkness, and Loki has only just seen them, unfortunately after he fell in love with the golden boy.

"When did you two head to splitsville? How long ago?"

He turns to leave. "It feels like forever," he replies before going off to begin his morning routine.

They are so transparent with their pretending that everything is fine. Everyone can see past their expressionless faces and see that below the title of step-brothers there is something stronger, something raw, something broken.

He stands under the cold spray, watching as his skin tints blue from the loss of body heat, so much like the way it did after that time in the river.

What would have happened had Thor not literally breathed air into his lungs, Loki does not know, and he doesn't allow himself to think about that as Thor's past actions will not make up for the wrongs. He will be forever thankful, but his forgiveness is mutually exclusive.

Thor walks up the stairs covered in sweat and strips his shirt off, Loki stopping in his tracks. He sighs before he looks up and notices Loki, and the two of them just stare at each other for what feels like an eternity.

Two days ago, Loki would cross the distance between them and pull him down into a harsh kiss, and Thor would pick him up and go to ravish him as Loki so direly wants—would want.

That would have been two days ago, but today is today, so Loki breaks eye contact and goes into his bedroom without another glance backward.

He lets out a large exhale and sits heavily on his bed, droplets falling down his chest and disappearing beneath the tenting towel.

His heart beats so wildly at the thought of its breaker, blood rushing to his lower limbs, and rage follows the shame of his attachment to someone so wrong. Rage mingles with the blood until Loki is gritting his teeth, the hand around himself too tight and too rough as if mimicking the one of his betrayer.

"I hate you," escapes his mouth when his heart skips a beat and his hand becomes sticky. Shutting his eyes, he repeats the words as he regains his composure. "I hate you so much."

The hate is what drives him to dress his most salacious. One zip of jeans tight around his hips and legs, an undone button on a silken shirt, and he faces the perfected hatred in the mirror, leaving his bedroom satisfied.

"Whoa, look who is the prettiest thing since Leonardo DiCaprio in the Titanic," Balder says, changed into athletic wear.

Loki feels his presence behind him as he bends down to tie his boot. Blood does not rush to his face when he feels a crotch pressed flush up against his ass, the jean not cushioning what lies beneath the fabric. It's impressive, which rules out a lack of size in one place being substituted in overinflated ego. Balder is an Odinson-

"Loki, have you been paralyzed?" he asks, the amusement in his voice obvious. "Or do you enjoy your current position?"

He stands up and pushes a smirking Balder away from him. "I would prefer it if it were someone who was not a narcissistic hulk of testosterone and 'smell how much more manly I am than you' cologne."

"Oh, you smell my manliness? Would you like to see it?"

He glares at him, sliding his sunglasses on. Jokes about Loki being gay and liking pretty males are old news.

"This is where you say 'deal with it,'" Tyr says as he pulls Hermod down the hall behind him.

Hoder and Bragi bound down the stairs in athletic wear, and a quick glance around reveals that this is either his greatest fantasy come true or a test of his self-control. Perhaps it is both.

"Where is Cousin-?"

"I am here. Hold your shouts, Bragi." Thor descends the stairs, changed into his usual blues and reds, and Loki stares at him from behind the protection of his shades. How can he still seem so golden in a sea of treasure?

The familiar concoction of rage-fueled lust starts to flow even after Loki has taken care of problem, his effect is still strong, his body betraying him.

"What are we doing?" Hermod asks. "Why can I not go to sleep?"

"For a run, cousin. We are in America, so we are to enjoy the scenery," Bragi says. "There is no difference from running the woods as you enjoy to."

"I am alone and away from people."

"That sounds absolutely amazing," Loki replies. "I should take your advice later."

"Ha, ha, so funny," Tyr says. "We will miss you."

Only the fact that they leave out behind him makes him doubt whether he will return to a ruined house.

"So, six Thors?" Natasha says, and she laughs! "Well, that is quite a dream come true for most people with good taste in men."

He frowns at her. "They're all different than him though. It's a lot to take in. They've managed to make this impression in two hours, Natasha. They arrived at 4:00, and it was 6:45 when I left."

"Since you and Thor are done, and you are looking for answers, take this as a way to find some. Imagine, they have all known Thor since they spent much of their childhoods together. You could learn why he's the way he is."

"But I know that already," he says, pausing to answer Mr. Wagner's question. "Odin is a terrible father who pushed Thor to be what he wanted him to be, and his mother's positive influence died when she did. There is not really more to it."

Tony, on the other hand, literally jumps for joy when Loki lets the fact that Thor's cousins are in town slip in Chemistry. "Oh fucking man, I bet they throw damn good parties. You know Swedish people are the Australians of Asia, right up there with Finland! I am coming over, Laufeyson, and I am going to befriend the Odinson clan! They will accept me as their own!"

"No one will ever accept you, Stark," Erik says. "You are unacceptable."

"Gee, thanks for making me feel so wanted, Lensherr. You're hatin' because they hate you by default. I'm sure Thor-eo's filled them in on the little thing that didn't really go on between you and Loki. Nope, I haven't forgotten. Bet you thought I did."

Why, oh why weren't his words true all of those months ago? If he had fallen in love with Erik, things would have turned out much differently, but his respect for Charles would have probably interfered with any pursuit of a relationship with Erik. There is also the teacher-student aspect of that. Then again, Loki has not upheld many social conventions, has he?

"Six Thors? Yay," Bruce says, and Loki lets out a bellow.

"Banner's hatin' too."

"I am," he replies. "You all know how I feel about Thor. I never trusted him, and I am not surprised that Loki broke up with him."

"I thought you saw their love!"

"I also saw his badness." He sets his tablet aside with a sigh. "Loki, you don't have to tell me what happened now, but know that I'm here to listen."

"You want a reason to yell at Thor," he replies. "I'm not sure if I want to give that to you."

"If you tell him, you have to tell me by default. We're a package deal. Science bros, okay?"

In Study Hall, Loki tells Clint of the new occupants of his house, unsurprised at the reaction he gets.

Clint tries and fails to stop grinning. "I wanna play rugby with them. They'll flatten me like a pancake."

"And that's a good thing?" Bruce asks, and Loki and he share an exasperated look.

Steve only nods and asks if they are interested in sports after Loki tells him, and Loki sighs because he is the only one who sees the terribleness in this situation he has been forced into.

"Six yous!" Tony shouts when they spot Thor in the hallway. He holds his arms above his head as he gives an unfounded look of excitement. "Six mother fucking yous!"

Thor cocks a brow, but he uses his brain. "You have heard of my cousins' arrival."

"Fuck yes, I did! Holy shit, dude, this is so awesome! This is my dream, okay? So many hot men around me." He lets out a dreamy sigh. "Now, if there were six Steves, damn would I never ever leave the house or do anything remotely productive. Loki, don't know how you didn't die right there on the spot."

"I wondered the same thing," he says. "Attraction dilutes with knowledge."

Steve's brow furrows, but he doesn't say anything.

"Today, you better sit at our damned table, so I can get the dish on your cuzzos."

Thor finally looks at Loki. "I am unsure if that would be a-"

"Bruce and I need to talk," Loki says, and he walks away from the three of them.

He nods Bruce a hello when he steps into line behind him and tries not to dread the impending lunch though it could be much worse. A full day of school would be the worst.

A simple remedy would be to sit beside Bruce, but Loki will not compromise with Thor. He owes him no compromise, so he takes his normal seat, lips giving a quirk when Gwen comes to take Thor's usual seat. It seems that some problems solve themselves.

"Stacy, GTFO," Tony says as he sits down, and Loki doesn't spare a smirk when Thor sits down on the other side of Steve. "We're back to normal."

"What is normal, Tony?" Loki asks. "Gwen, you will stay. Tony's opinion on the matter is invalid."

"Psh, the fuck it isn't!"

"Shut up, Tony," Natasha says. "Gwen can stay. Gwen is a better tablemate than you will ever be."

Gwen giggles. "Um, thanks."

Loki's phone begins to vibrate in his pocket, the call from Home. "Hello, Mother?"

"Hey, I am not that feminine," a newly familiar voice says. He's distinguishable from his twin by the obvious cockiness in his every word though Tyr is no modest mouse. "You told me I was manlier than you earlier, which means I am pretty manly."

"I was referring to that overly expensive cologne you douse yourself in, Balder."

"But I am so manly, correct? You are dainty, but you are evil too. The evilness contributes massively to your manliness, Loki. I bet the girls are so disappointed you prefer the meat."

"Why are you calling me?"

"Your wonderful mother said to call to ensure you are here for tonight's dinner. Oh, Loki, I had no idea you were so into eating with others. What about family?"

He pulls the phone away from his ear to inhale. "Tell my mother to consult my uncle," he replies. "Do not call me ever again."

Someone laughs in the background.

"Shut up, T. Lovely Loki-"

"Goodbye."

"Was that one of the six Thors?" Gwen asks.

"Obviously," Bruce says. "Did you see his reaction? He didn't want to talk to him at all. I wouldn't want to either."

Thor frowns at him, and Loki beams.

"My feelings are finally shared by some other sane individual!" He blows a kiss in Bruce's direction. "Bruce, I fear that you are my sanity mate. We both share the same sensibilities but have no physical attraction to each other."

Balder does not take his advice on never calling him as the second call comes a few minutes into Psychology, Dr. Strange's strange ways of teaching—or not teaching—proving to be convenient for once.

"So What" plays loudly from his ear buds and to the people around him when he pulls them from his ears, and Loki does not attempt to turn it down.

"Balder, do not call me again," he says before hanging up.

"'So What,'" Tony says with a frown as Loki puts his phone on the table in the event Balder does not listen.

"It is a nice song. I share her sentiments," he says, hitting the ignore button.

By the time he is getting into his car, he has over 50 missed calls all from Home though Balder has spared him the hassle of leaving messages in his voicemail.

"Lovely Loki!"

He slams the door, bounding up the steps to shove past him and into the house. "Do you not understand the concept of 'not calling' or is your skull so thick that simple ideas slip past you?"

"Calm down, calm down. I was trying to talk to you, get to know you, but you are being antisocial."

"I am antisocial, you imbecile!" He sends him one last glare, baring his teeth when he gets a wink in return.

When Loki goes up the stairs, he's surprised to see Hermod sitting on the ground in front of his room. "Hermod, are you well?" he asks as he stares down at the shut-eyed boy.

Hermod pushes himself to his feet. "Yes, I was waiting for you," he replies, opening his eyes.

He invites him into his room rather awkwardly, and he blames that on the fact that the darker version of Thor is the one being invited. He has self-control, but it's still strange to have someone both familiar and foreign in his sacred space.

"You have quite the liking for green," he says as he turns in a circle. "It is too… bright for my tastes, but better than many alternatives." Loki isn't expecting him to sit on the ground and can only stare curiously. "The color does not matter. This place is sufficient for my comfort. The air is full of solitude and perfect for my needs."

He circles around to Hermod's front and sees that he is in a lotus pose. He lets out an exhale because he is simply meditating. He thinks Loki's room is peaceful enough for that. In some spiritual way, he's flattered.

He sits across from Hermod, thinking that joining him for a session could do some good for him. He has only meditated alone in the past, but Hermod's spiritual influence could calm down the anxieties inside of him. Gods know that he needs all the serenity he can get.

Hermod's fingers come to interlace with his as Loki's mind begins to settle, and it stirs up a few paranoid thoughts that he quickly pushes away. He steadies his breath and tries not to think about the fact that they are holding hands or the softness of them. Hermod knows what he's doing, Loki knows that much, so he can trust him with this.

It comes to an end without words exchanged, and Loki opens his eyes at the same moment that Hermod does. A strange feeling goes through his stomach, and he starts to feel the all too familiar beginnings of guilt when he hears snickers at the doorway.

Tyr and Balder snicker into each other's shoulders while Thor stands with his head cocked to the side.

"Ooh la la," Tyr says in a mock French accent, and Balder falls to the ground in laughter.

"That's what they call it here in America," Balder says. "Spiritual sex."

"Not everyone's life revolves around personal pleasure," Hermod says as he stands. "There are those of us who are enlightened."

"What? Like you standing in circles and chanting to the gods?" Tyr asks, and Hermod takes a step forward. "Someone's angry!"

Hermod pushes past Tyr and leaves, Tyr turning his head to say, "You going to go find an oak and pray to it?"

He feels the anger swell inside of him and clenches his fists. An image of Christer Sarsgaard standing over him with a sneer flashes in his mind. "You have no right to mock his decisions!" Loki shouts. "Degrading them only causes him to resent you!"

Balder and Tyr's identical eyes both narrow, and it's as if Loki is seeing double as they pull themselves to their full height. "We jest!" they shout.

"Hermie knows that we love him!"

"Do not make such assumptions when you have little to no proof!"

He does have proof, and though that proof is anecdotal evidence, said evidence has been gathered within 12 hours, 12 hours in which he has discovered how annoying and irritating they both are. That alone is enough proof, just as Thor's decision to withhold this "someone else's" existence is enough proof that they were not merely friends, and the kiss they shared was not a kiss one shares with friends.

Loki knows kisses a person shares with friends such as the ones that he has shared with the "friend" granted entry by Balder. "You didn't lie for once!" Tony shouts, gesturing to Balder and Tyr. "Wow, you didn't tell me there were twins! Thor 1 and Thor 2!"

Bragi stands in an apron, a bowl in his arm. "Hello. Who are you?"

"Wow, Housewife Thor!" Tony steps forward to stick his finger into the bowl, but Bragi moves away with a startled look. "Wait, sorry. That was bad. Forgive me, Mrs. Thor?"

"Tony, please," Steve says, crossing his arms and glancing from Odinson to Odinson.

Balder claps him on the shoulder. "It seems we have another jester among us in…"

"Tony Stark."

"Starkson!" The twins proclaim. "Who is this with you?"

"Steve Rogers," Steve says as he shakes their hands. "And you are?"

"Tyr."

"Bragi."

"Balder the Brave." Loki rolls his eyes at that one.

"Shut your mouth," Tyr says. "Correction, Tyr the Toughest, Hottest, Best Twin."

"What are you doing here?" Loki asks, grabbing Tony's arm and pulling him into the living room. "What are your intentions?"

"To meet the six Odinsons, duh. What do you think?" He leans in. "You think I'm trying to get you and Thor back together, don't you?"

"I know you are, Stark, and if that is what you are here for, leave. This is more than your stupid need to 'correct' things. My mother and Odin are also aware of our relationship, and both of them disapproved. You stating your approval will not change what has happened."

"Then what has happened?" Tony shouts just as Thor and Vidar come up from the basement. "Whoa! What in the f—there's two, Loki! There are two Thors. Do you know what this means?" He turns to Vidar. "What do you think of Loki?"

"He's gay." Vidar and Balder should be brothers with their fixation with Loki's sexuality.

"Aw, shit! Why won't god let you have Thor, Loki? Why not? Why?"

The notion that Vidar could serve as a replacement for Thor in any other way besides appearance is almost as laughable as Vidar's answer.

"Who are you, puny boy?"

"P-puny? Oh no-"

"He's Tony Stark," Steve says, and when he offers his hand to Vidar, Vidar simply stares at him. "I'm Steve Rogers."

"Vidar," he replies with a small smile. "Do you happen to play hockey?"

"Who has arrived—oh, Tony Stark and Steve." His mother's presence makes him yearn to leave though he allows himself to be corralled into the dining room.

Bragi sits beside him at dinner while Thor sits next to him as usual. He somehow makes eating annoying with the way he cuts so properly and sits his napkin on his lap. Nal was probably like him when he was younger, too prim and proper to function normally.

"Farbauti, when did you learn Loki was gay?" Balder asks, and yet again he starts discussion about what brand of sex Loki likes. Why does he care? He's some straight hulk who "fucks bitches" and "gets money" as Johnny often says.

His mother pauses and sets her fork down. "Balder, I apologize, but why does this concern you?"

Balder smirks and leans forward on his elbows. "If I wanted to date him, would you mind?"

Thor turns a sharp look on him as if he cares.

"Balder, please, save this for another, more appropriate time," Hoder says, "and you will do no such thing. You are well-aware of his impending status as your step-cousin and legal step-brother. You are one for holding up traditions, are you not? Also, you are not gay."

"Balder, what motivates you to say such things?" Bragi asks. "You are being crude."

"I am jesting. You are all so tense, so I felt that some comedy was needed."

"I did not find that funny," Thor says.

Loki chuckles because it is kind of funny if he squints his eyes and sticks his fingers in his ears. "I did," he says as Tony murmurs under his breath.

Hermod stands. "May I please be excused?" he asks, and he is granted leave.

Yet again, this boy holds the greatest ideas underneath that dyed hair, and Loki takes another leaflet from his book though he does not ask, simply standing and leaving without permission he doesn't actually need.

He goes down to the basement, sitting down beside Hermod. He is the only Odinson Loki can tolerate right now though with Balder's attempt at comic relief, he will count him as half tolerable.

Hermod lifts the remote and changes it to _The Regular Show_ as if sensing Loki's likes. "You do not have to live with them 365 days a year. Be thankful for that."

A shiver runs down his spine, and a few minutes later, too many footsteps echo off the stairs.

"I challenge you to a duel!" Tyr shouts as he power slides to the plethora of consoles below the screen. He wrenches open the glass and holds the game case to _Dance Central 2_ above his head. "Brother, you shall lose!"

Balder throws his flannel over Hermod's head. "You say that now, but I know better. I am older-"

"By five minutes!"

"-and stronger!"

"Harder, older, faster, stronger?" Tony asks, sitting beside Loki. "I'm going to see what I'm getting myself into before I try to play. Steve, you can go ahead."

"No, I want to… watch too." He stares pensive at the twins, and Loki cannot believe he is taking this so seriously.

Everyone but his mother, Odin, and Hoder join them to watch this spectacle, and when they both settle on "Rude Boy," their choice is bemoaned by all of the other Odinsons for a reason Loki is slightly curious to see.

Within moments of the song starting, he discovers that another shared trait is a proclivity for dancing. They move in sync, making comments about how easy the dance is throughout, and when there is a tie, they spout taunts at each other before launching into "Toxic." There is no tie this time though Balder wins by a matter of 200 points.

"It's my hand!" Tyr shouts. "You know my bad wrist is terrible!"

"Perhaps if you stop breaking it, it will not be so terrible," he replies, patting him on the shoulder. "Who is going to go against the champion?"

"I am!" Tony pulls Steve up with him. "Showing him how we do it in America!"

"Boo!" Tyr shouts. "Show them, brother!"

Balder barely manages to "show" Steve as Steve keeps up effortlessly, the two of their scores continuously rising atop the other's. Tony's use of freestyling when there is no freestyle keeps him deep down in the hole, and he is last place to no one's surprise.

"Good game, Steve," Balder says as he shakes his hand. "I only beat you by a thousand points. That is the least I have ever beat someone who is not my blood."

"Is that a challenge?" Vidar asks. "Are you saying that Loki cannot beat you by less than 1,000?"

Of course he has to be dragged into this debacle. At least his nose is not stuffed full of uncomfortable gauze. He can only imagine the taunts he would get from the Odinsons.

"I choose the song," he says, standing, and Balder does something completely unnecessary: removes his shirt, but Loki does not react with nothing more than a sigh. "I am not taking off my shirt too."

"Whatever suits you, Lovely Loki."

He will not let Balder get to him with his childish words. He is simply a hulk who likes to mock Loki, nothing more and nothing less.

"'Only Girl (In the World)' oh, trying to tell me something?"

"No, I would have chosen a song with the word 'kill' in it." He rolls his neck as the song loads, feeling Balder's and another's eyes hot on his body.

Because Loki is Loki, he does not spare sensuality in his movements though he figures his natural grace is a major part in how easy it is for him to slip into a role of seduction and high confidence. He adds a few movements into the dance though not taking it as far as Tony and still remains tied with Balder, whose eyes meet his various times throughout the dance.

"Oh, look, we tied," Loki says in mock shock. "Zero is less than 1,000, is it not?"

"A tie means nothing. We will play again."

"I get to choose the song again of course."

When he stops on "Milkshake," Tony lets out a loud groan.

"Is there a problem with my song choice?" he asks, and he makes the mistake of turning around, seeing the familiar darkness in Thor's eyes that makes his own bodily temperature increase a few degrees. He looks at Tony just as he and Thor make eye contact, Loki cursing his poor self-control.

"No, do whatever you want," he replies, and Steve's eyes betray that the thoughts running through Tony's head also run through his. Why can't Loki have fun? Do they want him to mope?

As the song loads, Sigur Ros comes from behind him.

_They're_ still in contact even after all of this, and Thor lied about their kiss meaning anything. If he knows this boy wants him and continues to talk to him, he has to feel the same. Thor is no idiot as much as Loki often thought he was when they first met. He is not foolish enough to think that they are merely friends.

He grabs Balder's flannel from beside Hermod and slings it around his neck, smirking at the surprised look on the shirt owner's face. "Pay attention," he says as the dance begins, and Loki performs the Come Hither motion with the seduction he usually reserves for one boy, a boy who betrayed him.

Now, it's for no one.

At the Dip & Wind, Balder misses the step while Loki dips down as deep as he can, Balder's eyes glancing at him.

"You're losing," he says as Balder tries to close the gap he created.

And no, it is not too much when Loki tilts his head back and mimes along to the last "warm it up." It is neither his fault that Balder misses the last move because he is too busy staring at Loki as he brings the sleeve of his shirt up to his nose and sniffs.

"Smells like narcissism and masculinity," he says as he turns from the screen. "An aroma all too familiar to me."

"How could you lose?"

Balder gives him an angry look as he sits down opposite him.

Loki sits forward and pulls the oversized flannel on, being swallowed by another Odinson's clothes. He is going to make him feel as uncomfortable as he can, all the while making Thor watch to see the products of his actions.

He does not give Balder his shirt back and has no intention to do so anytime soon, slipping the purple shirt over his nude form after showering. Purple has never been his color as it is Clint's or Erik's, but he likes the way it makes his eyes look: threatening.

"Can I have my shirt-?" Balder pauses in the doorway.

"Do you not understand knocking either?" Loki asks as he sits on the edge of his bed. "I could explain if you wanted."

"That is my shirt."

"We established that fact a few hours ago when you took this shirt off your body, which makes it safe to assume that it is your shirt. Now, it is on my body, but we're still in understanding that it is your shirt." He pulls his legs underneath him. "Do you want something?"

"Yes!" he shouts. "I want my-"

"Balder, what are you bothering him for this-?" Thor stops in the doorway beside him. "That is his shirt."

"Wow, you Odinsons are the brightest bunch."

"Give me back my shirt, okay?"

Loki stands up with a smirk. "If you want it so bad, you can have it." He goes to stand in front of them, bringing his fingers to the top button.

"Wait-"

"Loki, you can have his shirt."

He undoes the top button. "Are you sure?"

Balder stares down at the ground and nods.

"I hope to keep it. I like the way purple looks on me."

"Your eyes, they look-" Thor stops himself, and Loki turns a hard look on him. "I agree."

"Not that your agreement matters, but thank you. Balder, it is your shirt. What do you think?"

"Gay—I mean, it is fine." He exhales. "I will see you both in the morning."

Loki stares at himself in the mirror and waits for Thor to say something.

"I know what you are doing."

"You do? It's good that one of us has good observational skills because I have been lacking them for… two months, correct? Yes, two months of me being blind to the obvious truth in front of me," he says. "I was right back in the record store, but I was too stupid to see that. I should have known. You are as flawed as the rest of us."

"And I told you this."

"A week ago, right?" He clenches his fists. "Leave."

"Loki…" Thor sighs. "As you wish."

"I _wish_ so much for me to stop loving someone who—I wish for this to end already! Two more days until summer vacation when I will be free from this prison!" He goes to the door, staring at a stone-faced Thor. "I wish for you to go to college already! I hate you! I hate you so much!"

He slams the door and forces himself to sleep off the fury.

Senior Skip Day could not have come at a more convenient time as Loki wants nothing more than to distance himself from Thor, and without him there to serve as a reminder to the reminders in Loki's head that he was betrayed, he actually gets through the school day without incident.

Tony's attempts to get Loki to "see reason" are easy to block out like the reminders that constantly run through Loki's mind at any mention of love or even the color gold. It does not help that five-sixths of his cousins share the same last name, and his friends have taken a liking to boys they have not met, only heard about through Tony's praise and the text messages between Steve and Vidar about athletics.

The lack of most of the senior class and a few other non-seniors means class is fairly nomadic, a taste of what it will be tomorrow: the last day of school.

At the end of the school day, he goes to return to Erik's classroom alone as his friends elect to participate in the game of extreme dodgeball Coach Logan is hosting, letting out a sigh of resolve at what his life has become. Only one more day of compulsory schooling until September.

"He is all yours!" Charles shouts as he shoves past Loki, face red and teeth bared.

Loki watches the back of his sweater with a furrowed brow before entering the classroom. He is unsure of what he will find, but he is surprised to see Erik standing behind his desk with a box of supplies in his hands, not new supplies since Erik sets a metal paper weight from his desk inside it.

"What happened?"

Erik bends down and picks up a paper airplane, wings bent courtesy of Stark, and he crumples it. "My transfer to HYDRA was accepted. Unfortunately, Charles and I do not see eye to eye on many essentials such as the fact that HYDRA will always be the better option for me. I share a similar outlook on educational standards and academic ideals. It was a matter of time before I accepted it."

"You're leaving?" He frowns. "Wait, you and Charles broke up?"

He gives Loki a neutral look, the corners of his lips quirked. "Yes to both. It was bound to happen when Charles realized what he had gotten himself into." Erik touches his shoulder, briefly squeezing. "I am happy it was after you arrived. The relationship that we have established is not one often stumbles upon with students."

"I am special."

"That you are," he replies with a chuckle, "and not modest either. That's a good thing, believe it or not. Modesty has made men soft."

Loki tucks a piece of hair behind his ear. "Why?"

"Because I need to do what is best for me. I gave you that advice, Loki, with this in mind. I have fought the battle and now it is time to return home. The place that I have called home has never truly been home, but HYDRA is where I belong. It's where I have always belonged."

"I took it, Erik." He steps toward him, placing his hands on his shoulders. "I am fighting now. I am fighting hard, and Erik, it's hard. I almost failed, but I…"

"You will succeed. You are a winner, Loki." He puts a hand on his head and tilts Loki's head onto his shoulder, Loki wrapping his arms around Erik's midsection. "I apologize on Thor's behalf. I don't know what he did, but I have an idea, and as I told you before, I am on your side. If you ever require the help, know that I am merely across town." His lips touch Loki's forehead. "You also know my address."

He wants to ask him to stay, but Loki is not selfish enough to try to deprive Erik of something he direly needs. His need was the truth, and he got it too late. He would never want that for Erik.

"They'll appreciate you," Loki says as he watches Erik depart from the classroom. "They'll love you more than they do here."

Erik chuckles. "I know."

The last words Loki may ever hear from that mouth.

What will Thor say to him before he leaves? Will he even say anything at all?

What will Loki say? Can he muster enough courage to even talk to him without devolving into a self-pitying rampage about Thor's infidelity?

Oh gods, what he told Thor, things he truly didn't—doesn't mean.

He's running after Erik, catching the man just as starts down the front stairs. "I hate him! I hate him so much, Erik! I just hate him!"

He's pulled into another hug, Erik's smell easing the burning in his eyes and nose.

"I know what it's like to hate someone you love, Loki, and it's hard. It's one of the hardest things a person can face, but Loki, I can't help you with this." He pulls away from him, picking up his box of belongings. "This is something that you have to decide for yourself. If you want to forgive, Thor… it's your choice, Loki, and no one else's. You have to be strong."

Loki nods though he is still at a loss. What is he to do?

"People make mistakes, Loki." He glances up for a moment. "I know you will make the right decision."

What is the right decision in the first place?

The drive home is spent mulling over the impending choice he must make, one he was sure was already made when he discovered Thor's hidden truths. He should have known that even breaking up with someone would not be any easy feat for him.

"Loki, hello, how are-?"

He slams his bedroom door in their faces, shouting that he is occupied anytime he hears footsteps near his door. He paces angrily for an undeterminable amount of time, or at least until he is too caught up in his thoughts to hear the door open and looks up to see Balder standing there with a smirk.

"You have finally noticed me. It seems you only recognize golden presence." Loki does a once over of him and notices that he's changed into athletic shorts and a t-shirt with a band name he doesn't know. "Are you going to change, or must I force you?"

Loki considers getting stripped down by Balder, and it does not end well in his mind, so he banishes Balder and dresses himself in his yoga gear. He may not be as strong as they are, but he is much faster and much more agile.

"You have managed to pull the dead from his grave!" Tyr shouts as they descend the stairs, Balder's hand still hot around Loki's wrist. "Shall we depart?"

The sky is purple with the upcoming evening, but Loki decides his sunglasses are in need anyway. He has to protect himself from the possibility of his defenses failing, and the opening to his soul is his eyes.

"Where are we even going?" he asks as they begin to walk, following behind their brother and two cousins.

"To join your peers in their show of celebration of adulthood," Tyr says.

"Central Park." Hoder gives Tyr a look. "The seniors of your school have congregated there for evening games. Tony Stark and several of your friends, who somehow acquired means of communicating us, have extended the invitation."

His friends are almost creepy with their obsessions, but their obsessive tendencies have proven to be helpful in the past. Now? Loki is simply annoyed with their inclusion of some of the most exasperating people he's met in their outings.

A large crowd of similarly-clothed SHIELD students stands around a section of the park, seniors shouting directions at underclassman and other non-SHIELD people staring from their places on the outer perimeter of the area.

"Cousin Thor!" Tyr shouts as Thor reaches them, a red bandana wrapped around his forehead. "How has your day of ditching been?"

"Fine," he replies, putting a hand on Tyr's shoulder. "And how has yours been?"

"Oh, someone is happy enough to pretend that his cousins' are more than pawns in his game of life." Balder continues smiling when Thor sends him a narrow-eyed look. "Our day has been marvelous. I did not have to strip Loki through brute force, so that is a victory."

"You know you are sad about that," Vidar says as he walks up with an orange bandana of his own on, and he and Thor are wearing the same shirt. Cute. "You want to know what made him so much more worthy than the rest of these poor humans."

Thor gives Vidar a hard look, and Loki would laugh if it weren't a possibility for Thor to choke Vidar.

"Vidar, do not go there," Hoder says with a dismissal wave. "Let us go join the festivities."

Clint appears from nowhere and starts to talk to the six—Thor fortunately disappearing—of them at a million miles a minute, the word "rugby" recurring in his sentences multiple times.

"Calm down," Natasha says. "I'm sure they want to kill you with pleasure."

"Kill him?" Bragi chuckles. "I would do no such thing."

"I did not say I would not," Vidar says with a wag of his eyebrows. "Clint, let us go talk about this murder I will commit."

Natasha takes Loki's hand and pulls him down to an unoccupied bench. "So, you heard, hm?"

"I didn't hear." He catches a ball and throws it back to Luke. "I saw. We talked. He told me. I told him. He left."

"That's a whole lot of information right there. I've never been more informed in my life."

Loki pulls his hair back into a holder. "I really don't want to talk about… anything right now."

There is no time to talk with the activities Loki occupies himself with, accepting challenges to races from students who believe he cheated at the marathon, recounting his tale of his Mathletes victory to eager ninth and tenth graders, demonstrating just how flexible he is after someone who suspiciously sounds like Balder shouts that he should.

He lands into the split with a smirk, and Thor stops at the head of his group of friends, halting their progress and staring at Loki. His small smile remains on his face, but he refuses to meet Thor's magnetic gaze as he stands, ignoring the astonished sounds he hears from his observers and going to sit with Gwen.

He feels indifferent to it all, but it takes his mind off of things.

"Hey, Foster, help me with this shit," Johnny says, dropping a box of bandanas on the ground. "Stark, you get fucking red, here's blue for Rogers-"

Tony groans. "Give me blue, Storm!"

"No, little Stark. What you gonna do? Can't beat the damn storm!" He sneers as he sets a blue bandana in his hands. "Lok-master, you get blue."

"Loki, trade me!"

"Don't!" Johnny looks between them. "If you trade, you're out. I'll tell punk bitch von Doom. He's serious about this organization crap, little bitch he is. I bet he could take you, Stark. Nerd fight."

Gwen ties her orange bandana. "Why can't I be blue?"

Johnny takes a blue bandana and puts it on. "Blue team is best team. Better luck next time, Stacy."

"Teammates!" Balder shouts as he waves around a blue bandana.

No.

Wait, yes?

Balder picks him up with one arm and slings him over his shoulder. "My gods, you are like a feather. You are just so… tiny and small yet you are so strong and tall. You are not human, my dear Loki."

He adjusts his clothes when he's set back down next to a rope lying on the ground, one of the four tied together at the center as if forming a cross. One look at the quadrants on the ground and Loki knows just what he has gotten himself into.

"Superior genetics is what I call it," he replies.

Steve steps up next to him, and Johnny stands in front of him.

Loki listens as Victor explains the rules—"The objective is to get members of the other three teams to step into your quadrant. Whoever does this first, wins."—but he watches the team to their left, the red team where Thor stands in the front, a cocky smile on his face.

"And at my go, you will-"

Rain begins to fall overhead, hard and fast, and Loki's hair is drenched from root to tip, the grass at his feet becoming a sopping mess.

"We're still doing this shit, pussies!" Johnny shouts. "Who gives two shits about a little rain?"

"Storm is right!" Thor shouts. "We will continue unless those of you too cowardly to do so are free to leave. It will not be held again you!"

"Fuck yes, it will!" Luke shouts from his front of the green team opposite their blue team.

"Three seconds!" Johnny shouts, but no one moves. "Doomy, continue talking."

"At my go, you will all start." Victor lifts his hand. "Three, two, one, go!"

The rope is slides through Loki's hands no matter how hard he tries to grasp it, and each step he takes to implant himself in the ground only makes him slide left where most of the pull is coming from.

"Pull!" Balder shouts.

"I am! I'm doing it as hard as I can, but it is too wet for me to hold. It keeps slipping through my palms!"

Balder lets out a howl of laughter, and even Steve chuckles.

"Honestly!"

"I believe you, Lovely Loki, but it's no excuse." A wet finger pokes exposed skin above his waistband. "You're stronger than you look. I felt the muscles."

Loki pulls, his hands finally gaining friction. "Friction, sweet friction," he says with a grin.

"Friction does make things… more pleasurable."

"We should sing a song!" Peter shouts somewhere behind Loki. "I'll start. 'I'm not a girl, not yet a woman-!"

"Pete, shut up," Harry says. "I've got something better."

Steve almost slips on a particularly slick spot, but he regains his balance quickly.

"'I'll tell you what I want, what-'"

"Stop right there, Osborn!" Johnny lets out a snarl and gives a particularly hard pull that almost sends them all falling. "Laufeyson, you choose a song. I don't trust any of these bitches to choose something that doesn't sound completely shitty."

"Balder, you choose the song," he says, pulling a hand away to wipe it on his shorts. "My repertoire consists of break-up songs and songs about girl power at the moment."

When Balder starts to sing a song, it takes Loki a few moments to place the words, and he cannot contain his amusement at his song choice.

"'I want to rock me!'" he shouts. "'Rock me, rock me, yeah!'"

"One Direction, really?"

It catches on among their team quickly, even Steve singing along, and Loki does sing the lyrics he knows as well.

The rain picks up, and people start to fall into the puddles of dirt and grass, sounds of enragement and amusement leaving their mouths.

Loki has the grace of a veteran ballerina, so when he feels himself falling, he knows that it is not his own doing. He catches himself with a bend of his back a la Neo in _The Matrix_ and grits his teeth at the sound of chuckles behind him.

He resents Thor's strength and endurance now more than ever because the red team's front man looks as if he is plucking daisies from the ground, his hair and clothes stuck to his body and outlining the barely flexed muscles underneath.

"I am bored," Balder says after they finish "One Thing." "Hey, Loki, listen to this: 'I don't wanna be loved. I don't wanna be loved. I just wanna quickie. No bite marks, no scratches, and no hickies. If you can get with that, mami come get with me.'"

"Not you as well," he says. "You are into strange R&B music about sex and drugs, too?"

"Too? Oh, Cousin Thor. He is stiff, Loki. I have a feeling that his own selections were tame. Now, let me continue my song."

Loki lets him continue until the last verses has the line "get rocked by this thunder" and puts an end to it, turning a glare on him.

"I forgot," Balder says. "Thor is the god of thunder."

"Yes and I forgot that you were an idiot."

On the green team, Clint and Tyr throw chunks of grass at each other, and on the orange team, the rope is being used to play a game of extreme limbo with Wade whipping the rope around.

A shriek leaves his mouth when he feels air where it shouldn't be and wet hands just above his ass. He releases the rope and pulls his shorts up, thankful that only his ass was revealed to the lucky peers around him. "What is wrong with you?"

"I thought you were falling, so I attempted to catch you. I fell to my knees for better support."

He shoves him by the shoulders and straddles him, intending to actually inflict harm on him until he sees the tiny amount of amusement in this situation. He pulls up chunks of mud and smears them over his shirt as he chuckles. He lets out a yelp when he's pinned onto his back in a puddle, and the water soaks into his clothes immediately.

"Fuck you, Odinson!" someone shouts.

"Fuck you too!" Vidar shouts. "Oh, you mean Cousin Thor! Proceed on your tirade."

"Fuck you, Odinson," Loki mocks, and he brings up a handful of soft mud, smearing it inside Balder's shirt and over the contours of his torso.

"Now?" Balder's eyes flit to his lips. "We could head-"

"Loki, I have come to your rescue." Bragi pulls him from beneath Balder, unabsorbed water pouring from Loki's body, and adjusts his clothes with a contemplating look. "You two are terribly muddy."

"He likes it dirty, cousin," Balder says as he wears a lop-sided smile, and he shakes his head as if he is a dog, drops of water flinging from the brown strands. It's as if he is in a shampoo commercial. "Right, Loki?"

He forces himself to smirk. "Depends on what kind of dirty we are talking about here." He nods Bragi a thanks and starts to walk backward, his socks suctioning and detaching from his feet with each step. A smile comes to his face when Balder begins to start forward at the same pace.

"You two are going to be absolutely dirty," Bragi says with a grin. "Do be careful with him, Balder!"

"Of course, cousin!" Balder charges forward, and Loki bursts into motion, taking large leaps over the slick grass.

He leaves their area and onto the pavement paths of Central Park, ending up on the same trail John made him bike those months ago. The rain picks up until it is pounding the pavement around him before it stops completely.

Loki continues his voyage with a mischievous grin, glancing back every few seconds to see if Balder is still following him. He knows the paths better than him, so he gets to the Northwest corner of the park, losing sight of Balder, and as he turns to go back, his phone begins to vibrate in his pocket.

Loki sits down on a bench shielded by a tree and waits for the person to talk.

"Hello, Loki." That accent, he knows it, but he cannot quite place it. He simply knows that this is "Lightning," the boy who has something that Loki is unaware he lacks. Perhaps it is something as stupid as the accent. Loki could talk in a Mediterranean accent if he tried.

But he will not because he doesn't care what Thor wants in a partner anymore.

"Why have you called me?" he asks, frowning. "Do you also wish to steal my time?"

"No, I have called to talk," he replies. How is that accent even remotely attractive? Loki sound far better. "How have I stolen something still in your possession?"

"You managed quite well the past few months, haven't you?"

Lightning sighs. Even his sighs sound "exotic." "Thor and I are merely friends."

"Thor said the same thing, but he felt the need to hide this 'friendship' from me. You two should talk this over and see if you truly feel the same. Good communication is key in a lasting relationship. I can tell you from experience."

"We are not in any romantic or sexual relationship."

"But you wish you were, don't you?"

"I do, but my wants do not change reality. Thor has no interest in anyone who is not you, and for that, he is a fool. He is a fool, and he knows it. He does not care because he is okay with being a fool as long as he is being one for you."

"I like intelligent men."

"Thor is intelligent, do not doubt that, but romance is not one of the extensive subjects he is learned in."

"Extensive subjects of which cheating is included." He stands. "You taught him all about that," he says, and he ends the call just as a grinning Balder walks up to him.

"I found you," he shouts, but Loki is already walking backward down an alternate route back to their area of the park, breaking out into a run when he hears Balder's footsteps accelerate.

He lets out a shriek when Balder captures him around the waist, his shriek quickly dying down into a chuckle. He allows himself to rejoice in the sensation of his strong grasp for just a moment before he starts to realize just what he is doing. It is unfair to himself to pretend that this is anyone but Balder, especially _him_.

"Cousin, I have come for the initiation!"

Cold water douses him from above, but Loki does not shriek. He wrestles from Balder's grasp and looks around to see Vidar chuckling and running from him, exchanging a high five with his accomplice Clint.

"Oh, are we to get revenge?" Balder asks, and Loki responds by grasping his wrist and dragging him along.

He goes to a group of ninth graders in charge of balloons and other inflatable wares and asks for the largest balloon they have, getting it without question. He allows Balder to pull him to a giant puddle, satisfied that he is helping him however suspicious his motives are.

"He should not have ever messed with you of all people," he says, kneeling down on the other side of the puddle. "That blond is going to temporarily go brown, is it not?"

Loki holds up the now filled balloon with a smirk. "It is," he replies, and it will be Vidar's fault when his hair is a mess of muddy water. He should know that Loki is not going to let him get away with that without consequence.

He spots Vidar from across the lawn and tests his shoes for any slipperiness, batting Balder's hands away when he attempts to offer his brand of assistance—which makes no sense as touching Loki's ass is not related to getting vengeance on Vidar. A student moves out of the way, leaving a clear path to where Vidar stands with his back turned to Loki. Oh yes, this is going to be fun.

Chuckles of mischief leave his mouth as he bounds to him, and he launches himself onto his back, wrapping one arm around his neck and holding the other over his head as he bursts the balloon. He starts to tell Vidar that he should never mess with him when he realizes that this back is too familiar to be Vidar and the bandana around the blond head is not orange as Vidar's is but red.

Curse the Odinson resemblance.

He can only freeze from his place on Thor's back. He got Thor instead, but he does not feel anything akin to guilt or regret. It only means he will have to get Vidar another time, which is only inconvenient.

Loki slides from his back, a large Loki-shaped smear of mud on Thor's back. He got himself wet again, but it's worth it. "At least it is only your back," he says, and his gaze doesn't waver when Thor turns to look at him. "I thought you were Vidar. I do not apologize."

Thor pulls his shirt off, and all of the blood in Loki's body goes for vacation down South.

"Nope, I still do not apologize."

"Your team lost," he says as he drags his shirt across his chest, those abs, those beautiful, firm pectorals-

Loki clears his throat. "I blame Balder. He feels that seeing my ass is more important than beating you."

"_You_ never had the chance to beat me," he replies, "though you had the chance to beat our team. We are both aware that I am not equally matched by anyone here."

"You have accepted your cockiness. How attractive."

Thor glances behind him as if he is finished with this conversation. "You seem to think so."

"I think that Balder has nice hands," he replies, not bothering to look down as he tucks himself under his waistband, biting his lip at the sensation of the spandex. "They are quite strong and big. I like them better when they are wet."

Thor's eyes find his, narrowed. "My cousin is straight."

"He is?" Loki begins to walk backward. "I had no idea."

Balder's behavior clearly has a goal, and Loki is not naïve enough to think that he is simply being friendly. His family members may think he is straight, but Loki is more than sure that Balder is flexible on the scale of sexuality, currently leaning toward the male side. Is it truly wrong if Loki takes advantage of this when Balder has implied his want of what Loki may be willing to offer?

Loki is single as Thor is, and Thor did not think his relationship status was a problem in pursuing some side relationship.

"Loki of the lovely type, how has life been treating you?" Tyr asks as he slings an arm around his shoulder. "My brother's antics caused your team quite the upset."

"You and Clint were throwing chunks of grass and mud at each other. You two could be blamed for your team's loss."

"You are jesting. We provided the necessary help before deciding that entertainment was needed. Also, Clint is fun to throw grass at. He has good aim as well."

"Loki, hello, how are you?" Vidar beams at him. "You enjoyed your impromptu shower?"

He bends down and grabs a chunk of dried mud, letting out a victorious laugh when it hits him in the neck. "As you will enjoy the one you must take later, Vidar."

"Party in the USA" begins to play and a collective cheer goes through the congregation in the center of the park.

Balder pulls Loki to his side, a glow stick raised above his head and into the rapidly darkening sky. "We must celebrate our time in this country!" he shouts to Tyr, and Tyr nods.

"This is a party in the USA, is it not?"

"Fuck yes, it's a damn party!" Bucky shouts, and he and James share a high five.

"Land of the free!"

Loki chuckles and shakes his head at the strange sight of people waving glow sticks around as they shout song lyrics intermixed with their own personal praise. He refrains from the shouting and singing and tries his best to live in the moment without letting his mind stray to the presence he can feel feet away from him.

A dance battle of sorts forms in the center, Hermod looking like a skater type as he and Peter pop and lock . His angst seems to only go as far as where his family is concerned, which is good because Hermod is a very, very good dancer. Yet another Odinson trait Loki has discovered.

Tony finds him, and like the amazing friend he is, pulls him toward the center of the congregation. "This is your chance to show Thor what he's missing. Some really good make-up sex could result, Mischief. I want you to get some good make-up sex."

No make-up sex will result from this, but Loki is going to show Thor what he is missing, what he gave up by lying.

Tony starts doing an interpretive dance intermixed with dips and skips, but Loki watches him at the edge of the circle, waiting for an appropriate song.

"Oh, Lovely Loki, going to break it down?" Balder asks as he comes up behind him, another presence next to him.

This is an opportunity to display just how easy it will be for Loki to get another in Thor's stead.

"I need a volunteer," Loki says as a 3OH!3, the band Clint has unfortunately introduced into his music library, comes on, and he turns to look at the two Odinsons. "Balder, come."

Thor gives his cousin a look of warning, but Balder doesn't notice, following Loki.

"I challenge you to a battle," he says as they reach the empty center. "You lost, but I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself."

"I will redeem myself very well."

He puts a hand on Balder's shoulder and sways his hips as he drops down to kneel in front of him, and Balder's hips thrust just inches from his face. Loki stands with a smirk. He thinks he is so funny, but even the funniest boys are no match for what Loki can do. He turns, pressing his ass flush against Balder without warning, and smirks when Balder gasps.

Balder's hips move behind him, Loki swaying his own hips.

At the last bridge, he turns and mimes along with the lyrics, staring Balder in the eye throughout the blunt declaration of knowing how much the other person wants the singer. He's satisfied at the look of curiosity he gets and even moreso when Balder begins to mime back to him, eyes dropping down below where his hands rest on Loki's hips.

His hands are almost the same size as Thor's.

A bucket of water is poured over their heads.

"You fucking pervs," Luke says from beside Robert.

"Fucking, Loki, what the hell? He's Thor's cousin!" Robert whispers. "Thor who was watching the entire time!"

Balder looks down between them. "You showed me yours," he says, and Loki looks down to see his repositioning has led to an accidental exposure.

He pulls his shirt down over his waistband, not feeling embarrassed in the slightest. He has nothing to be embarrassed of. He's proud of what he wields though not everyone is Thor Odinson.

"So, Little Loki, hm? I do not think that is the proper name though. Perhaps we should call it that for irony." He grins. "I feel sad you are not wearing white. I would see the entire thing."

"What the hell?" Robert shouts. "What the fuck, dude? You're Thor's cousin. You can't talk to Loki like that, all sexual and stuff!"

"On HYDRA snake bitch level right now," Luke says. "Despicable."

Loki smirks up at him. "You said that we should leave earlier. What about-?" He's dangled over Balder's shoulder, his wet hair against Balder's ass. He snickers as he slaps said ass and earns an over exaggerated "ouch" for his troubles. "Luke, Robert, tell Thor that we went home."

"Yes, Luke and Robert, keep my cousins and brothers here as long as you can."

They receive no resistance to their departure, and as they journey home, the world takes a strange haze about it, one that blocks out any negative emotions including the guilt he should be feeling, premature guilt. No, Loki is not naïve, and he knows that a landmark is going to be crossed tonight. Even with that knowledge, he feels no need to try to convince himself that he is doing nothing wrong because if he is, good. He has been far too good as of late. He could use some mischief in his life again.

"We should shower," Balder says, setting him down inside of the bathroom. "We are dirty."

Loki nods but catches Balder's wrist when he goes to touch Loki's shorts, smirking. "No, I am not showering with you."

"We will conserve water."

"Then we will take short, separate showers."

Balder rolls his eyes. "But who will wash the mud from my hair with their dexterous digits?"

"Fine," he replies, "but with our clothes on."

"You cannot be—well, okay, but we must be thorough, okay?"

There are not many things more pointless than showering with muddy clothes on, but Loki and Balder stand in the shower together anyway, foam-covered hands running over clothed body parts and commands exchanged to "move your arm" or "I can do that myself, thank you very much."

Loki lets him wash his hair, letting out a sigh when his fingers ghost over that spot that never fails to get his pulse racing, and he declares the shower done when his problem can hardly be contained by his waistband anymore.

Balder dries his hair, his purple athletic wear devoid of any green or brown.

He lies down on his bed, clothes still extremely damp. He will have to change the sheets tomorrow though he is unsure if it is because of the water or… something else to "come."

Balder goes and turns the light off before reappearing above Loki, standing with a foot on either side of Loki's legs. Half of his body is lit, his eye more black than blue. "'Show me yours, I'll show you mine.' You showed me yours, so now I will grace you with a look at mine."

Now comes the part where he should feel guilty.

"I didn't 'show' you anything. It was more of my shirt moving and giving you a glance of my… Gugnir."

"Gugnir?" Balder throws his head back and laughs. "That's like Thor calling his car Mjolnir. We have never let him forget about that."

"You also pulled my pants down for a laugh."

"Oh, Loki, do not be like that. I didn't do it just for a laugh."

He puts a hand on his stomach. "You also did it because you are a carnal beast."

"Mm, now that's the correct answer. Ding, ding, ding, guess who gets to see-"

Loki sits up on his elbows. "Your 'ding-a-ling?'"

His falls down to straddle him. "You catch on quickly."

It starts off as a soft meeting of the lips, but after they pull apart and open their eyes, they surge forward and meet again halfway.

Loki guides Balder onto his back, using his new position to take control, cupping his hands on either side of his face, but Balder doesn't let him take it all. His lips are skilled, almost too skilled for Loki's tastes, but Loki keeps up, tasting Balder's tongue and feeling the softness of his hair.

Soft hair, soft golden blond—brown hair.

He's pushed back onto his back as Balder straddles him, Loki throwing his head back as Balder settles on top of him.

"I wonder if you do other things as quickly."

Loki bites Balder's bottom lip, one hand coming up to grab a fistful of Balder's hair.

"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do this," Balder says. Balder's hand cups Loki, and Loki moans, opening his eyes to see Balder staring down at him with _his_ eyes. "I can be stiff too. Want to see?"

His hand is moved to Balder's crotch, something warm and hard beneath his touch. He lifts his head as his hands come up to pull Balder's shorts down, and he smiles at what springs out at full attention. Impressive enough for what he wants, for what he needs. He brushes his index finger over the slit, grinning when Balder groans.

"You are so beautiful," he says in Swedish, breath brushing against Loki's neck. "I want to make you cum until you can barely move."

Loki moans when Balder rolls his hips, his free hand coming up to touch his shoulder. His breaths start to come faster and faster with each time he moves, the damp material of his shorts not doing much to diminish the sensation of _it_ rubbing against him. His shorts are pulled to his ankles, and he's grasped by an almost familiar hand, Loki shutting his eyes just to imagine that maybe, just maybe-

"I want you to beg for it."

He runs his knuckles alongside the top of his cock, blinking innocently. "Make me."

Balder chuckles into his neck and presses a kiss there before pressing more kisses along Loki's still-clothed chest.

Loki's heart rate begins to pick up when a kiss is pressed at the joining of his leg and hip. He threads his fingers into Balder's hair as his eyes open, and he stares at the white ceiling, the strange haze gone and the beginnings of guilt slipping into his mind.

He will not feel guilty about this. He is single, free to fuck whoever he wants.

"I am going to make you scream," Balder says as a finger nudges at Loki, and Loki gasps when it slides inside of him with a burn. "You are so very tight. I cannot wait to feel for myself."

The hand on his knee stops him from shutting his legs when Balder's finger presses upward, and he bites the heel of his hand to muffle his moan.

"Scream, Lovely Loki. Let me hear."

A small scream does escape when two more fingers are added with no warning. It's almost too much, but he wants it to hurt. He wants to feel this, to know the differences between Balder and _him_. If he doesn't, he can't trust himself not to shut his eyes and act that these fingers are _his_.

No, these are Balder's fingers, and he hand wrapped around him is Balder's hand.

This is Balder.

Balder, Thor's cousin.

Thor, the love of Loki's life.

"Wait—don't." Loki's hands tug on Balder's hair, the lips leaving his skin and the fingers inside of him stilling. "We can't."

Balder stares up at him in confusion, but he withdraws, Loki wincing.

"You're confused," he says as he brings his knees together, "and I cannot be your experiment." It's a lie, but it's enough for Balder to sit up and away from Loki's wilting hard-on.

"I am sorry. I did not mean for it to seem like that."

"No, it's fine," he replies as he pulls his shorts back up, cringing at the damp polyester.

He lies down next to him with a sigh. "You know we can never tell them about this."

"It doesn't count as sex anyway," Loki says. "We didn't even get to that point."

"I guess that is good then."

There's silence.

"That shower did a lot, did it not?"

"It did," he replies with a smirk. "That was one of my best ideas in a while."

"What has been your worst?" he asks, but Loki only stares at the ceiling. "If I ask you what happened, will you hit me?"

He chuckles. "No, I will only hit you if you say something ridiculous."

They talk, talk about Balder's own struggles however different they are in comparison to Loki's. He mentions his curiosity in the past few months over his changing sexuality and how Loki was the icing on his cake of confusion.

"Are you still confused?" Loki asks, glancing over at him.

"I think I may be gay." Balder meets his eyes. "I am gay."

"That explains things." Helping someone discover they are gay is on his list of accomplishments now. With Balder's reaction to the realization, he supposes it's a good thing because the times that he has been approached by those who were so quick to call him "fag" for a blow job to "test out his fag talents" is astounding.

"What happened between you and Cousin Thor?" Balder asks with a yawn.

Loki takes one glance at him and realizes that he is as tired as he is. The clock displays 2:10, but Loki doesn't recall hearing anyone come inside. Time flies when one is having a heart to heart.

"Loki, come…"

"Pull your pants up," he says as he begins to fall asleep. He's unsure of whether Balder listens until he opens his eyes the next morning and sits up, the perfect curve of Balder's ass revealing that he did not listen to Loki's advice.

He cannot be irritated at that, too uncomfortable in his brittle clothes. What was he thinking by allowing Balder to talk him into getting into the shower no matter the conditions? Well, he did not "allow" him since the boy has two inches of height and hundreds of muscle on him. Those two facts can be very persuasive in the outcome of things.

This outcome, Balder lying half-nude in his bed, is not one he could have foreseen a week ago. None of this could have been predicted by anyone remotely normal, which means that Nal probably saw It coming from a month away.

A month has passed and many, many things have happened during that period of time, leading him up to…

Graduation day.

He lies back down as bile rises in his throat. It's over after today. Loki is no longer bound to be in this house so he can commute to school as required. He is free to roam the world, provided his "guardian" allows him to, and Loki is quite sure that Nal would like for nothing more than him to put distance between him and Thor and him and his mother.

His mother knocks on the door. "Loki, it is time for you to wake up!"

Balder groans and rolls over, Loki getting another show of "his."

"Loki!"

He slips from his bed and stretches.

"That is the best view I have woken up to in days."

He gives him a sarcastic smile. "Get up," he says, but Balder's already standing up, now fully nude. He sighs when Balder pulls the sheet around his shoulders.

"Loki, what took you-" His mother purses her lips. "Why are you still wearing those?"

"I love them oh so much," he replies, careful to stand in front of Balder. "I am awake. I will see you at breakfast."

She sighs. "30 minutes."

"More than I need." He only needs ten minutes to properly shower, and he dresses in ten as well, only delayed by Balder's big show of peeking his head out of the door to make sure no one sees him sneak back to his shared room with Tyr. "He is going to notice you weren't there," Loki says, and Balder shushes him before leaving in a crouched position.

He strips his bed of the sheets and goes off to rid of the evidence of his stupidity. He doesn't go as far as to tip toe around like Balder did but looks around for anyone as he goes down each set of stairs. He is successful until he bent over stuffing his sheets into one of the washers and hears someone come in behind him, _feels _them too.

He shuts the washer and turns to look at Thor in the doorway, muddy clothes in Thor's arms.

Thor goes to move around him as he gives him a strange look, and Loki inhales sharply when he opens the washer to put his own clothes in, Thor's eyes narrowing and brow furrowing as he stares at the sheets.

A few times throughout their relationship, Loki was forced to change the sheets immediately following their activities from the abundance of bodily fluids, and it appears that Thor remembers that well.

"Lovely Loki, I have your sheet—Cousin Thor, doing laundry? I thought that was too plebian for you." Balder throws the sheet into the still open lid. "I will see you both upstairs."

Thor shuts the top lid with a clenched jaw and braces his arms on the washer.

Loki leaves him to fume and sits down in the dining room to socialize with the beloved Odinson clan. He's slightly amused at the look of distaste Bragi gives Balder when he sits down in what has been Bragi's seat the past few nights of dinner.

Balder turns to Loki, and Loki's hands come up to collar of his shirt, Balder lifting his chin automatically. "You see something you do not like?"

"You look like Johnny Storm," he says as he smooths it down. "That is not a compliment."

Breakfast is a tense exchange of queries and curt answers, fortunately none of which are aimed in Loki's direction.

He leaves before Thor as usual, greeting by Bruce and Clint waiting for the stairs for him. It's strange to see Clint without Natasha when Natasha is available, which Loki assumes she is, and Bruce's attachment to Betty has led to his absence the past few days.

"Hello, my Swedish friend," Clint says, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "My condolences for your lost love. All of your chances have flown from the door as of today, and I am here to say that it was beautiful while it lasted. I had great lulz from your shenanigans."

He shrugs Clint's arm off and wishes for his sunglasses as the sun is no longer blocked by the school. "You make it sound as if this is something to mourn," he replies. It is, but Loki has done enough mourning in his lifetime. "Today is a day of celebration. It is the last day of school."

"That's what I'm trying to tell Barton," Bruce says. "I came here just in case he tried to channel Tony. Tony refused to come after yesterday night."

Now this makes a lot more sense. He can only imagine Clint trying to convince Natasha to help him, and Natasha telling him how stupid his idea was.

"Good for me," he replies.

In lieu of Erik's departure, Chemistry is spent under Miss McTaggart's instruction, a teacher Loki's seen talking to Charles a few times, and she informs them that her perch is only temporary for another teacher is taking Erik's place, a teacher currently in the building in a meeting with Principal Fury—"Poor dude," Tony says—who they "can't miss" according to her.

"This is the last lunch we will eat with Thor!" Tony shouts as they walk to the cafeteria. "He's sitting with us. I will beat him if he doesn't."

"I would like to see you attempt that," Loki says, and he thinks over Tony's words. This is the last day in school he will spend with Thor until he goes across the ocean for four years.

"Thor, sit!" Clint shouts, he and Tony going to grab Thor's arms. "Sitty sit?"

Thor looks from Brian's table to their table.

"Thor, It's fine," Natasha says, suddenly a traitor. "It's your last day to sit and eat lunch with us."

Even Bruce sighs and agrees.

And so they sit, all seven of them as they have on the days where Thor and Loki aren't hating each other and Harry Osborn doesn't need to escape Peter. Loki sits between Tony and Thor as he has for dozens of days, Clint across from him, Natasha and Clint on his sides, and Steve on Tony's other side.

If he closes his eyes, he can pretend that everything is alright, and he and Thor are together and happy as they could be.

But they aren't, he remembers once he is thrust into the reality of his life, Thor standing to leave wordlessly at the sound of the bell and Loki left to walk with Natasha as he has before Thor and after him. Her support is a constant just as Tony's meddling unfortunately is.

His meddling has reached a new level. Loki discovers the level of stupidity when Tony begins to sing pop songs with ad-libbed lyrics that apply to him and Thor's non-relationship throughout their classes, progressively getting more obvious with his intentions.

"'But you didn't have to cut me off, make out like it never happened and that we were nothing," he sings as they come from English, "and I really need you love, but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough. But you didn't have to stoop so low, dance really dirtily with my cousin-"

"Tony, shut up," Loki says, bringing his hand down on the table. "Shut up for once in your entire life. I have no time for you to try to act as if you know everything when you only know fractions of the whole! You are making it so much worse with your stupid, stupid suggestion that I take him back, and you know nothing!"

"I'm trying to help you!"

"Help me?" He grabs him by the collar. "You are doing nothing but make it worse! Do you truly think you, Tony Stark, can do anything about this? You may build your robots and spend your money, but you cannot travel back in time to stop that 'Lightning' from-" He stops himself. "I cannot remain in your company any longer. I need time to myself."

They give his time alone for the duration of the school day, which is the least that they can do after injecting themselves into the situation between him and Thor. The Odinson cousins even skirt around him as if the loathing he holds for the world is evident, and if it is, Loki does nothing to attempt to correct it.

His time alone lasts until he is sitting on the stairs hours before graduation and Luke and Robert enter the house in a rage sans Thor, turning a glare on Loki as if the world's problems are because of him.

Robert shakes his head and goes up the stairs around Loki while Luke stands at the bottom.

"Care to inform me what I have done now?"

"Oh please, don't play that 'everyone hates me' shit on me," he replies. "I'm tired of skirting around this shit because Thor won't tell me a damn thing. So let's go to it, shall we? Loki, why the fuck did you break up with him? You have my boy moping his ass off now, and he gets fucking belligerent anytime we try to ask him something. It's like one of your damn fights when you were both in denial. You can't fuck it okay, which Robert the Great thinks you should do, so it's something serious."

He shrugs. "I don't know."

"The fuck you don't! Dammit, dude, give me something. You owe me, okay? Remember I told you that Thor wasn't steppin' out on you?"

He stares down at his shoes. "You weren't right."

"Wait, wait, are you saying-? Robert, get the fuck down here!"

"Coming, Luke, Jesus. What happened? Get some info?"

"Loki, tell us. If you're saying what I think you're saying-"

He stands and goes up the stairs. He can't give them what they want as much as he would love to alienate him from his friends. He can't bring himself to tell them that Thor found someone else because it reaffirms that he found someone who had something he lacked.

It's impossible and possible at the same time. Loki has _everything_ that Thor needs, so what can he be missing? He knows him better than most, and perhaps he was wrong in saying that he didn't truly know Thor because of some stupid "fling" he had on the side. He knows him, and he loves the person he knows. He made a simple mistake-

No, he betrayed Loki, and Loki owes no one anything, especially not Thor.

He packs a bag because something inside him tells him to. He is no longer bound to be here. His uncle will inform him if he's to stay, and when he doesn't, Loki is going to go. He has to go and draw his alone time out to the best of his ability. There is no way he can do that here.

Everyone has disappeared by the time he leaves, the only trace of them thinking of him a note in his windshield.

'_Loki,_

_Be there. _

_-Mother'_

He crumples it and throws it in his center console.

He arrives with an hour before the ceremony and strides onto the SHIELD grounds with guns aimed. His eyes are hidden behind his sunglasses though the sky is purple and the sun isn't visible. He has his armor on.

"Loki, hey," Gwen says, falling into step beside him, and he doesn't dismiss her. "Wow, you look… different."

Anger is his make-up. "Thank you," he replies as he opens the door for her. He watches her back for a few moments before following her into Lee Stadium. Perhaps his obliviousness has extended to simple things such as resemblances.

The two of them sit down on a bench in front of the glass balcony overlooking the entrance way of the stadium, watching the friends and family members enter in their formal wear and carrying balloons and bouquets for the graduating students.

His alone time is disrupted by the arrival of his friends who think not talking to him or bothering him is interchangeable with leaving him alone.

Nal and John enter, Millicent on Nal's arm, and Nal stops walking, eyes immediately looking up.

"Creepy," Clint whispers.

He doesn't say anything before tugging Millicent forward, and Nal probably knew Loki's plans even before Loki did. His silence is the permission he needs to do what he desires to.

"Wow, who's that?" Gwen asks, and Loki looks to where she is staring.

The smug boy from the elevator those months ago walks across the entryway, an aura of godliness projecting from him and pushing those from his path. His eyes remain only on the boy a few feet ahead until their twin auras seem to merge and form something so bright that Loki can barely stand to look, the brightness amplified when-

He wraps his arms around Thor's neck and hugs him, leaning his head on Thor's shoulder.

He's _him_.

"_There was someone else_."

This, this person was the other person that Thor felt the need to seek out! He has something that Loki seems to lack, and for the life of him, Loki cannot figure out what he is missing in his construct of near-perfection.

"Who the fuck is that?" Tony shouts, gripping the metal railing.

"Oh, no, Loki." Jane Foster touches his shoulder, having passed by at just the right time. "I didn't think Thor would ever do this." It makes sense that she knows with her crying and sympathetic looks. Jane fucking Foster knew before him.

Thor and the boy… Lightning finally break apart.

"It's nothing," Loki says as he stands.

Loki is staring though he shouldn't be. He should also sit down, but his legs are carrying him down the hall and into one of the stairways and into another hallway and into the entranceway where the two of them still stand.

His anger forms a shield over him body as he takes in the sight of Thor, graduation cap and gown over his arm, looking as if he belongs with this boy that he stands with. He belonged with Loki, not this, this boy who is too bright, too red, too everything!

_Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate _repeats with each beat of his heart.

"Loki, I never had the chance to formally introduce myself," Lightning says with a smile. "I am Zeus Panhellenios."

Loki grins as well. "Well, it makes sense now," he replies. "Zeus is the Greek god of lightning. I should have made the connection there. I should brush up on my Greek history. Thor, you come up with the greatest nicknames, don't you? It's cute. Lightning and thunder."

Finally Loki gets the chance to let his feelings be known, and with this opportunity, he is going to make the most of it. His decision has been made, had been made the moment Zeus set foot on the Central Park lawns, and Thor and his "friend" are both going to know.

"Zeus, you were right in the elevator, but you know that. I lost him before I even knew it."

Thor's brow furrows. "The elevator-?"

"Loki and I encountered each other in the elevator after your first victory. You remember me visiting you that night, don't you? I gave you my congratulations."

The same night that Thor told Loki just what he could do to him and get away with it.

"Thor, you gave me something else that night, didn't you? What did you give Zeus?"

Thor shuts his eyes. "We talked."

"Is that what you're sticking with? Thor, you can tell me if you two fucked. My opinion no longer matters, right? It never mattered even when we were together. We've been over this how many times, and you stick with this assertion that you only kissed. You lied for a while, Thor. It's not far off to think you're doing it again."

"I kissed him, Loki," Zeus says.

He clenches his jaw as hard as he can. Violence will not undo what has been done.

"I kissed him, and he pushed me away."

"You should try again. I'm sure Thor will be ever so eager."

"Thor does not want me."

Loki laughs. "And I do not want him," he replies, glancing at Thor. "I did break up with him."

"I do not regret that he was in a relationship with you," he says. "You do not deserve him. You do not appreciate the things that Thor has done for you!"

Thor puts a hand on Zeus' shoulder, and Loki's heart petrifies just a bit more. He's comforting _him_.

"Look at how cute it is. You two comforting each other just as you comforted him when I needed him the most!" he shouts, and he composes himself, so he can do this, do what he has to do.

He turns to the balcony where most of their friends stand with the addition of his uncle. "Hello, everyone, you are all aware of who I am, Loki Laufeyson, master manipulator, liar, genius," he says, projecting his voice as he knows to. "You are all so very curious as to why I broke up with Thor, so I will give you all the full story with all of the details starting from the beginning.

"I actually 'met' Thor September of 2011. It was just a glance, but I decided that I hated him. May 31st of last year is when he attempted to talk to me for the first time. I walked away because he seemed like another one of those boys: the ones who made fun of my flamboyance and love for the same sex. What's funny is that those boys are the same ones who ever so often offered me casual sex, which I will get to later on.

"I fell in love with Thor September of 2012. The first time he talked to me here, I was in love, but I denied that fact for quite a while. When I realized that I did love him, it did not change anything. Thor did not like me, and he is my step-brother as my dear mother and Odin love to remind us. We also share a sibling now, which made our relationship so much worse than it was according to Mother. When you all see her, congratulate her. Her uterus has not completely failed."

Thor's eyes widen, and the corners of Nal's lips quirk.

"You all know that Thor's going to college in England. My uncle suggested I stay out of that, so I did. We were on a break, and I guess Thor took that to mean go see someone else. How funny, right? I find it oh so hilarious."

Yes, it is so very hilarious that Thor moved on so easily, as if a break meant he could go to do what he wanted with who he wanted.

"Do you all know Zeus? The dashing boy standing next to Thor?" He gestures to him. "It was he who was the one on the side. Thor was seeing him for an entire two months and told me the moment before I intended to tell my mother that I loved him and nothing she said would have changed that. Thor, on the other hand, had the power of love at his disposal. He told me about Zeus, and I broke up with him. Robert, Luke, Tony, all of you who wanted to know why? You know now!"

Nal says something and everyone turns and goes including him, heads shaking and mouths frowning, and Zeus leaves as he shakes his head as well, self-righteous asshole.

Loki throws his head back and lets out a laugh. "Oh, we have lost our audience."

"Ten minutes until all seniors are due center field!" Johnny shouts, running past.

"I will get to the point I made earlier then. Men love to point out my flamboyance, and I have found that these men are so, so eager to be the 'fag' who fucks me. I am young, extremely attractive, and single, so it's not hard to find a suitable man." He grins at a fuming Thor. "I didn't need to look far. For the second time in a year, I have found that the right cock was under the same roof as me."

Thor raises his clenched fists to his face and shuts his eyes. Yes, he is breaking.

"The Odinsons have a way with cock, which explains why my mother has any interest in your father. Balder is my favorite Odinson as of now. Sex without love is the best sex," he says.

"_Håll käften_!" Thor shouts.

"He fucked me!" Loki grins, reveling in the lie. "He fucked me hard, and I loved it. He fucked me until I was begging, begging for him to never stop. He fucked me until I forgot what it felt like to have you inside me." He stops, hearing the tears in his voice.

Thor steps forward and takes his shoulders in his hands.

"He fucked the pain away, made me forget for those moments just what you did to me," he says, Thor falling to his knees. "He fucked me until I forgot that I loved you."

When he meets Thor's red-rimmed eyes, he feels nothing but disgust.

"I will never forget what you have done to me. You have made me weak, and an ocean between us will still not be enough." He steps backward. "I am abandoning you now."

Thor's gaze falls to the ground, and Loki has won the war.

His victory cry is the sound of his footsteps alone, unaccompanied by those who wish to inflict their presence upon him, and his flag remains at the battlefield, a rightfully broken boy kneeling as if a child to a god who has denounced him.

Thor attempted to abandon him that night, but he failed. Loki is succeeding—has succeeded, and he realizes that every battle was a victory on his side. Thor intended to break him, but Loki delivered shots from behind his shields, tripping and falling but getting back up to continue his assault. A simple sword of untruth through the abdomen of golden Thor was all it took to ensure triumph.

Needing a place to nurse the scratches and bruises he obtained during the trips and falls, many places of sanctuary flash in his mind, but they all end up with someone attempting to get him to return to offer aid to his conquered enemy. He pulls onto the highway with white knuckles.

The thought of tactile fingers and blonde hair leads him to a flight desk of John F. Kennedy International Airport with the request, "a one-way ticket to Stockholm," falling from his mouth. He lets out an exhale as the woman begins to scan through the flight list.

"There is a flight leaving for Stockholm with a 30 minute layover in London. Would that be okay?"

Loki turns away from the woman for a moment and inhales, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. "Of course."

It is time to return to home base.

" ho 0X 3 ony cackles, wiping fake tears from his face, and he gets an eye roll for his troubles. "You two were going at it, weren't you? JARVIS said you left at 8:00 p fucking m! Me and Steve have had some times recently, but damn have we never gone that long. You gotta give me your secrets."

He shuts his locker. "Okay. Listen, Tony. First, you must be a god, and second, you must not be Tony Stark."

"Worst rules ever!" Tony shouts after him. "Also, you're welcome!"

Bruce rolls his eyes as Clint retells the story of him dancing for Beyoncé and declares that he is happy to have not missed anything. A look is exchanged between everyone besides Thor, Loki, and Bruce, and Clint informs him that he did, Loki crossing his arms and staring down at his food.

"What?"

"Day-long sex romp," Tony says. "Thor and-"

"You fucking piece of shit!" Harry shoves Peter in the center of the cafeteria. "You asshole!"

"No, you're the asshole!" Peter shoves him back, and Loki feels himself grinning. "You are too up your own ass to see the truth! You are too damn afraid!"

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Being gay!"

Tony, Clint, and Bruce chortle while Thor cocks an eyebrow and turns to Loki, Loki's grin growing with each passing moment.

"How am I afraid of being gay? I fuck you, don't I?"

Yes, Harry's lack of screen has finally come to his disadvantage. The entire cafeteria knows he has had sex with Peter, fucked him, and it is only a matter of minutes before the entire school is aware. Harry has just outed himself, and for being suddenly homophobic, it is what he deserves.

"Holy shit."

Peter shoves him again. "You fuck me? You are a piece of shit, Harry! Why the hell do I love you? You claim to be my fucking friend one moment and only my friend, but you have no problem 'fucking' me. It's just fucking to you, Harry. Fuck me? Fuck you."

Harry seizes Peter by the collar. "You fucking love me because I love you, you dumbass." He releases his collar before storming out of the cafeteria, Peter following after him.

"So that's what got Osborn so pissed at my party," Tony says. "LOL, he's gay."

Loki raises an eyebrow and soon he's chuckling. How such a stupid thing is funny escapes him, but everyone at their table laughs, and it feels quite great.

He feels quite great from Stark's comment until he and Thor are seated across from each other after Thor decides to inform him of a dinner reservation. Loki lets a small smile occupy his mouth as Thor talks to him and absorbs everything he says even if it is inane or obvious. Days like these are the ones he would like to cordon off from the rest of the time stream to relive for the rest of eternity or until the heat death of the universe.

"I wish I heard you laugh more often," Thor says as they walk to his car, his hand on Loki's lower back. "It is an extraordinary sound like no other."

He slides into the passenger seat, Thor closing the door. "If it comforts you, you have heard me laugh more of any other person to exist."

Thor grins, starting the car. "It does comfort me as well as the fact that I am the only one to do many things to you."

"Like what?"

His grin shifts into a smirk. "I have been the only one to make love to you, will be the only one to." Loki exhales at that. "I am your first boyfriend."

"And how do you know that?"

"You hate people, people other than me."

Loki scoffs. "Let's not get more arrogant than we already are."

"Impossible," he replies. "You have told me several times that I am the cockiest person you have met. I disagree though you are an outside perspective."

"No, I wouldn't say cockiest." He gulps and turns to glance at Thor, Thor's light pushing out the beginnings of darkness. "Continue."

"Excluding one, I have been the only one to use several different techniques of sexual gratification on you. Most recently, I have given you your-"

"Shut your mouth," he says, blood rushing to his cheeks.

"Make me." Thor knows what he's doing by challenging Loki, but Loki still accepts the challenge, knowing just how he will win.

He bends over the center console, pulling a hard Thor from his pants. He takes Thor as deep into his mouth as he can, Thor's hips lifting from the seat and one hand coming to rest on his head.

"You want me to crash," Thor says as Loki twists his hands around the rest that will not fit into his mouth. "This is a ploy to kill both of us."

He makes a noncommittal sound around him, and Thor's fingers tighten in his hair. He has not made him shut his mouth yet, so he has not won.

He removes his mouth before rubbing his lips along the underside, eyes staring up at Thor as his one hand massages his balls. He blinks up at him innocently as he feels him begin to pulse. "You shut your mouth," he says, letting his teeth graze Thor.

Thor removes the keys from the ignition before dropping his hands to Loki's head, his eyes shutting and mouth opening in a silent moan when Loki takes him back into his mouth. He doesn't let out a sound when Loki's mouth is filled.

Loki wins.

He sits up, his lips and chin covered with the overflow, and Thor pulls him into a kiss, his tongue coming out to taste himself. When they pull apart, Loki's mouth is no longer smeared with stickiness though a salt aftertaste lingers on his tongue.

"I love you," Thor says, and Loki leans in to kiss him, finding himself stilled by Thor's hands on his shoulders. "Wait, your mother has just exited her car."

His mother holds her phone to her ear, one of her large handbags slung over her shoulder. She stares at Thor's car, eyes narrowed.

Diamond cannot simply be scratched. It has to be smashed with a hammer.

"I am going to tell her," Loki says as he turns to open the door.

A hand catches his bicep before he can push the door open. "Wait, Loki, you should not."

He turns to Thor, and the look of easy contentedness has been exchanged for a guilt-ridden gaze. He doesn't ask why because he can see Thor forming the explanation.

"I have to tell you something." He removes his hand, and Loki's heart threatens to burst from his chest at any moment. Finally he will understand just what Thor has been keeping from him for what Thor called Loki's sake.

"There was someone else."

* * *

**A/N:** Another one from Thor's POV. SPOILER ALERT TOWN: s/9229389/1/SHIELD-Academy-Descend-Rising


	23. Chapter 22

Sigyn Iwaldadóttir: Supportive Comrade!?

The war effort has broken any chance of trusting anyone new, so he settles for devotion. Devotion and faith can act as suitable replacements for trust, and the fallout they leave behind is less messy when one takes a step back and surveys the after effects of each of them.

The surface wounds one would see if they sat down and managed to break past the shields are results of continuous breaches of trust, so naturally, Loki is going to shy away from that until he has finally tired of fighting the outside forces who try to invade his kingdom as an aspirational pirate to a mound of gold and rubies. It will be enough for him during this interval.

It's all he can accept.

And what he requires are the hands of a nurse to tend to the abrasions and scrapes he's acquired, hands comparable or even identical to those of a seamstress, both ever so skilled with needles and threads. A silver needle to break the skin and a thread of support to pull the edges of the wound back together.

His nurse/seamstress gapes at him as if she sees past the sunglasses and into his eyes, and Loki offers his best attempt at a smile though it only pulls at the scabbing wounds he first obtained at "_There was someone else_." "Loki Laufeyson."

"Sigyn Iwaldadóttir," he replies in a voice broken by his screams and shouts from hours ago.

She pulls him into a hug, blonde hair falling out of her messy bun and oversized flannel draped over her shoulders, and it still smells like cinnamon and freshly washed polyester. "My comrade, oh, my comrade. I have missed you dearly," she says in their native _Sveriska_. "You look beautiful as always. The gods have gifted me with the sight of you, have they not?"

He chuckles. "The same can be said for you. You have not changed very much, still uncaring of your hair though the hipster look still suits you. Thank the gods I grew out of that phase."

"You are simply bitter it did not work as well on you as it does on me," she replies, and they both know it's a lie because everything suits Loki. "What are you doing here? Oh, yes, come in, come in."

He lets out an exhale and drops his bag in the entrance hall, glancing around at the familiar surroundings of Sigyn's residence. More than a year it has been since he's stood there, a year since he's spoken to her, and the look of distaste she gives him after a few moments of him standing there reveal that she remembers that fact.

"A year, comrade," she says, "a year and no contact."

"I sent you a message with the information I was leaving. That was in September, which makes it only-"

"Nine months. That is enough time to create a child and birth it, comrade. A childbirth later, you have shown up on my doorstep with a slump to your shoulders and overpriced sunglasses on your face. Ray-Bans, Loki? Gods, you have become a consumerist hedonist like your fellow Americans."

"I am not American."

She smirks. "Hm, we will see about that," she says. "In the meantime, you are to come and join us for breakfast. You arrived at just the perfect time to get some of my mother's cooking into your body."

As he goes to follow her, he hears the sound of feminine chortles, looking up to see seven blondes staring at him. Ah yes, he could never forget Sigyn's sisters, girls who had little problem in harassing Loki both in an attempt to seduce him and to rid of him. School life would not have been the same if he weren't always liable to have an Iwaldadóttir yell petty taunts at him to which he had no problem responding with taunts of equal or worse seriousness. Tears were often shed on their parts.

He doesn't greet them because he doesn't greet people he dislikes.

Freya stands at the stove, humming to herself as he fries pancakes, and she doesn't glance back at him when Sigyn announces his arrival. She makes a noise at the back of her throat before continuing to hum, "Devil's Got a New Disguise" her chosen song this time.

It's good to see she is still as hateful of him as she was. Her wariness of him was an equalizer of her inhuman beauty, he discovered by fourth year. Yes, fourth year she disliked him already, but rest assured Loki feels the same as he always has: eager to make her life difficult.

"Hello, Ms. Njordson," he says, sitting beside Sigyn. "You look beautiful as usual."

She sets a pile of pancakes in the center of the table. "I know," she replies. "What has brought you here?"

"Mother, please, he has just arrived."

"I am simply asking a question, Sigyn. It is curious that Loki has shown up without any prior warning, especially considering the impending marriage of Farbauti. Should he not be in America helping?"

The subject of the wedding is one he cannot escape without total isolation, which he is no condition to get. He can only listen as they praise the known skills of Heimdall.

Loki also helped plan this wedding, so where is his credit and praise? So what, Heimdall happens to be known for his extraordinary intellect and planning abilities! He's a modern renaissance man, so Heimdall's creativity is to be expected. Loki's only 16 and self-taught. He is going to get it sooner or later, and if he must gently remind everyone that he is the artistic genius, he will.

The non-wedding related discussion part is quite hard for Loki with how they prod him with questions he is unwilling to answer, and the queries he does answer are with vague statements that he leaves open for their own interpretation. If they think he is here because he "knocked an American up" according to Var, then so be it.

Sigyn is the one to ask him why he is here in the confines of his room, the one he stayed in during past visits, and Loki deflects her question by asking her a question of his own.

"Why do you still have my clothes?" he asks, lifting a cashmere sweater into the air he wore two winters ago. "I have been gone for a year, and you have kept my belongings."

When she does not answer, he turns to see her sitting on the bed with her knees under her chin, eyes shining. "Loki, you are… One does not simply forget the boy they almost lost their virginity to."

Oh how he could laugh because he can empathize though he did lose his virginity to that boy. He can understand the attachment she feels toward him however fruitless they both know it is as Loki has his own preferences, preferences that Sigyn will never fit into. He has his own attachment, one he hopes to eradicate soon.

"You are also my comrade," she says as she stands. "I do not forget comrades like you."

Comrade, an endearment Sigyn assigned to him early on in their relationship, the relationship established because of Loki's need to display his superiority over the empty-headed peers he unfortunately encountered. Perhaps if Theoric had not decided that the way to prove his athletic prowess on the playground was by climbing atop the swing set and declaring that no others were worthy of four-year-old Sigyn's love, Loki would not have felt the need to prove him wrong. With a bit of charming words and offerings to hold her hand, he became the object of her affections, much to Theoric's disdain. Loki lost interest because of one major problem, but Sigyn did not, and one could say the rest is history. Then again, her current unrequited feelings are not truly "history."

"No, you do not," he replies with a knowing look, laughing when she flushes pink before leaving.

His phone beeps with unanswered messages and missed phone calls before he turns it off.

In the solitude of the bedroom, he lies down and contemplates world peace.

No, he contemplates the recent actions he has taken.

He fought, and he ran after he won. That is a simple way to put it though it is much deeper than that. For now, it works for keeping Loki stable, serves as tourniquet to the wound he knows Sigyn will tend to in time.

Sigyn states her distaste for his attire and picks out an outfit of her choosing from his bag, grinning and shoving Loki toward the bathroom with a promise that the moment he is presentable for public consumption—"Which means clothed, Loki!"—they are to depart and go catch up like "comrades should."

"Satisfactory for you?" he asks as he yanks the shoelace of his boot tight. "I would not want Sigyn to feel me inadequate."

"Can you fault me for liking to dress you up?" She presses a kiss to his forehead. "Come before my sisters feel the need to invite themselves."

That spurns him into rapid motion, dragging Sigyn along behind him. He shoves her into the car with a demand that she drive as fast as she can, three blondes appearing out of the front door the moment the car starts.

Stockholm is just as he left it, sunny in a washed out way and full of people he doesn't desire to know. Shops and other venues he visited during his childhood stick out to him in a way neither negative nor positive, simply stick out. He wouldn't call what he feels nostalgia until he and Sigyn are sat on the patio of a café they frequented from eighth year onward.

"This place is still the same," he says, glancing around at the patrons who are somewhat familiar though he does not know any of their names. He's not going to ask now as he would not ask back then.

"It has only been a year since we have been here together," she replies. "You were a recluse after your mother married that man. I still hold it against her."

"She's pregnant." He watches Sigyn give their usual orders to the server. "By that man."

"Oh, a baby. Loki, you do not seem too happy about this."

He grins. "I am overjoyed, Sigyn. My mother of mere 37 is having a child with a 50 year old man who acts as if he holds the answers to everyone's problems at his fingertips! He is Odin the All-Father, a man so aptly named! He knows all, Sigyn. He knows all!"

As he sips his tea, he feels her eyes on his face as he watches the vehicles drive down the avenue. He needs to be stitched up soon, or he is afraid that the scars will be permanent. Failings of his composure are merely symptoms of the ailments plaguing him at the moment.

"Comrade, why are you here?"

A male couple walks by holding hands, a short blond and a tall black-haired one.

He takes a bite of his semla bun and wishes that he had his sunglasses. "I need time."

She touches his hand, but he pulls away from the distantly familiar touch. "Okay, I will give you time, but Loki, I will only give you the time you truly need. "

It's something so Sigyn for her to say that the corners of his lips quirk up into a smile. "Fine," he replies with a sigh.

The topic of love is brought up when she mentions Idunn's recent break-up with her fiancé and Lofn's major role in it, and Loki accidentally says that he can relate to hard break-ups.

"Who did you break-up with?" Sigyn asks with an anxious smile, but Loki steers the conversation to Sigyn's current life.

She begins to elaborate on the happenings he has missed in her life due to his absence without Loki having to ask the inane "How have you been?" She continues to give him the same look of curiosity throughout their conversation, but it is better than any alternative such as pity. Sigyn never quite gives him pity, and for that reason alone, he would not rather be anywhere in the world but here.

He gives Lofn his best contemptuous look each time he sees her, feeling satisfied when she storms off. He has no tolerance for mistresses, especially those who are aware of the damage they are doing. To think one could do such a thing to their sister disgusts him.

After a lunch with more specific questions for Loki, Sigyn frees him to drag him to her chosen vintage boutique, somehow healing the tiny cuts from _his _pretending as she giggles and wraps an oversized scarf around his neck. "You look chic."

He shakes his head. "Have I told you how good you would fit in in SoHo? I saw people wearing these scarves all of the time there."

She looks hopeful for a moment but sees Loki's failure to restrain his chuckles. "That is not funny."

"Then why am I laughing?"

"You are a terrible comrade," she replies as she grabs a gold scarf. "You are quite lucky I like looking at you and hearing you speak English. Your accent is wondrous."

He rests his chin on her shoulder. "You like it when I speak English, Sigyn?" he asks as he speaks English for the first time in over 12 hours. "A, B, C, D, E, F-" He chuckles as she flushes pink. "You should meet my teacher Charles. No, you should meet Thor's friend Brian. His accent is the archetype of an English accent. Actually, you should hear Thor-" He stops himself. "Yes, Brian is who you should meet."

She pats his shoulder with a frown and ends their shopping trip to drag him back home and occupy him with viewings of her sketches of wedding dresses and other matrimonial attire. Her dreams of becoming a wedding planner—"I only wish to facilitate the happiness and love of others!"—has not died down in the interval of them being apart.

He is not surprised when she lets her involvement in his own mother's wedding slip by saying that his mother may have sent her photos of the various planning stages, and he is awfully tempted to call out her treachery when he realizes that Sigyn is only being Sigyn, and she had no idea of what was going on. He didn't either until the past week.

Sigyn suddenly sets her portfolio aside, "You need to talk to me. You are miserable. It pains me to see you like this," leaving her mouth before she falls onto his bed and stares at him expectantly.

He is tempted to make her forget by taking advantage of her position. Her eyes still follow after him with veiled hope that something could still transpire between them as they have since his childhood charade, and a simple kiss would clear her mind of nothing more than her desires being fulfilled. As easy as that would be, he cannot imagine having sex with anyone who is not _him_, let alone a girl. His almost-excursion with Balder leaves a bad taste in his mouth when he thinks of it, bitter guilt.

He doesn't need more guilt, so he sits down on the edge of the bed and prepares to offer her his being to care for.

"Do you remember Thor?" It has been at least 20 hours since he has last said the name, and it still makes his heart leap. "He is my step brother. He was the boy I told you I was cursed to spend my life with." He chuckles. "Cursed."

"He was not as bad as I thought he was. Perhaps he was a bit… annoying, but everything else balanced that out. He seemed perfect, beautiful blond hair like silk, blue eyes filled with so much brightness that you are almost blinded, and a smile that…" He sighs. "He was the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my life—still is however much things have changed."

"'Most beautiful,' hm? I am sure Idunn would have a word about that as her beau was quite beautiful himself."

"But you have not met Thor, Sigyn. When I thought it couldn't get any worse, he had this personality that simultaneously made you want to hit him and on the other hand, made you want to marry—be with him. I fell for this perfect, perfect boy like a damsel in distress, and I denied it until I couldn't anymore. It was great. He was gay, Sigyn, and he felt the same way about me, and everything was so… perfect."

"Wow, comrade, you found love," she says with a grin, still ignorant to the rest of the tale. "I am so happy for you. You owe me. We were supposed to gush over this, but you denied me the chance because you were too busy with your new life!" She giggles. "Loki, this is great. Come on; tell me all about this love affair."

He shakes his head and sighs. "I lost my virginity to him."

"You jest?"

"No."

"Oh gods, Loki!" She grins and claps. "Was it good? What was it like? Was he rough? Was he slow? Did he use fruit? Where was it? How big was it?"

He summons a serious face. "Yes, wonderful, no, no, no, his room, let's say I will be forever disappointed with others'."

She throws her head back and laughs. "Comrade, this is amazing. I knew you would be the one to lose your virginity first, but to a, a god from the sounds of it? Only you would find such a perfect boy."

"I thought he was perfect," he says, the happy fading. "I have learned otherwise."

"Loki, no one is perfect though you are very close..."

He grabs his vibrating phone with gritted teeth, unresisting when Sigyn takes the phone from his hands.

"I told him things," he says as she taps away. "He wasn't thrilled."

"Why?" she asks, setting his phone aside. "I thought you loved him."

"I do—did, but I wanted—needed to hurt him, and I succeeded. He hurt me first. He decided that I was not enough for him, and he went off to find some other boy—Zeus Panhellenios or something exotic like that! He told me when I was to tell my mother that we were together, Sigyn, and I broke up with him! I hate him, Sigyn! I hate him!

"He's as flawed as the rest of us are, but everyone thinks he so perfect. I thought he was perfect until he told me about the kiss! I was too busy trying to relish the moments we had together to see that it was pointless! I wasted five months of my life with a boy who is going to college in another country because his father told him to! The same father who hates me as I hate him and thinks I am not good enough for his son! You know what? Thor is not good enough for me!"

He reaches up and dries the stupid tear that has managed to escape. He stares out to the backyard where Lofn sits on a swing, knee pulled to her chin as Freya speaks to her. "I was wrong about everything. Nothing was great, and it never will be. I will never get greatness because I am incapable of handling it. I am weak."

"Comrade, please, stop with this talk of misery and sorrow," Sigyn says, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You are one of the strongest people that I know. It is not your fault as it was not Idunn's fault that Lofn saw something in her beau she wished to pursue. None of this is anyone's fault except for Lofn, Thor, and that boy who I assume knew."

"Oh yes, he knew." He sniffles. "He knew, and he felt only regret that Thor didn't feel the same."

"What an asshole."

Lofn stands and dries her eyes.

"I know."

"Loki, I know that you are angry with the planet, angrier than usual, but I do not think it was right for you to run here and away from your problems. It probably seemed like the best idea at the moment, but I know your mother, and I know that she is probably fretting when she should be worrying about seating arrangements. It is not your fault that things have turned out this way, but you really, really should call her."

He sits down on the bed. "No."

"Loki-"

"No, I will not call that traitorous woman who happened to birth me, Sigyn," he says, narrowing his eyes at her. "Everyone may not see the problem with this, but my mother has kept many, many things from me that I have only found out because of my uncle."

"Uncle?"

"Yes, Sigyn, an uncle who is currently my legal guardian because my father relinquished his parental rights to him after his death. Instead of telling me of his forgotten existence, my mother only informed me after he showed up on my doorstep. She claims to want to protect me but—Sigyn, my mother is no longer my primary guardian! She gave that to my uncle without even consulting me, and she has the nerve to act as if I owe her something!

"She owes me something! She owes me comfort, which she withheld when I needed it because my relationship with Thor was 'wrong' and we are to 'share a sibling!' My own happiness has taken a backseat to hers, happiness she has already gotten!" He glares at the hardwood. "She is not the woman I knew. She has changed."

"Comrade, I… Have you talked to her?"

"I will not waste my time."

Sigyn sighs and sits down beside him. "You will not be wasting your time because she is your mother, and she is important to you. If you do not talk to her now, you may do damage that you will never be able to repair, and I cannot bear to know that I could have done something."

He turns to glance at her. "And why? What if I will be fine without my mother? My uncle is just—he is capable of caring for me. He has billions of dollars at his disposal."

She looks confused. "Loki, what are you talking about?"

"My uncle's name is Nal Bergelmisson, and he is the current CEO of my family's company in my father's stead. This company, they manufacture war. Jotunheim Aviation & Arms."

"JAA?" She stands and holds a hand to her mouth. "Oh gods, Loki, that is terrible. Along with Stark Industries, they murder more people than anyone else alive. They supply both sides of wars, have since they could, and they make money off of it. People are dying right now at the end of their weapons, and no one cares! Loki, I have read the stories about the damage, and I have even done protests about them. People do not care that there are innocent children dying, but I do!"

He chuckles. "Stark Industries and Jotunheim Aviation & Arms have teamed up to create a 'new era' for the world," he replies. "I am to inherit this warmongering company when I reach age, providing my grandfather thinks me adequate. Supposedly, he is more than satisfied with me."

To put much thought into his future would be begging for more misery, so he hasn't. He has acknowledged that possibility but never analyzed it as he should have, and now, he has time to do that. Even if he didn't want to, he thinks Sigyn would not let him forget.

Sigyn worries her bottom lip. "You cannot. Loki, you have an opportunity to end this suffering once and for all. You have to. It is your duty to."

He has no duty to anyone, but the way the blue of her eyes shine make him feel as if he does.

"I… I want to change the world, Sigyn," is all he can reply because he won't give a concrete answer when he can barely think of what he is going to do 48 hours from now, but Sigyn leaves him to sleep with a satisfied look on her face as if he has told her that he is not truly gay and in love with her.

Throughout breakfast, she attempts to convince him to call one of the now 5,000 missed calls back. He replies with the same "Possibly" or "Maybe" each time and acts as if his breakfast is the most interesting thing since Clint's adventures, uncaring when she groans and says that he is being stubborn. She knows him, and she also knows that Loki doesn't do things simply because they are the "right" thing to do. He does them because he wishes to do them, or his uncle wants him to do them in the case of that one time in March.

Idunn passes his room alone for the first time since his arrival, usually flanked by one of her sisters, and Loki sets _Lolita_ on his bag, calling her name. "What do you want?" she asks, standing in the doorway.

He looks her up and down and recognizes the slight slump of her posture from a glance in the mirror at himself. To think he can relate to one of his biggest detractors, who thankfully left school three years before he did, is fairly ironic. "Does it still hurt?"

She stares at him, her hand coming to cup her elbow. "What is it of your concern? Do you wish to taunt me as I taunted you?"

"No, I simply want to know if it ever gets better," he replies. "It feels as if it never will."

Idunn chuckles. "Loki Laufeyson has fallen in love as the rest of us poor souls have. Even those with the blackest of morals can fall for the virtues of a man." She shakes her head. "Golden rays can break through and grasp us when we least expect it."

It's as if she knows exactly what he is feeling.

He opens his mouth to ask her who this boy was but thinks better of it. "Does it?"

"Of course," she replies. "It always will."

The possibility of spending the rest of his life in love with someone he does not want, cannot want, sounds worse than being forced to spend his days with secret love in his heart. "Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" is a complete and utter lie. If he had never loved, he would be okay. His life would be okay.

If he had loved and it had turned out differently—which surprisingly didn't happen since things like that don't happen to Loki—he would be great, amazing actually.

Yes, things definitely do not turn out great for Loki because several different women suggest that he help them pack for the upcoming journey to America, a journey they are to make Friday. It so happens that Loki forgot the rehearsal dinner he is supposed to go to and give some heartfelt speech. He hasn't even written his speech.

The speech is the last thing on his mind when he and Sigyn escape the Iwaldadóttirs' to explore his hometown. He encounters several of his old classmates, ignoring them until they either tap his shoulder or shout "Laufeyson!"—which Erland Eriksson does, but Loki gets a good word in about Erland suppressing his sexuality, his rejected propositions for Loki to "test out his fag skills," and the fact that Loki does not return any of the feelings Erland claims he "might have for him" though it is a teenage dream come true.

By the time he and Sigyn are sitting at the café in the evening, he is staring down the sidewalk hoping that he sees no one he knows, knowing that they will recognize him because he has a face that one does not forget, especially when said face is the source of one's deepest and darkest secrets being exposed the moment one tries to state their irrelevant opinion. In short, he still hates people, these ones in particular.

"Loki, you should call them and let them know you haven't been kidnapped," she says for perhaps the hundredth time.

Growing tired of hearing that, he very pointedly lifts his phone and turns it on, grinning when it immediately dies.

"I have seven sisters, comrade," she replies just as her phone vibrates. She has always been popular unlike he was—a fact he does not care about, okay?—but that has seemed to increase. "I am sure one of their adapters will work just fine."

Loki rolls his eyes and turns his attention to the sidewalk and watches his fellow Swedes about their lives. This is ranked the second happiest place in the world behind Denmark, and though he sees why, he doesn't truly feel why.

Sigyn's phone vibrates and her ring tone plays, a trite love song by the Jonas Brothers. She answers it with a grin, and Loki cocks an eyebrow, wondering who has got his Sigyn so happy. "Hello, it's Sigyn. It's weird hearing your voice," she says. "Your accent is as wonderful as he said it was."

He tenses, straining to hear who she speaks to.

"Yes, we are just as I said we would be. Please, do not make me regret this, or I will find a way to kill you however invincible you supposedly are."

A presence grasps him by the Sigyn-sewn stitches and turns his head.

Thor, holding his phone to his ear, walks up the sidewalk, his words audible. "Yes, I promise that you will get your revenge if it is necessary-" They make eye contact, and Loki's previous fear of seeing someone walk down the sidewalk and recognize him was merely foresight of this moment. "Thank you for your assistance."

Sigyn and Thor hang up their phones simultaneously, and Loki is trapped with Thor.

A few weeks ago this would be a gift.

Of course Thor sits down at the last empty seat at their table because fate is against Loki.

"Thor, correct? Of course you are Thor since you are sitting here, and you are giving Loki a look. You look perfect, but from what I have heard-" She shuts her mouth at the glare Loki gives her. "Comrade, I can explain-"

"Trust is not real." He doesn't try to run because his enemy will keep chasing after him. He has infiltrated his fortress, and Loki's only choice is surrender or suicide. He is still deliberating. "Loyalty is bendable."

"Loyalty means that I will do what is necessary to make sure you are emotionally well, Loki," she says. "You will never be emotionally well as long as you keep running from your problems."

"I am not running! I won!" he says, inhaling through clenched teeth. "I broke him as he so attempted to do me! I defeated the golden boy, and I succeeded! He has failed in doing what others have continuously tried and failed to do! I remain unscathed, but Thor Odinson is a broken boy, an abandoned worshipper. This god needs not to be worshipped by the self-righteous. He is self-sustaining."

"Comrade, calm down for a moment and listen-"

"Listen to what, Sigyn? Listen to Thor Odinson wax apologetic? I listened for two months; more than enough for him to kindly tell me that someone who had something I happen to lack came along, this person who also happened to be very in love with him as he claims to be with me! If that is what love is, I was fine without it!" At the irritatingly familiar hold around his wrist, he looks down at Thor's hand around him as he wishes he didn't remember it often being. His body's reaction of goosebumps and southward flowing blood is punishment for his weakness.

With renewed calm, he sends them both a cool look, Thor's hand slackening around his wrist, and his nostrils flare at the impassive look on Thor's face. "What?"

"I am not going to Oxford."

No.

No, this really, really cannot be happening to him after everything else. Loki has a terrible track record on happiness, but this, this does not ever happen to him.

He takes in the cautious expression on Thor's face as if he expects Loki to be angry.

He is far past anger.

He can safely say that the thin line between general craziness and insanity has been crossed, and Loki is not on the general craziness side.

Loki grins so big that his cheeks almost hurt. "Really? Hm, that is truly hilarious," he says, and he chuckles as he takes a sip of his drink. "That is perhaps the best joke I have heard this week seeing as how you do not have the wit and cleverness of Tony Stark to compete with. I needed that more than I thought I did."

"It is not a joke, Loki," he says. "I would not joke about such a thing."

"But you would lie, would you not?" He beckons the server over. "Pardon, may we please have apple cake? Yes, we have something to celebrate."

"Comrade, I want to explain."

He gestures for her to do so, and she sighs.

"When I checked your phone, I saw how many messages there were. There were thousands, and one of them was from Thor, and Loki, he sounded quite worried. I told him you were fine, but… he kept texting back-"

"Harassing my friend, Thor?" he asks with a cocked brow. "Continue, comrade."

"I tried to get you to look at the messages, but you were adamant on ignoring them." She frowns. "One Tony Stark decided to contact me this morning, and he warned me of Thor's departure from New York. He also warned me—he told me some unsavory things, and when he realized that I would not bend to threats, he began to elaborate on what happened. You said some colorful things before your impromptu trip here, Loki."

"Colorful things, hm?" He winks at the server as he sets down the cake, pointedly staring at his ass as he walks away. "Oh, I think I remember. Somewhere after I told everyone of Thor's love affair-"

"Zeus kissed him, Loki," she says. "Tony happened to replay the moment for me, and I heard him. He is quite crafty."

"-love affair," he shouts as he ignores her traitorousness, brows raised, "with Zeus, I may have mentioned something…" He sits back with a smirk. "I fucked his cousin."

A lie, a rather big lie considering the weight he put on sex before Thor, but a worthy lie by the raw hurt in Thor's eyes, hurt so similar to the one he has continuously felt since his admission. If this is what he must become, a sadomasochist, he is okay with it as long as Thor is the one he is pulling under with him.

"Actually, I let his cousin fuck me. It was raw, dirty, emotionless, and I loved it," he says. "Definitely in my top… 5 times."

"You lie, comrade!" Sigyn shouts. "You put emotion into everything, including sex. You would not do such a thing with someone."

"Wouldn't I? Tony Stark, the one who called you, who you should know is the one Tony Stark, heir to evil Stark Industries, and I have kissed multiple times, and I feel nothing for him other than friendly tolerance. I find it funny that Tony Stark informed you. He has a heart after all."

"I wanted to tell you, but I realized that he was right."

He turns and looks at an oddly-silent Thor. "Do you have anything to contribute?"

"Nothing that I am sure you do not already know."

"Then let us eat cake," he says. He can barely taste the spongy mush in his mouth, only knowing that its apple because he ordered it as such. He wouldn't be able to say if it were good or not because he's unsure. He only eats because that is all he can trust himself to do.

Sigyn doesn't inform him that Thor is coming, but Loki is unsurprised when Thor stands and follows her as if it is the most natural thing in the world. Loki purposely drags his feet to stay behind them, and he gets into the backseat with joy, meeting Sigyn's eyes in the mirror and sneering.

He is far too elated to get out of the confines of the car, freed from sharing air with Thor longer than he needs to. He really doesn't have time for him. It's the summer, and Thor is an interloper on his "happiness."

Idunn stands up and readies to say something when her eyes go wide, dropping her carry-on onto the mound of luggage taking up most of the entrance hall. "Vidar, what are you doing here?"

Yes, Vidar and Thor look alike, but-

"How do you know Vidar?" Loki asks before he can stop himself.

She gives him a cold look, which he returns thirty degrees cooler. "Vidar is Bragi's younger brother," she replies as if he is a child. "And since you are so ignorant, I should tell you that Bragi is my ex-fiancé. Vidar, what are you-?"

"He is not 'Vidar,'" Loki says, sure to sound as clueless as he can. He has a feeling he shouldn't elaborate on why Vidar and Thor look alike. "He is Thor."

"What-? What is he doing here?"

He lets out a chuckle. "You tell me, Idunn," he replies, and he goes up to his bedroom without another word. He could have rubbed it in her face that _his_ Odinson chased after him, but that is not something he wishes to celebrate.

He goes to his room before he says something unforgivable to one of the sensitive females he shares this house with. He is in no mood for conversation, no mood for company, no mood for Thor to try to talk to him!

The next time he looks up, Thor stands in the doorway.

"What more could you want?" Loki asks as Thor shuts the door behind him. "I recall a conversation we had Friday that I thought sorted things out. I told you that I wanted nothing more than for you to go to Oxford, which makes the fact that you defied that even funnier. Thor, what did you think would happen when you came here? Did you think I would run into your arms like a princess? Did you think I would fall to my knees and suck you off before confessing how much I loved you?"

"I expected nothing less than this."

"Oh, you think me so petty, Thor. It hurts me so badly to know that your opinion of me is so low. Do know that I feel the same way. I think of you as nothing more than a thief, a bandit of my trust and my love. I received the vengeance I needed. I do only regret I didn't know sooner. Perhaps I should have taken the psycho girlfriend route and went through your phone at the first sign of you acting strangely. "

"Then what do you call what I found you doing? Oh yes, you were answering a phone call, correct? I doubt that in this phone call you heard anything about abandonment."

"I was actually!" he shouts, standing up on the bed, needing the upper ground. "You will not turn this around on me, you hypocrite! How dare you act as if I am wrong when it was you who was cheating on me? You cheated on me, Thor. You cheated!

"You, Thor, not me! Before you even attempt to point out my kissing of people during our relationship, I would like to inform you that I was drugged, which you did not even notice. I could have been dying, and you would have been so bent on seeing me as golden as the world sees you. I see you now. Oh how do I see!"

"I told you this, Loki! I am naught but a man while your caricature of me beholds me as some messiah!"

"You are their messiah, Thor! No one stopped you when you tried to come. They supported you even after I told them of what you did! They told you that you were okay to make mistakes because you are human as everyone else! They patted you on the back and said that I was simply being melodramatic!?" He hops down from the bed, fists balled at his sides, and goes to stare out the window. "I am allowed to be melodramatic. You hurt me."

"I know, Loki," he replies, sounding unfoundedly broken. "I know."

"Then why are you here, Thor? Do you want to hear more dismissal? Do you want to hear how your cousin-?"

"I do not want to hear anything about any of those things, Loki. I only wish to hear you tell me how I can redeem myself. I wish to hear you tell me that you love me!"

He bares his teeth, glaring at him. "Do you want to me lie?"

"I hurt you, Loki, but I know that you love me as I love you," Thor says. "Things have changed."

"Love shouldn't. You found someone else, Thor. You found someone capable of giving you all you needed, and I was a distraction." He glances down at his white knuckles. "I was distracting you as you were to me. Apart, we can accomplish what is needed."

"Loki, you do not—there is no 'me' or 'you.' There is an us-"

"Was-"

"-as we are in love, Loki. No one, not Zeus or Hero Titan, changed that. I love you, Loki, and I want you to forgive me and tell me you love me back but only if you mean it."

"Wants, Thor. What about what I want?"

"What do you want?"

Loki steels his eyes. "I do not think you want to know."

A knock comes from the door before it opens, the custom of waiting for entry to be granted seemingly forgotten.

"Hello," Freya says as she stands with a few of her daughters behind her, the girls regarding Thor as if he is a piece of fresh meat. He doesn't acknowledge if that fact makes him angry because he can't care. "You are… Thor, correct?"

Thor glances at her and nods.

"I am Freya, Sigyn's mother. It is pleasant making your acquaintance." Or it is pleasant that she has a chance to marry off one of her daughters. "My home is yours."

"We are not staying. Loki and I are to leave at 12:00," Thor says as he stares at him with slightly narrowed eyes. "A friend of ours Tony Stark has lent me his jet."

Oh yes, the jet that Tony offered him in case he wished to chase Thor to England. Things have changed, have they not? He was prepared to accept that offer, but now he can only think of what waits for him: nothing.

"I am not coming," he says, uncaring of the hardness in his voice and looks he's getting. "I will return with them."

"Loki, do not be unreasonable."

"Unreasonable? Thor, let's not go there." He puts on a smile. "Is it time to eat?"

Thor's seething does not make him regret his decision or want to go with him back. Actually, it solidifies it, makes him realize that Thor hasn't come for forgiveness. He has come because he cannot accept defeat as he needs to.

Loki may not have won, but he hasn't completely lost, and as he sits next to Nanna, Sigyn sitting beside him, he feels a genuine smile coming to his face at Thor's disbelief at being disobeyed. Loki is no obedient pet for Thor to come fetch and return with as a trophy.

"Thor, you have quite large muscles. How much weight are you capable of lifting?"

"500 pounds," he says. Hm, a 50 pound increase.

"That is completely impossible," Syn says. "I think you are lying. You should demonstrate."

"On me of course," Sjofn says with a giggle.

Loki chews especially hard because he feels like it, not because of their stupid flirtation.

"Girls, please," Freya says, and she cocks her head to the side. "Thor, may I say that I feel as though I know you?"

"Good, I thought I was the only one," Nanna says. "He is familiar."

"He looks like Vidar," Idunn says with pursed lips. "Almost exactly like him if I am being honest."

Sigyn gasps. "Loki, Thor is the Odinson as you so often say, correct? If I recall correctly, Vidar and Bragi both happen to be Odinsons as well though I may have heard Idunn mention a deceased father."

"Eavesdropping is unbecoming of you, Sigyn," Idunn says, and Loki rolls his eyes. Everything is unbecoming of Idunn. "Yes, Bragi's father was deceased, but his uncle Odin-"

Loki begins to chuckle as the pieces fit together because these women are speculating about something quite obvious.

"Cousin Frigga married Odin Borson, and together they had a son," Snotra says, and if Loki did not despise her, he would pat her on the back for cleverness. "Thor is clearly that son. Loki's mother married the same Odin and will again this Sunday. They are step brothers."

"Which makes him your cousin," Loki says. "Incest is unbecoming as well."

Eight pairs of green eyes stare at him with curiosity.

"I should clarify 'true incest.' I am no hypocrite."

"You are our cousin?" Syn sighs. "They are either homosexual or related."

He glances to where Thor sits between Idunn and Lofn. "Thor is both."

"Wow, truly?"

Lofn snorts. "Homosexuality has never stopped some, has it?"

"You would know," Idunn says, and Loki conceals his chuckle as a cough. The tension between the two of them seems to spread to everyone else as no one says anything for the duration of dinner, chatter only beginning after everyone has finished and dispersed.

Loki takes a seat in an armchair in the den, ignoring the way Sigyn is staring at him from the ground. He will forgive her for this treachery in time, but the time is not now.

"Thor, why are you here?" Freya's voice drifts from the kitchen. "Should you not be preparing for the nuptials as well?"

"He has come to get this thing," Snotra says as she enters the den, trailed by three of her sisters. "He obviously came here without permission."

"I received the permission I needed. My uncle knew where I was going, and he did not voice his disapproval." He shrugs at Sigyn's affronted face. "You know, Sigyn. My mother is only my mother in genetic relation now. I don't see how this matters."

Thor pauses in the doorway, shutting his eyes and sighing.

"You are being terrible," Var says. "Why are you treating him in such a way?"

"I am treating him how he deserves. Idunn, you did break up with Bragi after catching your own sister pressed against him. You can relate on ill treatment of fornicators."

"What?"

"How is that relevant?"

"I do not understand."

"You two—you were… together," Snotra says.

"Yes, were."

"And will be again," Thor says, and Loki's premeditated decision to sit in a single seat is not a deterrent as he sits on the arm, too close. "Loki is under the impression that I will give up so easily. Idunn, I assume that Bragi did not chase you to the edge of the earth. I will chase Loki there and beyond. I love him."

"Aw."

"How?"

"Stupid."

Sigyn tries and fails to hide her smile. "Comrade, that was beautiful, was it not?"

"He is beautiful, is he not?" He grabs a women's magazine from the coffee table. "That does not change anything."

"You are a blind idiot."

"Thank you, Var. That is perhaps the nicest thing you have said to me."

Sigyn rests her chin on his knee, and Loki turns the page, pretending that he doesn't feel her there. "I am only partially sorry. I should have told you, but Tony Stark is quite the genius. He may be the son of a madman, but he is only a harmless one himself."

"Do know that Tony is gay before you happen to become infatuated with him." He sets the magazine aside. "We would not want that to happen again."

"Harsh."

"Asshole."

She blinks rapidly, eyes shining. "What… do you want, Loki?"

He is prepared to retort with something about solitude, but he doesn't. Instead, he actually considers the question, and he doesn't like the answer at all. He isn't expecting himself to move on as if the past year has been filler, but he can't be okay with the knowledge that nothing has changed.

"Yes, Loki, what do you want?" Thor asks, standing with arms crossed.

He holds a hand to his mouth and inhales. "I _need_ time to myself."

He showers alone as he has for the past two nights, and when he exits the bathroom, he does not drop his towel at the sight of Thor. He holds it tighter around him.

"I want you to trust me again."

"You cannot ask for trust," he replies. "You earn it."

He stops at the door, hand on the doorknob. "I will do whatever it takes then."

Thor is a persistent fool who Loki has somehow fallen so madly in love with that he can see the "cute" in his persistence. He wants so badly to laugh in Thor's face and tell him to go home, but he knows that it is no use when Thor is who he is, a persistent fool.

Sigyn wakes him up, and Loki's heart sinks at the sight of hair the wrong shade of yellow and far too long. "Comrade, do not look so worried. Thor is still here," she says, and why does Loki let out a sigh of relief? "I forbid him from being the one to wake you up in fear of his health. You are a cranky person in the morning, and you 'hate' him. That is a lethal combination."

He rolls over, Sigyn slipping in beside him. "Thor is invincible."

"Physically," she replies. "Get up, Snow White. Have I told you how much you look like Snow White in the morning?"

"500 times."

"Then nearly not enough."

The looks of amusement and envy he receives as he takes his seat at the table make him roll his eyes at how easy it is for them to pledge their allegiance to their estranged cousin simply because he is the alternative ally. He hates them too.

"Your hair should be illegal," Nanna says. "Both of you."

He glances briefly at Thor and immediately decides that he agrees. Heart attack-inducing things like his hair carelessly pulled back should be outlawed for the sake of Loki's self-control and self-respect.

"What are you doing today?" Freya asks as she takes her seat at the head of the table. "Friday morning we are to depart for America."

"Shopping," comes the answer from everyone at the table save for Thor.

Loki is unashamed at sharing a want in common with them. Shopping is perhaps the second thing they will all agree on.

When Sigyn tells him that she is joining her sisters and he promptly replies that he would "rather spend a day with Thor," he finds that he is in fact to spend a day with Thor as Thor has no intention of letting him wander the city without his supervision because, as Thor puts it, he is his de facto guardian in the absence of his mother and uncle.

Instead of responding with a quip about the great job he is doing, he gives him an exasperated look and doesn't attempt to prepare for what cannot be prepared for. All of the time he has spent with Thor before will not make this day any easier.

He knows that this is fact when he is attempting to peacefully consider a swimsuit, and Thor takes it from his hands with a disbelieving chuckle, hanging it back on the rack. Okay, said swimsuit maybe leaves little to the imagination, but it is not Thor's right to make that decision for Loki.

"You wish to drive Sigyn to insanity."

Loki rolls his eyes. "If she were going to go insane, it would have been after I suddenly stopped before penetrating her," he replies, using Thor's shock to grab the swimsuit again. "She is quite alright, so I think this will only make her salivate as much as you will."

Thor grumbles behind him as Loki wanders into the next store, and Loki ducks away from him to scout out the selection of jeans. Of course this store happens to be the Levi Store, and Loki has one memory from a Levi Store that dates back four months and involves Thor on his knees and red-tinted vision.

He is attracted by a pair of evergreen jeans that sit just above his grasp even on tip-toes. Curse this country and their higher than average height. The relative shortness of everything is one thing he misses about ho—America.

He glances to where Thor talks to a grinning saleswoman who flips her blonde hair and crosses her arms under her breasts to give Thor a full view of her cleavage and frowns. He will do this himself since Thor is too busy flirting with some "hot chick" to make himself useful.

His left leg lifts off the ground as he stretches upward, the tip of his Converse barely keeping him stable. His finger brushes the jeans, but it is still not enough.

As he goes to swallow his pride, a hand on his lower back stables him and a voice says, "You look like you need help. Let me give you a hand," a smile appearing on Loki's face when he realizes just who that voice belongs to.

Skurge's crotch presses against his ass as he reaches over Loki, the few more inches of height making it look easy.

Loki smirks as Skurge's arms wrap around him, Skurge unfolding the jeans. "Where is Amora?"

"I could give less than a fuck, but let's look at these jeans. Hm, I think they'll fit, but we can't be sure. You should go try them on to see."

He turns around to face the forever cocky smile and icy eyes. "Skurge."

"Laufeyson." Skurge drops his arms from around him. "Always good seeing you. Eriksson was telling the truth," Skurge says with a satisfied nod. "You're back then?"

"No, I am only here until Thursday."

"Oh, no, you can't leave that fucking early." He runs his finger down Loki's arm. "I'm having a party tomorrow. You should come. Didn't get to see you before you left."

"I-"

"Loki." Thor puts his arm around his waist.

Skurge's eyes narrow. "You brought someone back, hm? Must be really important."

"He is my step brother," he replies with an eye roll.

He smiles. "Good. Thought I was going to get some offensive practice today."

"Skurge, please. You have enough of that to defeat an army."

"I have practice in a few other things, but you wouldn't know that, would you?" He gives him a bitter look. "Amora and I split up."

"Again."

"Laufeyson."

"Skurge."

He chuckles. "You haven't changed that much," he says, and he sets the jeans in Loki's arms. "That's good. You still have my number, right? Learn to call me. We should see each other before you leave. I really have something to give you."

Loki watches as he walks backward. "I am sure you do."

"I don't lie like you do, Laufeyson. I'm telling the truth."

"I have your number!"

Skurge turns around. "Fucking use it then!"

He exhales and watches the black head disappear behind the racks and shelves, pushing away thoughts of "What if?" and "I should have."

"Who was he?"

He shoves the jeans onto the shelf and turns to go, unsurprised when Thor follows him. "It is none of your business who I associate with."

"It is and it always will be," he replies, and he grabs Loki's arm.

"Do not touch me," he says, and he glances around to make sure no one is watching them. "I am fine."

"You are not fine, Loki." He drops his hand. "You are never fine."

He holds his eyes. "I was before I met you," he says before going to buy the swimsuit because fuck Thor's opinion.

As much as Thor wants them to be okay, they won't be—can't be. Loki is tired of letting him convince him that delaying the pain is the proper course of action. So what, he is not going to Oxford. There are other colleges in other distant places.

The house is empty when they get back, and Loki goes straight to his room, too exasperated to care that Thor is following him. He deposits his swimsuit in the bathroom for later because he is going to wear it, and Thor is going to see that Loki no longer cares.

"Who was _he_?" Thor's voice comes from the bedroom, muffled by the door.

"An 'ex' if you would call it that," he replies, lips quirking at the lie.

"What do you truly mean?"

Well, he remembers that he is—was Loki's first boyfriend. "I've done a lot of things with a lot of different people, and he was one of them." He crosses his arms. "We wanted each other, but I set rules to what our relationship was because I didn't trust him for more than his talents. He could never fuck me, not that I would even let him.

"In the beginning of tenth year, he let it slip that we had done… things, and people weren't happy about that at all. They started to-" He walks out of the bathroom. "He never did any, and he tried to defend me, but it didn't matter. I was a 'fag.'"

"They hurt you."

"They tried," he replies. "They failed."

"I-"

"What? Are you going to beat them all? Perhaps you can beat the hate out of them as they tried to 'exorcise' the gay out of me."

Thor forces him to look at him with his hand around his chin, and Loki clenches his jaw. "That is nothing to joke about."

"Why not, Thor? Can you not accept a little dark humor?" He wraps his hands around Thor's wrist and smiles. "Do you want to hear about how I was so often taunted because I liked to tell boys how 'pretty' they were? Do you want to hear how I was called a 'faggot whore?' Do you want to hear how Skurge used to pin me down and rub against me until I came in my jeans? Do you want to hear how I used to get on my knees and-?"

"Shut up."

"All of those women in the store stared at you like you were a god. They wanted you to fuck them, hard and fast. How do I know? They're giving you the same look Balder gave me that night. We showered together, and gods did he help me wash my back." He bites his bottom lip. "I had no choice but to change the sheets after that."

He wants it to be done now, and if he must lie his way away from Thor, he will.

"He told me what he was going to do before he did it. He shoved his fingers inside of my tight little asshole, and I took them. He sucked me, almost as good as you and he's straight, and he didn't allow me to cum. I begged him to, begged him to fuck me, but he didn't. He kept teasing me, kisses here"—he drops his jeans and points to his inner thigh—"and trailed them until he kissed here," he says as he points between his legs, and he looks up at Thor's narrowed eyes. "Such a skilled-"

He's cut off by Thor seizing him by the shoulders, spinning him and shoving him against the wall, and he braces his arms as Thor drops to his knees behind him, pulling down his boxer as he does.

"Such a skilled tongue?"

He yelps when Thor licks a stripe down the center of his ass. "Mhm."

"You are confused as to what skilled means."

The pain of him hitting his forehead against the wall is blocked out by the sensation of something squirming and wet entering him, heat rushing to Loki's cheeks as he tries and fails not to think about what they are doing. Once, this should have only happened once, but he can't form proper words with Thor's freaking tongue inside of him!

He is biting the insides of his cheeks and trying hard not to cry out of mortification and the overwhelming sensation of Thor… rimming him when it slips from his mouth. Of course the words he can form are ones he would rather not say.

"You—Thor, it's only ever been you!"

Thor somehow manages to replace his tongue with his cock in less than a second. "What?"

"Balder and I—he didn't… fuck me. His fingers-" All air leaves his lungs as he is filled too fast with too much. It hurts so, so much, but he doesn't tell Thor because he needs this. He wants this. "I-"

Thor thrusts, Loki whimpering. "You lied."

A tear falls.

"No one will ever fuck you like I can fuck you." Thrust and moan. "I will be the only one to ever fuck you. Balder, that boy, none of them will ever fuck you." Harder thrust and wince. "Balder could not measure up if he attempted to. My cock can do things to you that not even his can do. I have felt you in ways that he can only dream. His fingers-?" Thor laughs and thrusts, Loki biting his lip. "I should break them."

He reaches down to grasp himself, but Thor grabs his wrists with a single hand and pins them above his head.

"No one touches you, Loki. Only I can touch you as you are mine, always will be mine." He brushes something inside Loki that makes Loki's vision blank for a moment. "You are mine. You always will be mine. Mine only, Loki. Mine!"

He screams as he climaxes, his legs and arms giving out as he loses his sight. He gasps for air as his body contracts around Thor, the sudden sensitivity making Thor so much more painful inside of him. He shoves him away as hard as he can before falling to the ground in a heap of hyperventilation and trembling limbs.

Loki is no one's. He is Loki Laufeyson, a single teenage boy, and he definitely does not belong to Thor.

He glares up at him.

Thor kneels down to touch him, but he flinches away. "Loki, I-"

"Do not touch me!"

He shuts his eyes and exhales. "Fine, Loki. Fine."

In the loneliness of his room, he hears a tone and finds his recharged phone on the nightstand, the number 7,450 greeting him.

He leaves it untouched and showers, looking at the fresh Thor-shaped handprints on his hips where they belong—belonged. Sex doesn't change anything. It's sex, some of which people put emotion into and some of which people treat like a handshake. He leans toward the former on a normal day, but he has no more normal days after what has happened. He only has… days.

This day just happens to be a day where sex has reentered the equation, and Loki has realized that his victory was a lie. Whether Thor knows it or not—which he seems to with how easily he slipped back into their old routine—he has the upper hand, but Loki has to regain it, even if it results in permanent damage.

Changed in his swimsuit, he goes for a mind-clearing swim, a swim that he desperately needs.

He treads the water to try to adapt to the coolness, but after he realizes that there is no adapting to the water, actually freezing even for him, he pushes away thoughts of comfort and starts to swim. He tires and bores of laps, so he stops in the center of the pool, taking in the darkening sky above.

When he makes the decision, he is unsure, but he is beneath the water in the next moment, taking in the blue depths around him. He blinks a few times when the water darkens rapidly, trying to clear his eyes of whatever must have gotten into them.

The darkness does not go away, and it brings someone with it.

"_I love you, Loki."_

Hero reaches out to touch him, and Loki inhales instinctively, Hero disappearing though the water in his lungs does not.

He makes it to the surface in a sputtering and splashing mess, gasping for air.

"Loki!"

He is pulled from the pool by warm hands, and a wet Thor fills his vision, blocking out the evening sky.

"Loki, what happened?"

He shuts his eyes and inhales, chlorine burning his airways. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Thor drapes a towel over his shoulders. "Loki, you could have drowned."

"I didn't." He takes in Thor's soaked jeans and shirtless body. "I'm-"

"Fine? Loki, you are never fine!" Thor shouts, and finally, he is showing his wounds. Perhaps he will see that this is what the rest of his life will be like if they're together, "I'm fine," and the ensuing freak out about Loki not being fine. "I am sorry, Loki, okay? I am so, so, so… fucking sorry for what I did. I hate myself for letting it get to that point. I should have told you, but I did not because I am a coward. I do not deserve you, but I want to make myself worthy. I need you, Loki. I love you. I will always be in love with you."

"Love doesn't always solve everything Thor! You found someone better, someone who has something I don't. You were abandoning me when I needed you the most!" he shouts, pulling his knees to his chest. "When I wanted you to make me forget what _he_ did to me, when I was weak and afraid and-"

He shuts his eyes and inhales, airways burning. He will not cry. He will not cry.

Thor wraps his arms around his waist in a gesture that somehow still makes him feel safe, as if he is in trusting hands when he knows that he is not. He's looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes as he was a few nights ago. Is this how every encounter shall end for now on?

"What…?" Thor inhales, and his voice is quiet, startlingly so. "What did he do to you?"

A sob threatens to leave his mouth, but he forces himself to reply. "He didn't—I wouldn't let him as much as he said I wanted it. There were bruises, and I just couldn't stop remembering what he said. He said it was my fault, and I believe—believed him. I should have listened to what everyone was saying, but I thought I knew. He warned me. December, he said he would only do it if I wanted, and I never did. He didn't… seem to care." He sniffles, chlorine burning his nose. "But I did, and I got away. You saved me."

When Thor looks at him this time, Loki realizes that he's made a grave mistake by spilling a secret he never intended to ever share. The blend of pure rage and sadness makes him start to back away in fear that Thor may actually hurt him this time.

He moves away slowly, but he still ends up pinned on the cement beneath Thor, Thor's hands on his struggling wrists and his folded legs trapped beneath him.

"Loki, calm down," he whispers. "Calm down."

He sobs the moment he stops struggling, and he hates it, hates crying in front of someone he cannot be vulnerable in front of. He shuts his eyes, tears falling down the sides of his face, and stops fighting his emotions off.

"I am so sorry, Loki. I should have—I could have stopped him," he says. "He touched you. He touched you. He hurt you. I hurt you. I am sorry. Please, Loki, I love you. I love you more than anything I have ever loved. Nothing else matters but you. I never abandoned you. My heart will always rest with you. Sh, please, do not cry. It is okay. You are safe now. I will protect you from everyone, including me. I love you, Loki. I love you so very much."

Thor nuzzles his neck, the rising heat from his body warming him rapidly. "I will never allow you to be hurt again."

"Do not make promises you cannot keep."

"It is not a promise," he says. "When I discovered what Flint, Cletus, and friends had done to you, I sought revenge by injuring them in ways the normal man can barely stomach," he says, Loki scraping his mind and coming up with Max's passing comment about them getting what they deserved. "I will kill them."

As amusing as it sounds in his head, he cannot laugh when the words leave Thor's mouth. A normal teenager saying something of the sort would be comical, but the hard look in Thor's eyes is unfunnier than Nal's attempts at humor.

Next to Thor, nose burning and cheeks wet with tears and pool water, a place he was sure he would never be again. He cried in front of someone who took his trust and wore it as an accessory, wearing it for Zeus who was unfazed by it and made a joke of it.

He turns the hot water nozzle as high as it can go, skin flushing pink. When he finishes, he lets out a sigh for the conversation that is to come, conversation with a person he was sure he would never talk to at length again.

Thor sits on the bed changed into dry clothes, and he looks up at Loki with hope as Loki sits down beside him. He is a hopeful fool, but Loki still somehow, someway loves him. "I am going to tell you everything. I owe it to you."

No argument there.

"When I said I had plans the day of Bruce and Clint's party, I was referring to time I spent alone in an attempt to clear my thoughts. We had sex the night before, after you renounced me in front of my father, and I was unsure of whether if meant as much to you as it had to me. It was raining, and Zeus was compelled to introduce himself to me." He sighs.

"He was flirtatious, but I attempted to ignore it even after we were friends for weeks and he expressed his sexual and romantic interest in me repeatedly. I did not feel the same. I simply enjoyed his company as a friend, but that does not excuse my decision to withhold his existence from you.

"He was persistent, and I did not wish to believe that Zeus was the kind of person to disregard the feelings over others. He was blinded by his own motives to see that his actions did not end well for any of us involved. The day before he kissed me, I told him of something I intended to do for you. He could not understand that I was willing to reform my future because he was not truly in love."

Thor turns to look at him in his periphery, and Loki grabs his vibrating phone from the nightstand. For the first time, he unlocks the screen and beholds the four digit number waiting for him.

'From: Balder Odinson

_At the wedding, I want a dance. I know you have the moves. :B'_

He locks the message while checking and marking the rest as read.

"His kiss made me realize that I was being willingly ignorant. My plans changed, and I tried to relish the last weeks I would have with you. When you were to tell your mother, I knew I could not let you sacrifice your relationship with her for me, undeserving me. The week has put things into perspective for me, and my plans have changed yet again."

Oh yes, Thor is no longer going to Oxford. He is going—Loki is unsure and really doesn't care.

All of it was for nothing.

Though time is still left for his attempts to be for something.

"Go to Oxford, Thor." He glances at Thor. "It is your future you are ruining."

"I do not have a future, Loki." Thor touches his arm, Loki not reacting. "We have a future."

He exhales and locks his phone. No, things like this do not happen to Loki. He has the luck of a man who owns a black cat and breaks mirrors on a daily basis. Absolutely none at all.

"Stop being so clichéd."

"Would you rather me lie? Loki, you seem to not understand the depth of my love for you. You are under the incorrect impression that I felt anything remotely romantic for Zeus. He was a friend that I received the blunt truths I needed from however clouded they became as his attraction for me grew. He had nothing that you think you lack. He served as council for me when I needed it from someone removed from the situation, which you both fortunately and unfortunately were not."

He glowers. "You are always the one talking about me sharing my feelings, but you felt the need to find a new friend. I think that is much, much worse than anything I have done." He exhales. "Hero told me he loved me, and I told him I did not feel the same. You didn't do that, did you?"

"No," he replies, "I did not."

"Why not? If you are in love with me as you claim, why not tell him to kindly back off?"

"I did not need to tell him how much I was in love with you. He knew, realized just how much I loved you before he made the decision to confront me about the nature of our relationship. He did not believe we were friends."

"Because you weren't."

"We were even if Zeus held unrequited love for me. He is a good person beyond his feelings. He was a voice of reason when I felt the urge to do often impulsive things," he says, and he chuckles. "Sometimes reason has no place."

"Reason always has a place," he replies, but he sees Thor's point very clearly. Rationality says that Loki should simply walk away from Thor and not look back, but love, an irrational emotion, makes him continue to sit and listen. He wants things to return to how they were however ridiculous that is.

"Will you come back with me?"

If he says no, Thor will only stay with him until they are forcefully dragged back by someone Loki really does not want to see, which means anyone he left behind.

"Sigyn has to come."

Thor chuckles. "She would not let you go alone even if I told her she could not."

It appears that Thor knows his cousin quite well because as soon as the words leave Loki's mouth about their impending departure, she expresses her relief over having had the foresight to pack her things already. She grins and nudges Loki with her elbow as she asks what got him to change his mind.

"Inevitability," is his reply.

Thor's beam is even bright in the night, his hands seemingly unable to remove themselves from Loki.

Loki bites his tongue and allows Thor this for both of their benefit because he has to try to an attempt at being a normal human being with impulses and irrational feelings. Perhaps that has what led him to this place, but this is only temporary. Loki will not forget as easily as Thor or he himself wants.

Sigyn's reaction to the disembodied voice that greets them upon boarding the jet is one he is not going to let her forget. She stares at the ceiling as if she has been spoken to by the All-Father, and Loki pretends that he has no idea what has caused such a reaction.

"Master Laufeyson, it is always a pleasure to see you."

Thor sits down beside him, and when he attempts to take Loki's hand in his, Loki pulls it away under the guise of needing to feel for his phone which he already knows is there.

Sigyn blinks up at the ceiling. "What is the source?"

"Miss Iwaldadóttir, I am JARVIS. You have spoken to Sir, Anthony Edward Stark, my creator. The source is a remote fleet of servers located in several secret locations throughout the planet. You need not to be afraid. Would you rather me speak in your native language?"

She sits down across from them with a bewildered expression. "It is fine. I suppose I should adjust to speaking English." She grins. "We are going to America. I have not been since I was a girl, comrade."

"You will fit right in," he replies. "I told you about SoHo-" He chuckles when she crosses her arms. "I fear that you may never come back. Your mother will hate me more than she already does. How unfortunate."

What is unfortunate is Thor's need to absently run his hand down Loki's thigh, holding a conversation with Sigyn as if he is completely benign to how much he is making Loki uncomfortable in his pants.

Sigyn rolls her eyes at something he says. "You two are perfect for each other, outrageously superior to the rest of us."

"Thank you," Thor replies. "I agree."

Loki grabs his hand just short of his crotch, accidentally grabbing Sigyn's attention in doing so.

She lifts a tablet with a smirk. "So, are you two betrothed?"

"Uh..."

Thor looks at him.

"I have to use the restroom," he says before making his retreat. He passes the doors until he reaches an open one leading to an empty bedroom, shutting though not locking the door behind him. He sits down on the bed with a huff.

Are he and Thor together?

He broke up with him, clearly and loudly, and he did it for a very good reason. Though Thor and Zeus's relationship was platonic, and it ended after Zeus kissed him, Thor never thought to tell Loki, "Hey, a friend you don't know exists and is in love with me kissed me," while they were in their state of bliss, kissing and touching when they wanted. He had weeks upon weeks and only did it after three.

But, he stupidly loves Thor—is in love with him. He can't imagine having someone else's arms around him, lips against his own, smiles directed toward him. As he's said, he's cursed because Thor _is_ "the one" as Clint likes to say, referring to _The Matrix_.

A knock comes at the door, and Thor asks him if he's alright.

He is, better than he was a day ago. He has an idea of what his life is now, so progress has been made however small it is. Then again, deciding that you are back together with the boy you love who lied, or more accurately withheld information from you, for weeks is no small thing.

Thor stares at him when he opens the door.

"Yes." Loki exhales. "We are... together."

Thor fails to suppress his smile. "That is good because I feel the same," he says, now fully grinning. "I love you, Loki, and I want you to learn to forgive me and tell me you love me back but only if you mean it."

"Thor, you know that I love you," he replies. "I have told you that, how many times?"

"Not enough." He grins that childish smile that makes Loki want to either call him an idiot or kiss him. "Will you please accept me as your boyfriend again?"

"Thank you for ensuring my life is a cliché," he murmurs, and he pulls Thor into the bedroom. "Ye-"

Thor kisses him, his fingers threading into Loki's hair as their lips move in familiar unison. They steal air from each other's mouths before they work in symbiosis, one inhaling and the other exhaling. It is still unlike any of the other kisses he has shared with anyone else ever, filled with mutual passion and love. Yet another reason to hate Thor. He has ruined kisses with anyone else for him.

Loki pulls away from the kiss. "This means that you are not allowed to befriend any people who obviously want to be with you, and you are to immediately tell me if someone with romantic or sexual interest kisses you. I will cut off all contact permanently, and I will fuck whoever I want." Loki crosses his arms. "You have a lot to make up for."

"I plan on starting as soon as possible."

They meet in a kiss again, and Loki smiles into it, feeling Thor smiling against his own lips.

Thor's not so subtle attempts to edge him backward toward the bed go ignored until Loki's knees almost buckle against the edge of the bed, and he pulls back from the kiss to give Thor a warning look.

"We are not having sex."

He looks disappointed, but he nods. "As you wish."

"You are not making me feel guilty about this," he says. "Do I need to remind you of something along the lines of 'mine?'"

Thor scratches the back of his neck. "I, uh-"

"Possessive, much?" He stands with a smirk. "Also, keep your hands to yourself, Thor. I do not intend on Sigyn seeing things she should not have to see."

Thor goes to put his hand on Loki's ass, and Loki gives him a look. "You cannot fault me for having a low level of self-control around you."

"I can, and I will." For good measure, he cups Thor, smirking at the wide eyes. "You have awakened the monster, Thor. Now, you will deal with it. You should use the bathroom, and do take all of the time you need."

Sigyn cocks a brow at him when he returns sans Thor. "You are going to torture him, are you not?"

He grabs a blanket and stretches his legs out over Thor's vacant seat. "You know me so well, comrade."

They share a snicker as Thor comes back and takes his seat, looking extremely frustrated, and Loki replaces his legs on Thor's lap, ignoring the exasperated sound Thor makes.

He has let him off far too easy, and if he is going to complain about Loki using him as a means of comfort, he has no idea what the alternative option could be.

Thor does catch on quickly as Loki catches him stopping himself from running his hands down Loki's legs several times, and even after Loki goes to sleep, he feels nothing but Thor's hands resting on his shins without any "ill" intent.

"I am an idiot," Thor says as they descend the stairs into the New York afternoon. "I wish to go back in time and challenge myself to a fight to the death."

"Then both of you would be dead," Loki replies. "Who would fuck me then?"

Thor sighs. "You take too much joy in doing this."

"I wouldn't say 'too much,' but I take enough."

Sigyn stares at a passing boy with a large scarf wrapped around his neck and two pairs of sunglasses on. "That is utterly atrocious."

He takes her hand. "I am sure your fellow university peers feel the same about you."

"No, they find my fashion to be endearing just as I find your 'wit' to be." She nudges him with her elbow. "We are in America."

"We are."

"Thor!" A tall brunette with sharp eyes stands in the center of the terminal flanked by three boys all of varying looks and sizes. She radiates something... fierce, something that reminds Loki of Natasha, but her size doesn't hide it as well.

Thor guides him forward with a hand on his lower back, and Loki keeps ahold of Sigyn's hand, unblinking as the approach the group. "My friends," he says as they stand opposite him.

As if a rubber band has been snapped, the four of them surround Thor in a hug, Loki unfortunately trapped between the mountain of a boy and Thor in a hug he was afraid of receiving from the six Odinsons. He thanks the gods for being spared of that, but it appears that this is consolation.

"Volstagg," Thor says, patting the mountain on his shoulder, and he turns to the girl. "Sif."

So this is Sif, the poor girl who calls Heimdall her step brother. She seems like she can hold her own quite well, which explains why she has not been driven insane by her step brother's neurosis.

"Fandral." He shakes the hand of a boy so blond and handsome that Loki fears he may have an instant crush, but another look at the handsome face reveals raw narcissism that makes Johnny Storm and Balder look humble.

A pensive boy and Thor incline their heads toward each other simultaneously.

"Hogun," Thor says, and the boy's face goes through an instant transformation to something much more friendly. "My friends, it is a wonderful surprise to see you."

"The same can be said, my friend," Fandral says, and his eyes find Loki and Sigyn. "Who is the maid and her companion?" He throws his head back in a shrill laugh, Loki sighing and waiting for him to get on with his jokes, and Sif shoves him with a surprising amount of force.

"He is a fool which you have already learned," Sif says with a small smile. "You are the boy my brother has told me about, Loki."

"And what has your brother said? I am evil?"

She shakes her head. "'Tricky' was the term he used," she says, and she glances at Sigyn, eyes losing their warmth.

But Sigyn offers her hand with a grin, unfazed and making Loki proud. "I am Sigyn Iwaldadóttir, Loki's comrade and Thor's estranged cousin."

"Fandral Dash," he says as he steps in front of Sif and kisses Sigyn's hand. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

She pulls her hand away with a frown. "The feeling is not returned."

Volstagg bellows. "Oh, the woman sees through your charms, Fandral. She is intelligent."

"He is your step brother then," Hogun says, voice terse. "It is my honor to meet someone so significant in my friend's life."

Thor beams. "What are you all doing here?"

"Odin sent us." There is absolutely no surprise there.

"I suppose I should be thankful that he did not send my cousins," he says, and a look of understanding passes between everyone.

Volstagg's suggestion that they eat lunch is agreed with, and the repartee between Thor and his friends extends to include Sigyn and Loki though Loki is fine with remaining silent and listening. He is more than often dragged back into the conversation by Sif or Sigyn, and he navigates his way back out by shoving food into his mouth and disabling himself from replying.

"So, dear Thor, what is the extent of you and Loki's relationship?" Volstagg asks as he accepts his fourth plate from the waitress. "I see that there is visible chemistry between the two of you."

Are they truly that transparent?

"Loki is the love of my life."

He bites down on the pancake and wishes that it offered more resistance. He knew that this was coming as Thor is not shy about his feelings, but it still doesn't settle the anxiety he feels about this entire situation. Even if things are "okay," there are still other conflicts to resolve, conflicts that will not resolve themselves as easy as this one seemingly has.

"That is truly heartwarming," Fandral says as he holds his hand to his heart. "Our Thor has found the one."

"I have," he replies, fingers brushing down the notches of Loki's spine. "Loki is unlike any other I have laid eyes upon. I confided in Hogun of a beauty I had seen months before my departure, but I feared that my desires were beyond my grasp. Time has revealed that they are not; in fact they are shared."

"You don't have to talk like I'm not here," Loki says as he pushes his suddenly unappetizing plate away. "I have a mouth I can use."

"I bet he does, does he not our dear Thor?" Fandral grins. "You know all about that."

"Refrain from being so crude," Hogun says. "We will not speak of their proclivities unless he grants us permission."

Loki meets his eyes and communicates his gratitude with a nod.

And just as things become relatively calm, the familiar call of Loki's name comes from somewhere in the restaurant, and every chance he had at solitude has disappeared.

As if it is not bad enough that his group of five friends has come, the fact that they are joined by the six Odinsons is icing on the cake of Loki's doom.

"Loki!"

"Sif!"

"Vidar!"

"Sigyn!"

"Thor-eo!"

"Clint!"

"Shut up, Clint."

"Mischief!" Tony screams, literally screams, and in this semi-formal setting, he gets quite a few dirty looks. "My god of trickery! My baby is back!"

He stands up because he is an idiot, and several different arms wrap around him.

"You are not dead," Vidar says. "I am saddened I do not get to kill someone in retribution."

"You're telling me," Natasha says, and she pats an open spot on his arm instead of joining in on the hug. "How was your trip?"

"Yes, how was the trip I wasn't invited on?" Bruce says, standing beside her and Hermod.

Loki futilely attempts to inhale. "I-"

"You look better than I last saw you," Bragi says, and he steps away, pulling Vidar back with him.

Steve shoves Tony away, and Hoder yanks Tyr and Balder back by their shirts, Tyr pulling Clint away with a "You don't get to hug longer than me!"

He inhales successfully. "Thank you."

Steve pats his shoulder with a smile. "It's good to see you back safely."

"I share the same sentiment," Hoder says. "We will have to get more seating. Bragi, Clint, Steve, and Tyr, come."

Tony hugs an uncomfortable looking Hermod. "I'm just so, so happy."

"I am as well, but you do not see me attempting to murder him," Hermod says.

"You are still a black hole of happiness," Volstagg says. "Come and grace me with a hug, or must I suffocate you?"

Hermod slinks to Volstagg as if his hugs are the worst thing in the world—they are not, just too tight—and Sif grins and touches his shoulder.

"You are not dead." Balder stands with arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "I am offended you did not return my calls or texts."

"I did not return anyone's calls or texts," he replies as he takes his seat.

Thor's hand touches his knee, and a glance over reveals a smug expression on his face. Yes, conflicts are going to need to be solved, aren't they? Lucky Loki gets to be the one to solve them since he may have created many of them.

When Balder moves a chair beside him, ignoring Tony's whining, Thor slings his arm over Loki's shoulder.

"Sigyn, what are you doing here?" Bragi asks, brow furrowed.

"I am Loki's true comrade," she says, earning affronted sounds around the table. "Yes, I am."

"No, no you aren't!" Tony shouts. "We talked, Sigyn. We talked, and I told you that he was my best friend. You can't act like he isn't."

"He's my best friend, Stark!" Clint shouts. "We made a dance together. We rocked your birthday!"

Sigyn snorts. "Whatever you think," she says in Swedish, Natasha shaking her head in amusement. "Thor is my maternal cousin as well, so Bragi, your relationship with my sisters was not illicit."

"'Sisters?'"

Bragi looks something other than composed for once. "It is the past."

Loki and Sigyn exchange a knowing look. Keeping the fact that Idunn and Lofn are to come with the rest of the brood from Bragi is perhaps a bit cruel, but Loki's cruel habits have rubbed off onto his friend, and he takes great satisfaction in that.

"Introduce us!" Clint declares, gesturing to an always smirking Fandral. "Who they?"

"I think I just acquired some form of cancer from that," Tyr says, patting his chest. "Clint, you have led me to my grave with your demonstration of superior intelligence."

"My life span has divided by half," Bruce says, "all because of him. You should be lucky you have till 30. I'm lucky to wake up tomorrow with the stuff that comes from his mouth."

"Haters!"

Tony scoffs. "No one be hatin'."

"I have cancer now too."

"I am Sif," she says with a smile.

"Volstagg!"

"I am Hogun Grim."

"And I am the one and only Fandral Dash."

"They are my oldest and closest friends," Thor says. "You will find them to be some of the most interesting people you will ever have the chance to meet."

"Oh, Thor, you make my heart beat so loudly," Fandral says.

"Psh, Thor totes likes us better." Clint nods. "Totes."

"My friends, you will be pleased to also meet my new friends. The joker you sit next to Fandral is Clint Barton and beside him is a clever man much similar to you, Hogun, Bruce Banner. Beside me sits Steve Rogers, a man whose heroics will one day save innocents, and his betrothed, a man of 'tech,' sits beside him: Tony Stark. The woman of red is Natasha, and Sif, she is a warrior much like you."

"So, Loki, what did you do in Sweden?" Steve asks.

He sighs at the 17 people staring at him. "Things."

Groans and dismissals come from around the table, and Sigyn laughs.

"If that is not a satisfactory answer, I couldn't care less."

"It is fine, Loki," Hoder says. "You owe none of _us_ an explanation." He does think Loki owes one to some other people though Loki disagrees.

Everyone's attention is turned elsewhere by the arrival of more food, none of which Loki ordered, and amiable chatter passes over the plates and glasses.

"So, what did you actually do?" Balder asks, Loki turning his attention from the way Thor is talking to Volstagg with a grin. "According to some, you made quite the exit."

Oh yes, he did tell Thor a rather large… untruth.

"I-"

"My brothers think I was experimenting," he says, voice low. "You were right to stop me. I cannot say you were right in lying to Thor like that. I understand that he did something rather bad, but I do not want to be dragged into it unless I have to. I now know that you do like to lie as much as your friends claim you do. For some reason, it is—what do Americans say?—adorable. You are so teenage that it makes me yearn for my own adolescence. I only have a year remaining, but I will gladly milk from it what I can."

"Do not call me adorable."

"Yes, adorable is the wrong term."

Loki turns from Balder to Thor.

Thor moves in close, their air shared. "You are captivating," he says, and Loki's lips are captured, maple and whipped cream on Thor's tongue.

He pulls away, and Thor presses one last kiss to his lips before Loki is free.

"May the gods clear my memories of this moment," Fandral says.

"Comrade, that was quite beautiful."

"Yes!" Tony shrieks as he and Clint stand and run to each other. "Team Thor, baby!" They shout as they high five.

Clint does a dance. "Ha, ha, Team Other Boys lose! We win!"

Loki pinches the bridge of his nose. "There is no 'Team Other Boys.'"

"You are back together," Balder says, nodding. His nostrils flare. "Good."

"Better than good, cousin." Vidar claps. "This is grand, so we can stop worrying about someone else coming in and swooping down on our baby frost giant."

"If we are making things known…" Balder stands, everyone turning to look at him. "I am gay."

He sure does know when to come out. Loki can respect the courage it takes to do something like that, something that he never had to do because his gayness is "just that obvious."

"Score one for Team Rainbow!" Tony shouts, waving his arms in the air. "Man, today is the day to win!"

Vidar bursts into laughter, almost falling out of his chair. "I knew it was going to be you all along. Tyr's too boring to be gay."

"Vidar, is everything a joke to you?" Hoder asks, shaking his head.

"Balder, even I admit it was quite obvious you were going to be the homosexual one," Bragi says, and he holds up his glass. "Congratulations."

Everyone lifts their glasses. "Congratulations."

Balder sits down with a grin. "I was not only experimenting."

Thor's hand touches his crotch, and Loki jolts from his seat.

This is the start of the consequences he must face, isn't it?

Thor doesn't move his hand until they leave, slipping it into the back pocket of Loki's jeans as he holds conversation with Volstagg and Steve. He has returned to their old routine of uncaring public displays of affection with a vengeance, a sanguinary vengeance.

Loki escapes to his bedroom as if a pursued prey animal, pulling Sigyn up the stairs. The moment they are inside, he shuts the door and locks it, pressing his ear to the wood to hear for the sound of ubiquitous stiletto heels or hard footfalls of self-righteousness. When neither come, he begins to unpack, listening to Sigyn's voiced observations of his room and how he has "Americanized."

"It is good to see you have learned some color variety, comrade," she says, pulling a blue shirt from his closet. "Always green and black."

"Always green and gold," he replies, gesturing to her green and gold attire. "You have little room to talk."

His mother's knock sounds from the door, and Loki exchanges a look with Sigyn.

He has not held a true conversation with her since last Tuesday, and for a valid reason.

"Loki," Sigyn says when the knock comes again. "This is your chance."

He grits his teeth and unlocks the door, pulling it open to reveal his mother standing there, looking just as she did the last time he saw her. It's good to know that his absence did nothing to affect her.

"Loki, you are back early."

"Clearly."

"You went to Sweden."

"Home? Yes, I went to Sweden," he replies. "Sigyn did not come here alone, did she?" He opens the door to reveal Sigyn standing there. "What do you want?"

"Hello, Sigyn, it is always a pleasure to see you." She purses her lips. "Is it suddenly illegal to talk to my son?"

"I have no legal obligation to talk to you either. If you want, I would be glad to stay with my uncle for the remaining duration of my stay here in New York. Actually, I could move out entirely to make room for the nursery you will surely need for your spawn."

His mother frowns. "No one has felt the need to inform you then." She chuckles. "It turns out that I was never pregnant. I am simply menopausal."

It feels as though a conflict he was unaware of has been solved as he processes the lack of shared sibling between him and Thor. There is nothing wrong with their relationship save for his mother's intolerance, which he has little problem with ignoring.

"It's nice to know I will not have to explain to my half-sibling that his other half-sibling also happens to be my boyfriend. I wouldn't want him to think I was in an incestuous relationship, not that there would be anything wrong with that. Everyone has their preferences though mine lie with Thor."

"You two are… together again." She sighs. "Loki, I perhaps reacted the wrong way, but I am trying to protect you."

Oh here goes this again.

She pulls him into the hallway, and he lets her, shutting the door behind him. "You are playing with fire here, Loki. You may think that I am doing this because of my own moral values, but I could care less if you are in love with your step brother. I only want for you to be happy, but more than that, I want you to be safe."

"Safe from what? I could protect myself if you weren't so adamant on withholding the truth from me!"

"I withhold the truth because ignorance is bliss, _min lilla Jõtnar_. You are but a boy, and you are unable to handle the horrors of this world. Your uncle was raised in an environment of harm, so he thinks you should be subject to the same," his mother says. "You should not be, Loki."

"Why not? Do you want me to find out everything from him?" he asks. "I only know about my uncle's existence because of him! You have been hiding things from me because of why? You keep saying it is for my safety, but I don't believe you! What does my love for Thor have to do with that?"

"More than you think, Loki. You are but a fawn among bucks, and as your mother, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Your relationship is undoing all I have attempted to keep your from this—legacy that you are supposed to follow!" She touches his shoulder, but he shrugs her off. "You have seen what Thor must go through following his father's footsteps. Loki, there is much worse waiting for you."

This cryptic speech is doing nothing but giving him a headache and wasting his time. He wants the complete truth, not allusions to it. Perhaps this is what he receives for loving to lie.

"If this is about Thor going off to college-"

"No, Loki, it is not though I want you to know that I sympathize. It hurt me to pretend as if I didn't care for your pain, and Loki, I cried for days, have cried since you left. You are my son, and your pain is mine. It is my duty to care for you, and to not be able to do that hurt me. Perhaps it was futile, but it did something.

"I truly wanted you to be happy, and I let you have that for longer than I should have."

He steps backward, heart rate slowing. "You don't want me to be happy now?"

"I want you safe!" she snaps, and her eyes shine. "I have tried to protect you, Loki, but you do not—I love you more than anything! I wish for you to know that, and as much as you hate me, I still love you." She sighs. "My greatest mistake was marrying your father, Loki. Do know that."

His heart completely stops for a few moments as he watches her walk away. He stares down as his face begins to burn and his eyesight blurs.

He takes a stabling breath. She didn't mean that. She couldn't have meant it, and if she did, he shouldn't care. He shouldn't care if she doesn't. He's fine without her. He told her so.

Sigyn is almost having a stroke over a gold and green flannel she found in one of his drawers and goes to length about Loki's neglect of their relationship simply because he doesn't inform her of his every purchase. "Comrade, it is truly beautiful on me, is it not?" she says, slipping it on over her other flannel.

He remains neutral as he stares at her.

"So, what did you and your mother talk about? I did not hear much screaming."

He wishes to curl into a ball on his bed and cry while Sigyn strokes his hair and offers him comfort in the form of feminine words about how much she cares for him, but he bypasses talking about it at all by avoiding.

"Nothing," he replies. "You can have the shirt. It will act as a beacon to your fellow free spirits."

"Hush, comrade. You think you are so funny."

"I am so funny."

They are surprisingly left alone, which is good with how Sigyn continuously changes clothes, finding a shirt of Loki's that she "must try on" or a pair of jeans that "have to fit me because you and I are two peas in a pod, right?" He lies back and alternates between giving critiques of her appearance and reading some the many messages he received on his "vacation."

Hermod comes to inform them of "Starkson's" arrival, and Loki lets out an exaggerated sigh before following him down the stairs.

Balder and Tyr are standing in the doorway jumping up and down, so Loki shoves Balder aside with a mumbled apology and places himself in the doorway. "What are you doing here?" he asks, eyeing a grinning Tony.

"Sleepover night, duh!" Tony says, pointing to the pillow under his arm. "We talked about this at breakfast. Tyr, we talked about this."

Tyr nods. "Yup, we in fact did."

"See, we talked about this," he says. He makes a gesture for Loki to move. "We walked about this, Mischief. C'mon and move it."

Tony moves to the side slightly, revealing that he is accompanied by a group, or more accurately, crowd of people.

Loki does a quick scan of the "crowd"—Tony, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Bucky, James, Pepper, Jane, Darcy, Betty—and his heart rate drops to single digits. This, this is not happening.

"This isn't happening," he says with a smile. "This is not happening."

"It is!" too many voices reply.

"I hate you, Tony Stark," he says, but he gets a grin in response.

"ILY too, Mischief!"

He pulls Sigyn to the stairs to sit just as the horde enters the entrance hall, and the two of them sit on the stairs as everyone congregates in the living room and hallway, Sigyn making comments on the wears his friends and acquaintances adorn. When Betty opens her coat to reveal something silken, Sigyn calls her over to state her love for it however "risqué" it is.

"Are you two perhaps a bit… overdressed?" Thor asks as he descends the stairs in grey thermal wear and a red robe, the same red as his bedspread. "Everyone else is wearing sleepwear."

"I was uninformed that this was even happening," Loki says as he stands, and his eyes may trail down to the crotch of Thor's pajamas, eyes finding Thor's smirking face when the robe is tied closed.

"You do not seem to mind."

"I don't if this is what I get for my troubles," he replies, taking one of the ties in his hand. "Sigyn, come. We must bend to the will of these people."

"'These people?'" Vidar asks. "I am a person unlike any of these other… things!"

"Shut up!"

Sigyn buzzes with excitement and almost dresses him herself, squealing about how great they are going to look in their coordinated colors. "This is so fun!" she shouts, pulling him behind her.

He ties his robe with pursed lips, rolling his eyes at the reaction he gets from the others still standing in the entrance hall. He cares not that he looks "sexy" or "cuddly." He knows those things already. They are silk pajamas and they are on his body. How could they not be?

"You two match," Clint says, adjusting his Santa hat. "I don't like that."

"Yeah, why didn't anyone tell me about this green thing?" Tony says. "We could all be lookin' cool."

"Yes, 'cool,'" Balder says, arms crossed.

Thor appears from nowhere, glaring at Balder as he comes to stand behind Loki. He rests his chin on his shoulder and slips his hands into the pockets of Loki's robe, Loki clenching his jaw to stop from angling himself just the right way for-

"Pocket pool!" Tony shouts. "You're playing pocket pool!"

A chuckle vibrates over Loki's shoulder, and Loki crosses his arms.

"The contrast between your colors is beautiful," Sigyn says. "Green and red, so pretty."

Hoder comes and joins them all, Hoder glaring at Vidar when they call him a grandfather for his non-participation in the sleepover.

"We should all go out to dinner," Hoder says. "There are far too many of us to prepare a meal in good time, and I think an eatery would be ecstatic to take such a large order of people."

24 people and transportation does not work, so they depart on foot, or on Scooby-Doo slipper for those who decided to forgo traditional footwear altogether like Darcy. Their mass of people attracts attention from the unfortunate onlookers who make way without hesitation. Their shared faces of awe and confusion cause laughter from everyone excluding Loki even though Thor tries to get him to relax.

The staff looks absolutely petrified, but they make no motion to deny them entry. Loki and Thor sit down at a table far from everyone else, but Thor's friends join them and start a domino effect, their friends taking to filling in the remaining ten seats and pulling up chairs after they're all occupied.

Dinner runs much more smoothly than one would think with so many people though Loki counts the lack of questions aimed at him as a reason why he isn't tempted to kill everyone by the time they're walking back at nearly midnight. If people leave him alone, he can tolerate them.

Someone—Clint—thinks it's a good idea for a group of teenagers to play hide-n-seek, and said teenagers save for Loki and a few other logical souls agree with that idea.

"You are all idiots," Loki says, still standing in the darkness with arms crossed as Clint begins to count as "it." "I refuse to take part in this idiocy."

"Fine, I'm getting you first."

"If I am 'it,' you can't force me to come find you."

"Come," Thor whispers from behind him, and Loki's lifted over a shoulder. "You were going to lose."

"I told you that you can't force me to be 'it!'" he shouts.

"I am quite sure _I_ can," he replies. "Do I need to remind you of a three digit number I know you love?"

Loki is finally put onto his own two feet, the only other sound of Thor's soft breaths. "Are we alone?" He's kissed, so he takes that as an affirmative. He pushes Thor away when his hands begin to roam. "Remember?"

Thor sighs. "I am not allowed to touch."

"Yes," he replies. "Why are we playing this?"

"It is a chance for us to be alone in a house full of people. In the next days, I suspect there will be little opportunity for us to spend time together without others there."

"Well, I see your point." He exhales, looking up to where he thinks Thor's eyes are. "Time."

"We no longer need to worry about time, Loki. Has it slipped your mind that I am not going to Oxford?"

Oh yes, Thor isn't going to Oxford. He has somehow made this decision within the time span of Loki telling him just how he felt to following him to Sweden. Loki is no fool to believe that he just happened to have a spare acceptance letter sitting around for another non-Oxford school. Thor has had no know that Oxford was not his sole choice for weeks—months.

Yet another thing he has been keeping from Loki.

He steps backward, kneeing buckling, and he sits down on a bed. "No, it has not," he says, voice hard.

"Loki, what did I say-?"

"Nothing!" he whisper shouts. "You didn't say anything for how long? Why did you keep that from me? I understand the kiss and the dating, but college? The reason I even tried to end our relationship then was because of college! I wanted you to make the decision for yourself, not for me!"

"I thought I was going to Oxford."

"So? You could have told me there was a possibility you weren't!" He's shouting now, but he cares not if Clint finds them. "You always call me a liar, but you are always the one keeping things from me!"

Thor walks somewhere, and a few seconds later, the light comes on to reveal that they are in Thor's bedroom. He grabs his jeans from earlier and walks to the edge of the bed calmly, but Loki is not fooled. Below his skin boils a fury, the same fury that drove Loki to stretch the truth about him and Balder.

Thor reaches into the pocket and throws down something packaged in plastic.

Cigarettes, Loki's somehow forgotten cigarettes.

"What were you doing going through my things?" he replies, going forward but finding his wrist grabbed. He yanks it away from Thor's too-hot touch with a glare. "Is privacy a benign concept to you?"

"I would not have had to gone through your things—yes, Loki, I have kept silent about these for over a week, so I am due some credit for that—if you did not lie like how you so easily lied about being with my cousin!"

"I like to lie, Thor! Get over it!" He stands. "You would have been too bent on seeing the best on me to see that not everyone can be as altruistic as you think you are!"

"This is not about my altruistic ways. My friendship—yes, friendship, Loki—with Zeus did not involve me endangering my physical health because as selfish as I was, I was not that selfish! You are lucky that I did not mortify you as you have repeatedly done me, Loki. You have publically shamed me-"

"And they forgave you!" he shouts. "Just like I forgave you! I forgave you because I'm stupidly in love with you!"

"Do you think that about your feelings for me? Do you think them stupid?"

"Of course I do! They weakened me until I was too blind to see that you had someone else!"

"I had no one else! Zeus was merely a friend with one-sided feelings for me!"

"Who you let kiss you!"

"I found you guys—oh, never mind. I'll just…"

"I may have not pushed him away, but you only stopped Balder when he was to penetrate you, who you let touch you in ways that you knew would hurt me!"

He hops from the bed. "And what of me? Did you ever think about me when you and Zeus were frolicking about, Zeus looking at you with googly eyes and telling you just how hot you were?"

"Every single moment, Loki." Thor grabs his hand and pulls it to his neck, his pulse steady. "Every single moment."

Loki blinks up at him, his heart rate slowing down in his chest at the sight of something raw and open in Thor's eyes. Gods, a person's eyes should not be able to convey feelings like that, and a person should not be able to tell the truth so… purely.

"I knew how he felt, Loki, but I did not care because I have you. With you, I need nothing else."

"Don't be so stupid," he replies, but his voice holds no malice. "You need food, water, oxygen."

Thor chuckles. "Promise me that you will never touch a cigarette again in your existence."

He nods. "I haven't touched one in weeks. I didn't need them when I had you."

"You have me, Loki, even if you do not want me."

He rolls his eyes. "As if that is possible."

"Worst hiders in history!" Vidar shouts. "Clint Barton had to have let you both go because this is the worst hiding job I have seen in my life. What a waste of space."

"You're it!" Clint shouts as he and Bucky run past. "Barnes, you're it!"

"Are you two coming," Vidar asks, "or are you two cumming?"

"Yes to the first one," Loki replies, and Thor sighs.

"Better luck next time, Cousin Thor!"

Thor crushes the pack of cigarettes into a fine powder of plastic and tobacco, and Loki tries not to think of the waste though the thought occurs a few times as he lies in the crook of Thor's elbow and listens to him talk. Thor seems to realize this, stopping midsentence to ask Loki who gave them to him. He gives him a short, nameless response, but Thor fills in the blanks, eyes narrowing and arm tensing. As Loki goes to tell him that it's nothing for him to worry about, Sigyn and Sif enter in search of a hiding place.

"This could have been a lot different," Sigyn says, gesturing to them.

Sif smirks. "Yes, I fear it could have been."

With as comfortable as Thor and his bed are, Loki is not happy to when Thor pulls him to his feet to go join the others in the basement. He thinks of breaking his vow of no sex, but Thor starts to undress him, Loki letting him in curiosity, and replaces his pajamas with one of his t-shirts as if displaying who Loki "belongs to."

"How cute," Fandral says when Loki sits down with Thor's pilfered blanket around his shoulders.

"You know, I'm glad you two are back together," Steve says. "I know Tony was pretty annoying with his pushing, but he felt the same as we all did. It was sad to see you both hating each other."

"I did not hate Loki."

Loki plays with the seam of the blanket.

"Shady."

"Wow, you really hated him?"

"No," he replies, "I hated that I loved him. Now, this conversation is closed."

Sigyn gets into a kick fight with Tyr which spreads around to everyone else, and Loki is far too happy to have Thor next to him, Thor whose strength everyone is too aware of to try to kick him.

He doesn't know how he gets to sleep with everyone around him chattering under their pillows and tossing and turning on the noisy polyester sleeping bags, but it has a lot to do with Thor's chest acting as the perfect pillow.

His mother wakes them all up for a breakfast she managed to make within the span of time they slept and somehow enough for feeding them all. She stares on in satisfaction as everyone engorges themselves with pancakes and eggs and other foods made to coat the arteries, and Loki acts unimpressed.

It's all fun and food until someone starts throwing condiments, but Hoder quickly rips the whipped cream from Tyr's hand and the syrup from Vidar's with a warning that they should behave themselves. He turns a stern look upon them all and diffuses any situation.

After everyone who is not supposed to be there leaves, promising to see them later at Thor's graduation party—Loki looks forward to that—Loki is invited to join Thor, his friends, and cousins on a few mile run through the city but quickly declines.

"Come on!" Balder shouts, bouncing on his heels. "You can run, can you not?"

"Loki, you do not have to go if you do not want to," Thor says, giving Balder a narrow-eyed look. "It is your choice."

"I know that." He scoffs when Sigyn descends the stairs in running gear. "You are going?"

"I have not seen New York City, comrade, so this is a very good way to do so," she says. "You should come."

"Even your 'comrade' agrees," Balder says. "Now, go, get changed."

Odin enters the house, and Loki knows that look in his eye. He has talked to his mother, so he does not need Odin to try to talk to him either, which he will with everyone else gone.

"Fine," he says, and Thor frowns. "Not because of you, Balder. I am going for my comrade."

Thor's frown turns into a smirk, and Balder frowns.

"Wow, nice," Sigyn says as Loki joins them in his gear. "You have gotten quite… sculpted since I last saw you in the nude."

"Last saw him?"

"Shut up, Tyr." He pulls his hair back into a ponytail and sticks his ear buds in. "Are we running or not?"

He gets no verbal reply as everyone spurs into motion, and he lets out a disgruntled sound before following. He stays at the back of their group, jogging at a leisurely pace that leaves him feeling as if he is merely taking a walk in the park. With Oh Land playing and tolerable people around him, he feels contented.

"Afraid of a little running, Little Loki?" Volstagg asks.

"Yes, you seem rather tired," Sif says.

He takes back the tolerable part.

"Can you blame him? He is so very skinny," Fandral says. "I am lithe, but I am not like him."

Thor chuckles because this is so funny. "Friends, please."

"Loki is lithe!" Balder shouts, gesturing back to him. "Do you not see the long legs?"

"Not everyone stares, Balder," Tyr says.

"Oh ha, ha, so very funny, brother."

He realizes that they are picking up speed when an ear bud falls out from the bouncing. "Why are we speeding up?"

"Cannot handle it?" Fandral asks.

"I doubt he can," Vidar says.

They simply think that their muscles and bulk can make them so much faster than everyone else, but Loki is not everyone else!

He shoves his ear bud in just as "Sun of a Gun" begins to play, and the next time his foot hits the pavement, it does so with enough force to push him to the front of their group in one bound. The next footfall pushes him ahead, and he pretends to not hear their incredulous sounds as he takes off.

The air rushes past his face, adding cold to his already cooled skin, and the sun does nothing but light the day.

Thor catches up with him, grinning. "I knew this would happen. You are not to be underestimated."

He runs across E 38th Street. "Are you having trouble keeping up?" he asks, casting a glance back to the others a few feet behind. "I could slow down if needed."

They stop and turn back near SHIELD, ending up in a restaurant when Volstagg states his need for sustenance.

"Comrade, that was brilliant."

He grins as several people stab their salad. "It was nothing. I could have gone much faster."

"Lovely Loki, you are so very quick at everything you do," Balder says with a smirk, and Loki winks.

"You know I am."

"Wow!" Tyr shouts, and Loki sees an exploded bottle of ranch dressing in Thor's hands.

"Thor, come," Hoder says, and Thor follows him from the restaurant.

"Balder, you are despicable," Hermod says, shaking his head.

Balder shrugs and proceeds to take a bite of his salad, leaving salad dressing all around his mouth, Bragi shoving a napkin in his direction with a frown.

Thor departs as soon as he has changed out of his running clothes, pressing a brief kiss to Loki's cheek before he and Hogun are off.

Loki and Sigyn stay in his room—away from Odin—and are left alone yet again as everyone else does who knows what. Bragi comes and tells them to get ready at 8:00, an hour before Thor's graduation party starts.

The Odinson habit of not knocking almost leads to what could have been an embarrassing situation as Sigyn finishes buttoning her shirt, but Loki, on the other hand, is standing in nothing but his boxers, preparing to change by Sigyn's suggestion, when Balder enters.

"Knock!" Sigyn shouts in Swedish. "You see he is undressed."

"Wow, oh, wow, this is not what I was expecting." Balder wags his eyebrows. "Nice undies though I have seen what is underneath, and yes is it impressive."

Sigyn lets out an exasperated sound. "You are terrible!"

"No, I am brave! I say the things on my mind, Sigyn, and that just happened to be one of the many things."

"Goodbye, Balder," Loki says as he steps into a pair of jeans. He shoves his hand into his pants to adjust himself, uncaring that Balder is standing there. "Leave."

"What? I cannot enjoy the show?"

Sigyn shuts the door in his face. "What is wrong with him? He comes out as gay, and now he is saying and doing weird things like that and what he said earlier." She frowns. "Loki, I know you said that something happened between you two, but I have guessed that nothing really did or at least not what you claimed."

He pulls the shirt on. "He finger-fucked me, and we frotted," he says. "We did not actually fuck, which is why he is still alive. Thor did mention breaking his fingers, but I think he has been subdued for now."

"Why do I have the greatest feeling that this all is not going to end well?"

"Perhaps because it will not."

The chosen venue of a club is already filled with their peers, the plethora of friends Thor has consolidated in their nine month stay, and old friends of Thor's he does not recognize, and Loki's presence does not go unnoticed with people coming up to announce they are glad he's not dead and others giving him dirty looks as If remembering his colorful speech, Sigyn aiming glares in the latter's direction.

"You're still here!" Clint shouts as he walks up with Natasha. "Cool, cool."

"Did you expect me to disappear within the intervening hours?"

"Actually, after last night-"

"Mischief!" Tony attempts to pull him into another hug, but Loki steps backward. "Yay, you're still mean."

"I don't know half of the people here," Steve says. "Wow."

"Can I say that Swedish people are some of the hottest in the world by far?" Tony asks, and he gestures to a crowd of blonds in one corner of the dance floor. "All Swedish people. I asked one of them her name. You know what she said? 'None of your business, puny American boy.' WTF?"

"You are puny," Sigyn says. "I expected you to be taller."

"I make up for my lack of height in other ways, honey." He winks. "Right, Steve?"

"Tony, I don't see why you care what that girl thought. You'll probably never see her again."

"But, Steve, I'm Tony Stark. I demand respect."

"No, you threaten people, and when that fails you resort to other methods," Loki says. "I feel claustrophobic already." He looks up and sees the balcony, grabbing Sigyn's hand and pulling her after him as his friends follow.

The majority of those sat around the tables are adults though Hogun and Hermod sit at a table by themselves. Loki choses the table farthest from where his mother and Odin sit with Mrs. Munroe and a few others. He has had enough interaction with her for the week, and he cannot begin to imagine talking to Odin.

"Why are you all sitting?" Volstagg asks as he ascends the stairs. "You Americans are supposed to be the ones who so love to party. You are just sitting and talking like a bunch of hens."

"I aint boring!" Clint shouts.

"I'm not a fucking hen!"

"Prove it, Clint Barton!"

All of them end up going to "prove it" though the moment they reach the dance floor, the music above stops playing, and a groan goes through the crowd.

Bragi stands in front of golden equipment with large headphones on, Thor whispering into his free ear, and the two look completely unfazed by the negative reaction to the music easing.

"Ruined the jams!" Tony says. "Must I call upon my trusty AI?"

Thor steps down from the DJ booth just as Daft Punk begins to play, and the reaction is of praise and shouts of love for the song, including from his friends who start to scream and jump up and down.

Loki does not jump up and down. He takes a calming breath and enters the writhing crowd on a mission, unsurprised at who he finds in the center of the crowd dancing. He meets Balder's eyes as he begins to dance, moving around the circle of them dancing with a predatory smile.

He is a warrior ballerina, movements graceful though filled with something… mischievous.

The song turns into a derivative of the original, "Stronger," and Thor finally makes his appearance, grabbing Loki's hand and halting his movements.

Loki looks up at his too smug expression with a smirk of his own. "You know me so well."

"I do."

"Remember, Thor"—he pulls his hand away—"no touching."

With just centimeters between their bodies, Loki resumes dancing, teasing Thor with lip bites and hip sways, and he is impressed that Thor lasts until "Make Love" before he can no longer stand the distance, a hand on Loki's hip pulling them flush against each other.

"This is my party, so I think it reasonable that I get what I want."

"Oh, Thor, don't be so… demanding." He exhales. "You know what it does to me."

Britney Spears comes on, and Thor groans.

"Is he truly serious?" he asks with a disgusted face, and he appears to be the only one bothered by the trite music. "Stay," he whispers into Loki's ear.

Loki watches him disappear into the crowd. He loves it when Thor is demanding, but he loves it when he is angry from being disobeyed even more.

He stands at the bar and only orders water because of the approaching Odinson, Tyr. He isn't sure if he is above telling about Loki's alcoholic preferences, and tonight is a night he would rather save himself the drama. "Why aren't you dancing?" he asks as Tyr stops beside him. "I didn't know you were capable of growing tired."

Tyr snorts. "Not all of us can be the Odinson."

"I guess not. Thor is… different."

"Perfect, right?"

"No, not perfect, but nearly." He sighs. "He is human like the rest of us, believe it or not."

"You have forgiven my cousin for his infidelity, hm? That was awfully quick for someone so cruel."

He turns to glance at Tyr's impassive face, wondering just where he is going with this conversation. For people who like to party, the twins sure like to bring up negative topics. It's as if they wish to ruin everyone's mood because they are feeling down.

"Zeus kissed him, Tyr. Thor did not kiss Zeus."

"Then that invalidates the kiss then, correct?"

He frowns. "What do you-?" He is cut short by Tyr's lips, and he reacts immediately, grabbing his shoulders and shoving him backward though Tyr is already pulling away.

"Brother, what the hell?" Balder asks, and Loki takes one of the drinks in his hands, downing it and washing out the taste of him.

Loki slams the empty glass down on the bar, bitter replacing the taste of mint and grape. "What did you do that for?" he shouts. "I am with Thor. You remember, your cousin?"

"I think we are all aware of that, but the cousin part did not stop you from giving Balder a 'big gay epiphany,' did it?" Tyr smiles bitterly. "No worries about that from me. I am completely straight though that kiss was weird and strangely hairless. Can you even grow a beard?"

His hair growth patterns or lack of them is irrelevant after Tyr kissed him without reason! If he thinks that discussing Loki's extreme lack of facial hair is going to suddenly make him forget that, especially with Balder as a witness, he is truly mistaken.

Balder grabs Tyr's shoulder, brow furrowed. "Why did you kiss him?"

"I am evening out the field. Cousin Thor was broken up with, putting him at -1. You and Loki had the 'sexy times'. -5. Loki told everyone. -10. He went to Sweden after summoning the Odin courage. -5. He was not rejected. +10. You came out as gay after what I am sure everyone knows about. 8. You two incessantly flirt. 1. This wondrous party. 3. Now, I kissed Loki. 0."

Loki clenches his fists. "Is this about your sanguinary rivalry? Do you not understand that Thor doesn't want to follow Odin's stupid legacy? Do you not realize that he doesn't want it as much as you do? You think he asked for this. He didn't!"

Balder and Tyr exchange a look.

"We understand that you want to defend him and all that, but you are setting yourself up for a future of emotional turmoil, Loki," Balder says. "Everyone has gone to Oxford. We go to Oxford. Thor is going to go to Oxford, and-"

"Loki, there you are." Thor presses a kiss to his temple and wraps his arm around his waist. "Why are you both staring at him like that?"

Tyr licks his lips, and the thought of telling Thor briefly appears in his mind before disappearing.

"Are we not allowed to enjoy the view, Cousin Thor?" Balder asks.

"No, not you," he replies, and he kisses Loki's cheek. "What?"

"Oh, nothing, cousin." Tyr smiles. "Balder, let us go seduce Americans."

"I should break both of their hands. Tyr is always breaking the left one. The right one could use some attention."

Loki rolls his eyes and uses the opening of an approaching Volstagg to get away from Thor. He finds Sigyn talking Gwen, their blonde heads together as they giggle and whisper about something, "Loki" occurring multiple times as he stands and waits for them to notice him.

"He just like told me out of nowhere!"

"He told me after I kissed him!"

"It was not out of 'nowhere,' Gwen. You were infatuated, and Sigyn, I told you after you kissed me, and you kissed me again as if you didn't believe me." He chuckles at their shocked expressions. "I see you have made friends already, comrade."

Together, he realizes that he was right about his love blinding him from seeing simple things such as resemblances. This time it will not do much more than remove him from the dating market. Everything else that came with their first attempt at a relationship has been eradicated.

He sticks with what is familiar. He _is_ human.

With Sigyn and Gwen, he goes to the center of the crowd to resume dancing, and yet again, the music stops.

"Victory!" Clint shouts from the DJ booth as pop music begins to play again.

He remains stationary and listens to the lyrics of this song, catching the theme of an illicit crush easily, but at the chorus, he notices that the circle of people have become his peers and friends, and the song meaning becomes clear as they shout "Loki's step brother is the one for him," changing the name to Thor in the next repetition.

Sigyn and Gwen throw their heads back and laugh while Loki stares at them, nostrils flared. This is not amusing at all though with the way everyone is laughing, he is alone in that opinion.

Thor saves him for the billionth time by stopping the song. "Thank you, friends. That was quite amusing."

Yes, Loki is completely alone.

"The night is reaching a climax, so it is only natural for me to make a-"

"Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!"

"-speech." Thor stops speaking and absorbs the words of Swedish and English praise he's getting, and Loki rolls his eyes the hardest he has tonight. He is too cocky, outrageously so, but gods is it hot. "For my speech, I ask Loki to come stand with me."

Yay, Loki has to stand in front of hundreds of people he either barely tolerates or doesn't know. This is his lucky day.

"You will charm them with your beauty, comrade."

He glares at her and dreadfully makes his way into the DJ booth to stand beside Thor, getting a nod and smile from a seated Bragi along the way. He continues glaring at Thor, gritting his teeth when Thor puts an arm around his shoulder and pulls him closer.

"Now that I have Loki here—for those of you who are unfortunately unaware, this is Loki."

Too many people say hello to him, and he does not spare a greeting back even when Thor prompts him to.

"There is no need to be so prickly," Thor whispers.

He smiles. "Count yourself self-reliant for the next few months," he says through his teeth, and his smile becomes slightly genuine at the fear in Thor's eyes. "Continue, Thor. They are waiting."

Thor exhales into the microphone. "You should all know that Loki has changed my life, and I cannot imagine my life without him. Before I become distracted by Loki as I so often do, I want to begin by thanking you all for your presence, especially those of you who have travelled from _Sverige_. This night has marked the beginning of the new start of my life.

"Actually, my life begun anew December 21st, 2012, and with that date, you can make of it what you will." It's not a far stretch for most seeing as Thor is smirking and giving Loki one of his proud looks. "I am no longer legally bound to attend school, ask my father permission for trivialities, or refrain from alcohol consumption in my native land of course. With these things, I am supposedly a man, but the moment after I graduated, I still felt like I was a child hiding behind the skirts of his mother and eating dirt."

"That, my friend, is disgusting!" Fandral shouts.

"I am not speaking from experience. I am speaking as a witness to Volstagg's need to eat everything in sight."

Volstagg huffs before shrugging. "Those rocks were quite crunchy!"

He chuckles, grabbing one of the glasses from beside the equipment and giving it to Loki before grabbing the other. "I feel quite differently after several decisions I have come to make in the intervening days since then. My mistake was of thinking of the future as mine only when it no longer is. It is our future, one we will share, and as such, it is only right that I start to plan for the long-term now."

Loki is tempted to down whatever is in his glass now, but he can only stare at Thor's profile and watch him speak, watch as each word comes from his mouth in front of all of these people, in front of their parents.

"Love is not something one puts below their other priorities when it is true love, the love that you are willing to go to the edge of the planet and back for," Thor says, and he's looking straight at Loki now. "Which why when I am trekking across the Princeton campus this autumn, my mind will often drift to the place that lies not an hour away, to the love that awaits." Thor lifts his drink, and Loki does though not consciously. "My well-wishes to those who have not been so fortunate to find love. Cheers, to shared futures and good collegiate fortunes."

Loki's glass somehow finds its way to his lips, and gods is he silently panicking.

After Thor's admission, Loki was left slightly doubtful of everything Thor said whether it was something small or something as large as him not going to Oxford. Now, there is no question that Thor is telling the truth and nothing but the truth. He is not going to Oxford.

He is going to Princeton.

He sets down the glass and turns to Thor. "Princeton."

"Yes, Princeton University," he replies. "I am sure you know where that is."

"Princeton, New Jersey. That is-"

"An hour away provided one goes the speed limit." Thor smirks. "You know me as one to not take that liberty."

Loki smiles. "Then 30 minutes."

"If I am feeling cautious," Thor says. "I am only going on the days I have classes."

"Don't be ridiculous, Thor. You need the experience."

He sighs. "Alternating weeks then?"

"Weekends are a good compromise." He kisses him, Thor chuckling at the sound of people expressing their congratulations and "aw!"

"I thought I was not supposed to touch."

"You still have to be self-reliant," Loki says, and Thor lets out a sigh. "For the rest of night, I mean. If you cannot wait…"

Thor beams. "This party is suddenly-"

"Thor Odinson!"

One major conflict down, one Odin left to go.

* * *

**A/N:** ECL: 2 left possibly. Always getting ideas for things.  
Probably will write another Thor POV:  
ALSO: !IMPORTANT! Please, if you think it's a good idea for me to go in and divide the chapters a bit into smaller ones, say so in the comments. If you don't, don't say say anything then. I'm entering the editing stages of the earlier chapters, and this thought popped up.


	24. Chapter 23

**A/N: **This Chapter's buzzword is "nuptials."

* * *

Balder Odinson: Prurient Persister !?

"Princeton?" Odin shouts, his voice audible from the kitchen. "I refuse to contribute my funds to dream chasing!"

"I do not need them," Thor replies in voice equally as loud. "Do you recall your first wife? She left me with more than enough reserves to travel to the stars and back. Even after her demise, she has taken care of me in ways that you have never cared to!"

"Care, Thor? How dare you doubt my care for you?"

"Mother loved me, and she let it be known even after you discouraged her from doing so in fear that she would somehow emasculate me." Loki feels a chill go down his skin as he remembers a similar act from his own childhood. "Yes, Father, I am gay as much as it disgusts you, and I am no less of a man than Vidar or Bragi!"

"I care not for your homosexuality. I am appalled that one boy has caused you to change your future, a boy unworthy of such a thing!"

"Loki is worthy of my love and more!"

"You are a foolish child with no knowledge of the realities of love!" Something cracks. "Your mother and I-"

"She was divorcing you, Father! Do you not remember that because I do with great clarity?"

"I loved your mother, but our love was not enough to hold together a marriage that faced outside strain. You are all too aware of the effects outside intervention has on a relationship since you and your step brother are currently ignoring the warnings of all of the adults looking to provide the best for you. If you truly cared for him, you would give up pursuit of this relationship once and for all, and you would not ruin your future for him!"

"I am in love with him!" Thor yells.

He blinks, not betraying how he feels about that to the dozen pairs of eyes staring at him.

Their voices are suddenly inaudible, continuing to be for a few more minutes until Odin's voice is heard shouting again.

"Thor, I thought that you were over this fairytale! Do you not see that this does not end well?"

"I must follow my dreams father. Was it not you who pulled a scared, red-nosed version of me aside to warn him to never let go of what he loved? Who made him promise before embracing him and telling him that it's all alright? Father, I wish to honor that promise as well as I can, and to do that, I must go my own way. For you to give your support is simply additional."

"I fear my emotionally-charged words have come back to haunt me."

"You do not mean that, Father. You have hidden your pain and fear well for my own sake, and I express my gratitude, but I am a man now. I no longer need to be coddled like that red-nosed boy. You can trust your own ideals and principles instilled into me that I will strive to be successful in a way different than you wish for me to be. Mother's words have kept me whole for all this time, and they will keep me whole until the end. Can you doubt her words?"

"Your mother is gone, Thor, and in her stead, it is my duty to try to direct you to the correct course. If you decide to ignore my suggestions, I can only remove myself from the situation to absolve myself of any further blame you may place on me when this goes awry. Do know that should you pursue your collegiate career anywhere but Oxford this autumn, you will no longer be welcome within this residence or any other one under my domain. I will not have my son-"

"Be a disappointment?"

The door to Odin's office opens.

"Father, the only disappointment is you."

Everyone scrambles to make themselves scarce as Thor's footsteps sound down the hall, Tyr nearly falling from his stool, Clint somersaulting into the den, Tony caterpillar crawling to hide on the other side of the island, but their attempts are for nothing as Thor doesn't pay them any attention as he walks through the room, face steeled.

No one says a word, but Loki follows him without hesitation. A week ago, he was sure that he would never hold a steady conversation with Thor without reminding him about his wrongdoing, but now he can only think about talking with him until he has gotten everything from Thor, offering his own words of reassurance.

Thor sits down on the stairs, eyes shining in the orange streetlights, and the veins in his hands bulge as he clenches them, Loki taking his left hand as he sits down beside him.

"I… He had no right to say those things to you," he says, knowing he would not want to hear something along the lines of "I'm sorry" at this moment if he were in Thor's place. He would want to be alone if Sigyn weren't the one offering him comfort, and Loki, he wants to be Thor's Sigyn though loved back in the same way as Loki loves him.

"He had every right to," Thor replies, glancing down at their hands. "He can do as he pleases."

"He thinks he can, Thor. Not even Odin can get everything he wants."

He chuckles. "I suppose not with what he has just discovered. His own son has disobeyed him, the first person to do so and live to tell the tale." Thor stops smiling. "After autumn, I will be as good as dead to him."

"You are his only son, Thor. I doubt he can just forget you like that. You are 'the Odinson' as people like to remind you."

"Do you truly think that will stop him from pushing me aside as if I am refuge? I am the only Odinson by lineage, but by name, there are five other Odinsons, and Hoder would be pleased to change his name. My father cares about appearances, and I have ruined them with my recent decisions." He pulls his hand away. "I am the sole disappointment."

Loki's brow furrows. "Because you have decided to not go to Oxford? Is a school really that big of a deal?"

"Yes, it is, Loki!" He stands. "It is not the brick or the mortar that matter. It is the symbol for what it means. It is a symbol of the success of my ancestors, and the future success of my progeny. Oxford is to Odinson as genius is to Stark. It is the gateway to the future, and by choosing other avenues, I will bypass the legacy laid out in front of me. Unlike others, I do not have the luxury of ignoring this legacy because I am not the only one with a stake in it. My disobedience of Odin will be noted."

"Then why are you not going to Oxford if it means that much?"

"You mean more to me!" He raises his fist to nothing, dropping it to his side. "I had to make a choice, and I have made it."

"What about my say in this, Thor? I want you to have your own life, your own dreams fulfilled. You could go anywhere in the world but you chose Princeton. Harvard, Yale, even Cambridge-" He stops talking when Thor's eyes narrow dangerously.

Thor shoots to his feet, and Loki stands as well.

"What-?"

"I will be back, but now I must do something else, something without you."

His brow furrows and he stands. "Wait, Thor—where are you going?"

"I do not regret what I have done, Loki," he says as he opens the driver's side door. "I love you."

He frowns. "That's not an actual"—the car speeds away from the curb—"answer."

"Where is he going?" Balder asks as he comes to stand beside him.

Loki doesn't know where Thor is going, but the first place that flashes in his mind makes his stomach churn and his blood boil. Thor said that he went to _him_ for comfort because he was removed from the situation while Loki was "unfortunately and fortunately" not. He was merely a friend Thor could confide in like he should confide in Loki, like a supportive boyfriend.

"I… don't know." He doesn't know, and he has a feeling that he will not want to know when he inevitably finds out.

He's stupid for even thinking that words changed anything when he himself is the master of spinning words to fit his agenda. He knows lies, and he knows what others want to hear. It's not far off to assume that Thor is not above doing the same.

He wasn't above hiding Zeus in the first place.

"He is an asshole," Balder says as Loki turns around. He catches Loki's wrist when he goes to ascend the stairs. "This is not your fault, Loki. You realize that of course?"

He stares down at where Balder's fingers wrap around him, the heat uncomfortable. "I know that."

"Good because Cousin Thor is the one at fault here. You did not ask him to go to Princeton University, did you?"

Loki shrugs his shoulders, eyes burning. "i… I didn't even know he had been accepted to Princeton," he replies in a quiet voice. "He didn't tell me. He doesn't tell me anything."

"_Arsel_." Balder shakes his head. "You deserve better," he says, putting a finger under Loki's jaw.

Loki gives him a cold look in return. "L-"

"Hey, Mischief, you alright?" Tony asks, one of the many heads peeked out of the front door. "Heard Thor pull off, but didn't want to get you all angry again. Did I mention how tight your grip on my collar was? Jesus, I was afraid I was going to die."

He glances at Balder once more before pushing past the friends and family in the hallway to go to his room.

Sigyn waits for him, a look of worried anxiety on her face, and as his primary caretaker, she recognizes the anguish even as he maintains his mask of neutrality. Once it slips in the locked confines of his room, she leaps to her feet and pulls him into an embrace with murmurings that everything is going to be fine when they both know that may not be the case.

"I am starting to not like my cousin very much," she says as Loki breathes deeply. "He keeps hurting you."

"You are not alone in that."

Sigyn leaves and returns with a bucket of mint chocolate ice cream and two spoons, commanding Loki to change into pajamas as to not ruin "that sexy outfit" before they eat, and he listens to her, chuckling as she directs him to unbutton a button or unzip a zipper.

"If I were to marry you, our children would be neurotic," he says as he slides on his pajama top. "They would be overly organized."

"They would also be extremely fashionable, beautiful, creative, and smart." She grins. "I recall you making a promise to me…"

"Sigyn, I am gay."

"There are other avenues of conceiving children, and you will have tons of funds after you inherit this professional killing corporation," she says as she opens the lid of the ice cream.

He takes a spoon, eyeing her warily. "I have a feeling that you have considered this before. You have names, don't you?"

She pretends not to hear him as she takes a scoop of ice cream, humming as she scrolls down his music library and puts together a playlist. Each time Loki tries to crane his head to look at her song choices, she tilts the screen away with a glare. "Now, you may hear my superior sense of music taste."

"How Deep Is Your Love?" begins to play, and Loki throws his head back and laughs.

"What? You should sing this to him. You want him to tell you how much he loves you, so he needs to show you 'how deep his love is.'" She giggles. "You adore me."

Loki smiles. "Sometimes I do."

Sigyn hits anyone who dares to come knocking with a death glare that quickly makes them apologize and scramble away before she can make good on the silent threat in green eyes. Each time, she turns to him with a grin and demands praise from him for her skills of "persuasion."

Using another one of her skills, comfort, she strokes his hair until his lids are heavy, and Loki has one of the best sleeps he has had in weeks.

With a sigh, he goes to get ready in the morning, disappointed to see that his room is dark though the hallway light illuminates a sliver of the red blanket as he passes.

Thor stayed out the entire night, is still out, and Loki has no idea where he is. He could be anywhere.

"You look terrible," Fandral says the moment he takes his seat, and Bragi nods in agreement.

"No, he looks fine," Volstagg replies, smoothing jelly onto his banana. Loki scrunches his nose as Volstagg makes a noise of pleasure.

"He does look fine," Sif says. "He has a natural… radiance."

"Like a woman," Vidar says.

Balder sits down beside his brother with his normal smirk in place, and he looks up at Loki, not bothering with greeting anyone. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Amazing," he replies, and Sigyn takes her seat next to Tyr. "Good morning, comrade."

"Mm, yes, good morning." She leans on her elbow and gives Loki a dreamy look. "I wish to sleep next to you for the rest of my life."

"Oh, are you going to get married at the ceremony too?" Vidar asks, and he shares a high five with Volstagg.

Balder laughs far too loudly. "I would love to see that happen."

"See what happen, Balder?" His mother and Odin enter, and Odin exudes leftover rage from the night before, the anger marring his hues of gold and gray wisdom. She sits down across from Loki for the first time in quite a while and nods him a greeting, Loki not returning it. "Good morning, all."

Over breakfast, Odin is a disgruntled toddler with his brooding and scowling. His usual jolly persona has been retired for the morning, and Loki wishes Thor would have decided to go to Princeton the day after Loki arrived if it has this effect.

Loki chuckles as he sits on the couch in wait for the others to get ready to depart, Odin standing with arms crossed.

"You should just go," Tyr says to Balder. "We have the same measurements. They can only take yours and make two suits. You are gay now anyway. You should enjoy this."

"Shut up, you fool." Balder picks up a book from the shelf to slap him with it, but Sif grabs his arm and sends him a look of warning, Balder setting it back down. "I will hit you with this pillow then."

Tyr and Balder are slapped in the face with throw pillows, Vidar grinning maniacally as he wields a pillow over a confused Balder.

"Victory is for me, cousins!"

The front door slams open, and Thor comes through, heading straight up the stairs. He's still alive.

"Thor, are you just getting in? Where have you-?"

"Please, Father, fuck off."

"He has never used such virile language with me," Odin says with a frown. "He has forgotten to mind himself."

The only person who has forgotten to mind himself is Odin with his need to try to control his son and his son's future after he is no longer legally bound to submit to his authority. Truly, Thor could have rebelled against Odin long ago with his clearly superior physical strength, but the conditioning to be the Odinson almost broke Thor's spirit, almost.

With the extra time provided by Thor's arrival, Loki wanders into the kitchen, finding Sigyn and his mother engaged in intense conversation.

They don't notice him, Sigyn nodding as his mother talks about something with "propensity" and "risk" occurring every few words.

He doesn't alert them of his presence, and instead gets a piece of Smörgåstårta from the refrigerator, the door shutting finally getting their attention. He simply eats as they flounder for words.

"Thor, he is-"

"Back, I know." He chews a piece of shrimp. "Who has a propensity for taking risks?"

His mother's eyes widen. "Loki-"

"We are all leaving now!"

Thor and Odin exchange a look of hostility as they exit the house, and Loki thinks better of trying to intervene. If he waits and gathers his ammunition, he will have little problem in disassembling Odin and thwarting his attempts to control Thor.

Loki almost loses his mind when Balder and Tyr shove into the car after Sigyn, but Balder sitting on Tyr's lap is what nearly pushes him over the edge into complete incredulous fury. His knuckle whitens as he grips the steering wheel, and Sigyn rubs circles on his shoulder as he takes a few moments to compose himself. He does not want to drive angry.

He adjusts the rearview mirror and catches Thor and Odin talking, Odin shouting, "Get in the vehicle now!" and ending the exchange. His rage rears up for a moment as Thor gives Odin a look of disgust, one he deserves, and goes to get into the Range Rover.

"Comrade, slow down!" Sigyn shouts when he pulls onto the street at 50 mph.

"Lovely Loki goes fast!"

He slows down due to the New York City traffic and curses the cars in front of him as minutes pile up with his car idle, desiring to be able to move when the other occupants start to get irritating, which he realizes is only beginning when Sigyn finds his Ray-Bans during a red light, Loki praying to the gods that they have mercy.

"Oh my—Comrade, oh, comrade, this is—you love me. You love me so much that you are willing to give me these Ray-Ban Wayfarer 2132 901 black 55 sunglasses. Yes, you love me that much."

He gives her a blank look as she tries to contain her glee. Giving her the glasses will sate her. "You may wear them until further notice-"

"_Fan ja_!" she shouts, and she pushes the button to retract the hood before he can stop her, the four of them exposed to the New York City citizens. "This calls for great music, comrade."

With Sigyn's indie music playing rather loudly as she sings without shyness, the followers of New York hipster subculture emerge from alleys and coffee shops to stare on in contempt, or in the case of some, to exclaim their approval for the chosen song.

Among the hipsters stands those who are not wearing flannel and paisley, men and women casting lustful glances at Tyr and Balder. Tyr is unshy with extending his arm for a doe-eyed twenty-something to scribble a number and an invitation, and Balder uses every opportunity to charm smiles on the faces of any passersby, male and female, gaining a few numbers himself. It is both fascinating and revolting to see so many fall for their Odinson allure though Loki can admit that it is impressive that their arms are covered in ink by the time Loki finds a parking space.

"What was that all about?" Bragi asks, grabbing Tyr arm and holding it in front of his face. "There have to be 40 here. Almost as much as that time in Prague."

He enters the haberdashery, pursing his lips as the old man stands with his arms clasped behind his back and regards them all with a look only an old man of his sort—paternal and annoyingly amiable—could wear.

"Congratulations on your impending nuptials," the old man says as he shakes Odin's hand. "Weddings have always been a favorite of mine…"

He pulls Sigyn along behind him as he glances around the store, chuckling as he grabs a gold scarf and drapes it over her shoulders. "You should get this. Oh, I forgot that you already had dozens of them."

She puts one over his shoulders. "Perhaps on my wedding day," she says with a simper.

He rolls his eyes and sets both scarves back down. "Say, if we were to marry, our colors would be green and gold of course. We would need another color as well."

"Black, comrade." She kisses his shoulder. "You wear black and look magnificent in it."

They share a look, twin grins appearing on their faces. "I look great in everything," they both say, loud enough to earn themselves a stern warning to lower their voices by Odin and Hoder. That only makes them laugh, and soon, they are trying to catch their breath.

"Go outside if you find this all so comical," Odin says, raising his eyebrows. "You are both unneeded."

"I'm so hurt," Loki says, hand over his heart. "You don't need me."

"Oh, but, comrade, I need you."

He grabs her and dips her down. "I… don't feel the same."

She punches him in the shoulder with a scowl, and he laughs as he leads her from the store. "You are such an ass when you want to be, Loki."

"I want to be an ass all of the time."

Thor and Hogun stand outside, wearing pensive expressions as Hogun talks in a low voice. Hogun remains staring into the window while Thor turns his attention to them, the pensive fortunately morphing into something welcoming and familiar.

"Loki." He steps forward and touches his shoulder, fully smiling now. "I apologize for my abrupt leave yesterday. I had things that needed to be taken care of."

What… things?

Loki doesn't ask. "It's fine," he replies, the wrong response since Thor's smile falls.

"You two, come join us," Volstagg says, and Thor drops his hand from Loki's shoulder to go inside, the warmth of his touch still remaining in the summer air.

He lets out an exhale after he and Sigyn are alone again. Everything is supposed to be fine again, as if the past two weeks have been nothing but a blur, but Loki cannot shake the skepticism he feels for Thor's always ambiguous responses. He should have adjusted by now, but adjustment is easier said than done as Loki is but a human.

Sigyn puts an arm around his shoulder and offers him an understanding look. Forever understanding she is even in moments when many wouldn't be able to fathom the emotional storm inside of Loki. She casts a glance toward the door, eyes sparking with familiar mischief, and starts to tug him down the sidewalk.

"Where are we going?"

She slips her hand into his. "I have not explored the city, comrade. You owe me a tour of the Big Apple."

They soon find themselves surrounded by the banjo-slinging, haughty denizens of the indie scene, and Sigyn's beam is infectious as she weaves between the aisles of vintage clothing the various stores have to offer, talking at a thousand words per minute. Loki regales her, finding that it is equally as fun to play dress up with his comrade as she finds it to be with him.

Never has he spent prolonged amounts of time shopping the New York City shops with a friend—_comrade_—in his past nine months of residency and not found himself yearning to be killed on the spot.

Sigyn fits right in with the demographic of young twenty-somethings looking to bring down the establishment and spread their free-thinking ideals, launching into conversation with more than a few social activists that Loki has to drag her away from. "I should move here," she says, and Loki neither agrees nor disagrees.

"Excuse me."

Loki looks away from where Sigyn gawks at a street painting to see none other than Balder standing there, a straw hat and retro sunglasses on his face. He stifles his laughter and pretends to not see him, sidling up to a mirror on a table of handcrafted jewelry.

"What's got you so dolled up, pretty, or are you always this beautiful?"

He rolls his eyes but plays along with Balder's act. "Well, I think it has to do with something called superior genetics," he replies, taking the sunglasses from his face and putting them on his own. "So, I would say I am always this beautiful."

"I thought you'd say something like that," he says. "I have a little intel that there is another who agrees."

"I have 'intel' that this other wants nothing more than to use me." He turns around, arms crossed. "Balder, what do you want-?"

"Loki, there you are." Thor and his friends arrive though Sif, Bragi, his mother, Tyr, Hoder, and Odin are nowhere in sight. "Why do you have those ridiculous glasses on?"

He tilts his chin up. "They make me look chic."

Thor kisses his forehead, and Loki inhales through his nose, the cinnamon flooding his senses. "Looking ridiculous and being chic are not mutually exclusive, love."

"Love?" Loki asks, cocking an eyebrow. "You did not just call me love."

"Would you rather me call you 'baby?'"

He scoffs, removing the sunglasses with a scowl. "I have a name," he says, sticking a finger into Thor's chest, "one you should know with how you moan it when you are buried-"

"La, la, la, la, la!" Hermod says, pointedly glaring at Loki. "I care not to hear about your exploits."

"If you call me 'love' again, I cannot guarantee I will ever make good on that promise I made last night." He slides the sunglasses back onto his face and turns to seek out Sigyn, Sigyn casually commenting on how much better her—his—sunglasses are.

Thor comes and takes his hand while he patiently waits for Sigyn and Volstagg to choose a place to eat over the screen of her phone, and Loki can't help but to smile as Thor rubs circles with his thumb on the back of Loki's hand, his grip occasionally tightening as if he fears that Loki will flee.

He could reassure Thor with a kiss but instead chooses to continue his nonchalance. It's far more fun to be doted on though Loki has zero intention of admitting to liking something as close to being owned. Loki is not owned. He is Loki Laufeyson, a single—no, no longer single—teenage boy who will do what he wants.

One of the last things he does want is to sit through lunch with everyone, but the firm grip Thor has on him gives him little choice but to acquiesce. He does make it worth his while, putting on the show of a diva when he whips the sunglasses off to glance around the eatery before putting them back on with a huff.

Thor gives him an amused look before attempting to kiss him, Loki evading the kiss by leaning away, and his look is traded in for one of annoyance. "Whose sunglasses are those?"

"Get away from me!"

Loki cocks an eyebrow to the confrontation between Hermod and Volstagg, Hermod squirming as Volstagg attempts to remove his hood. He picks up a carrot, but when it is removed from his fingers, he turns to see Thor giving him a very unamused look. "Uh—Balder's."

Thor leans over the table and kisses him, Loki smiling into the tentative kisses until he realizes that the sunglasses on his face are being thumbed, and as he goes to protest, Thor takes them with him, and with a grin, he snaps them in half and discards them in front of Balder.

"Hey, those were my hipster glasses, Cousin Thor," Balder says. "Sigyn, you should lend me-"

"No," Loki and Sigyn both say.

Thor wears a sly smile as he flips through his menu, and Loki watches him with a mixture of disbelief and awe at his gall to do something like that. Then again, Thor is Thor. "_Mine."_

"Bonjour, bonjour, my comrades," Tyr says, taking the seat beside Sif. "Nice to see your faces, especially yours Cousin Thor. I have not gotten the chance to ask if you had a great time with your boyfriend #2?"

Many sounds of incredulity and amusement leave the mouths of those around the table though Loki is too busy glaring a hole into his menu to see who gives what. He spares a glance up when Thor does not reply, meeting soft blue eyes.

"I went to talk with Natasha," Thor says, and that combined with the look he gives Tyr effectively ends the interrogation before it begins.

He drums his fingers slowly as he tries to form an explanation of what Thor could have possibly needed from her. Natasha is one of the wisest, most mature people he knows, and he would do the same if he were in Thor's position, but Loki is Loki. He doesn't like to share his feelings to many, and Natasha is one of the few.

Thor is one of the few in certain situations usually not involving him, and Loki wants the same to be true for him though he wants Thor to confide in him always. He seemed to have little problem before they were in a relationship and until a certain _someone_ came along and made a better listener.

Natasha is the better alternative to _him_ by far.

The others arrive sans Odin, his mother declaring, "You all took no liberties of waiting," when she sees the ordered food, but everyone continues eating without pause. She of course sits in the unfortunately empty seat beside Loki, and Loki's jaw clenches on his fork, pulling it from his mouth with a clang.

"Loki, do not do that," she says. "You have such beautiful teeth."

"I have such a strong bite as well, Mother." He pushes his plate away and turns a smirk to where Thor sits with his fork hovering in front of his mouth, brow furrowed. "Thor would be glad to tell you so."

"Comrade."

"My food did not ask to hear that!"

His mother makes a neutral sound, and Loki wishes he knew how to read her. "I would like to tell you, Thor, to refrain from marring Loki's beautiful skin with such marks. Now that I have a name to put to the mysterious giver of those 'love bites,' I will not hesitate to state my disapproval. Also, Thor, you are in dire need of a haircut. You may have evaded my grasp for the past—hm, six months? Anyhow, you are to get one."

Thor blinks as if what she is saying makes little sense.

"Oh, do not turn that look on me, young man." She flashes a grin on the server as she takes her salad from him. "Take this as retribution for the wrongs you have done unto my son."

Loki casts a wry glance over his glass. When he doesn't really need his mother is when she decides to step forward and perform her duties. He will not give her the satisfaction of knowing that Loki agrees with the sentiments she sets forward nor will he move to Thor's side as some devoted damsel.

"My hair length is satisfactory."

"To you or a pack of wolves?"

"Oh, snap," Tyr says, punctuating his words with a snap. "Ice mother!"

Thor remains unbothered, but Loki is not going to let the love of his life continue on as such. His duty is to make Thor as great as he can be, and if that means he must side with his mother on this, he is willing to make the sacrifice of her no longer thinking he despises her. When Thor's discomfort is at risk, Loki is so very willing.

Now it is his turn to lean across the table though he does so in a much less mischievous manner than Thor, and he puts two fingers beneath Thor's chin, grinning at the smolder he receives. "Oh Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair."

"Sit down, Loki."

"Have I disgruntled the mighty one?"

He grips his wrist, and Loki's smile becomes sly. "Sit."

"But, Thor, I have not seen what my mother speaks of," he says as he moves his free hand. He takes a lock of wavy softness between his forefinger and thumb and adds tension until the lock is a straight gold ribbon. The true length of Thor's hair reaches his nipple, which Loki accidentally brushes against with deliberate pressure repeatedly. Yes, absolutely accidentally.

"Loki, mind yourself," his mother says, and Loki looks up to see Thor giving him one of _those_ looks.

He bites his bottom lip before grinning, and he releases the lock to take his seat. "Mother, I agree," he says. "Thor's hair is far too long."

"As is yours."

His eyes widen, and everyone chortles and snickers at his misfortune, Sigyn barely concealing her own laughs. Such a good comrade he has. "I received a haircut two months ago!"

"Your hair is rather long," Bragi says.

"I didn't ask you!" He takes a lock into his finger and gestures to it. "This is not long, okay? It is absolutely perfect."

"Comrade, calm down. Everyone is just stating the obvious and suggesting that you-"

Loki crosses his arms. "I care not."

"I never knew you to be so… bratty," Thor says, starting a chorus of laughter.

He gives him a sardonic smile. "Bratty is your type, is it not?" He leans on his elbows. "Petulant, stubborn, whiny, irritating, all of them make you just want to… explode. It just happens that I display many of these traits, Great Thor-eo, and you have little idea with what to do with yourself. Submit I will not."

"Loki, please." His mother glares at him in her periphery. "You are 16 years old. You are talking like a… man. You are still _min lilla Jõtnar_ and will continue to be as long as you remain my son and under my supervision. Seducing your step brother in front of me will not be silently tolerated."

He starts to remind her that he is not legally solely under her supervision when Balder begins to clap loudly and dramatically. "Ice mother has done it again! She is the woman to end all women!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sif asks, and Balder shrugs, ceasing clapping when he sees the glare she is aiming at him.

"I am not acting like a… man." He jabs Sigyn in the rib when she murmurs something. "Thor's the 'man,' Mother."

Thor's eyes narrow, and Loki suppresses a laugh.

"I am a helpless, small boy, a damsel in distress," he says, holding a hand to his heart. "I need to be saved by my prince."

"The manliest man shall be your prince, Loki," Balder says, raising his glass.

Loki chuckles. "But I really need no prince," he replies. "I want a king, to be a king."

Thor looks as if he has just realized something, so Loki asks to hear of this breakthrough, getting a shake of the head in return. Oh yes, secrets.

His mother pats his shoulder. "Loki, I do not know what I would do without you. You are one of a kind."

The agreements she gets earn glares as Loki is not willingly oblivious enough to ignore the malice in their chuckles. He could not care less if they feel inclined to believe him strange as their opinions hold little weight to them. Well, everyone's but three of theirs.

Thor's attention is taken by his phone the moment he finishes eating, and Loki swallows down the curiosity for another time, pushing it deeper and deeper as he turns his own attention to the conversation between his mother, Sif, Sigyn, and Tyr about something Loki is interested very little—not at all—in.

He gives up any effort of appearing engrossed when they depart though he is temporarily captured by the mentioning of "Oh, Sigyn, visiting a museum with you all would be charming. With all of this culture around us, it would do us good to utilize it."

"What do you mean 'you all?'"

"Anti-social Loki strikes again," Balder says, Loki glaring.

"Loki, you act as if we have the plague."

"To my sanity you do."

"Drama queen." Vidar rolls his eyes. "Suck it up, Loki. We are going to spend the day looking at fine arts, and you will enjoy it."

"No." He stops walking. "No. No, I will not. I am going to do something else."

No one takes Loki's wants and needs into consideration, especially Thor as he just loves grabbing Loki and pulling him close as if he is a child in need of direction. Loki takes advantage of this, leering up at Thor as he pushes him along.

"You want me to be a boy as well, don't you?" he asks, chuckling at the flustered look he gets in response. "Sh, it's our little secret."

"It is not after you felt the need to share it with everyone."

He grins. "Oops."

His mother sends Thor a warning look when his grip on Loki's wrists remains even after they've safely reached a place where Loki cannot escape—or so they think; he can if he wants—and puts a hand on Loki's shoulder to guide him elsewhere.

"Jealous, Mother?"

She sniffs. "Of course not," she replies. "I am merely untrusting, and you cannot blame me."

…no, he cannot.

A painting of two people engaged in coitus attracts Thor's cousins, friends, and Sigyn though Sif slaps Fandral in the arm each time he makes a comment on the shapeliness of the female subject. Loki finds no entertainment in the image and goes to seek Thor, only to find him talking in a sharp, hushed voice into his phone, and he tries not to jump to conclusions, which is rather hard.

"Yes, it is my pleasure as well," Thor says with a small smile. "I will see you later. Loki, is there something you require me for?"

"Can I not enjoy the fine architecture of the world around me?" He turns to look at a black and white photograph of a woman and her child, smiling when he feels lips on his neck. "My mother, she loathes you."

He exhales. "The feeling is somewhat returned."

"That's my mother you speak of."

"The same mother you were not hesitant to dismiss."

Loki turns to look at him. "You have a point. I will give you that, but"—he trails a finger up Thor's arm—"I will not give you that again. You have had enough… passes today. I should make you suffer."

"You actively are," he replies, and he steps backward?! "Loki, I-"

"You to go?" His blood had to go southward, but Loki isn't complaining is he? Why now? Why can't Thor be depraved as he so desires to be? Loki can see the primal beast that lurks just below the surface in wait for a chance to ravage little Loki. He… he wants him to. "Oh."

Thor sighs, running a hand through his more than satisfyingly-long hair though Loki is never going to tell him that. "I will be back, okay?" He kisses his forehead. "I promise."

He looks into his eyes. "Don't-"

"I no longer make promises I will not be able to keep," he says. "I love you, Loki."

"Ditto."

"Say it."

He inhales Thor's exhale. "I love you."

"Good," Thor replies, and he kisses him on the lips once before he's gone, leaving Loki to stand alone amongst photographs of anonymous people with happiness in their eyes.

The others come to find him—"Oh, I am feeling the feelings. They are black and white." "That is because the photographs are black and white, you fool." "You know what I mean!"—surrounding him with their presence without as much as asking.

His mother explains that she must go get Heimdall from the airport, Sif, Hoder, and Sigyn going along with her, and with her departure, Loki pulls a charming smile and gets Balder to convince the others to follow his lead. His mother did not think her decision not to try to force him to come along through very well.

"What are we-?"

Loki stops and turns, a grin spreading across his face. "Have you ever been Go-kart racing?" He holds relatively fond memories for the activity which occurred during the short-lived state of bliss, but now he can form another state, a more realistic one.

Tyr takes the liberty of informing "the Starkson" of their plans, which spirals into them standing outside of the facility in a "group" of 14, five more than what they left the museum with.

Loki immediately and very casually pulls Natasha to the back of the line with him and asks of Thor's visit very casually.

She shrugs. "Oh yeah, I do recall seeing him last night." She chuckles, and he rolls his eyes. "I also recall seeing him this morning."

"Is there anything I should be aware of?"

"Hm, too vague, Laufeyson."

"Is there anything I should be worried about?"

Natasha pats him on the shoulder and accepts a helmet from Clint. "Depends on what gets you worried," she replies before she puts it on her helmet.

He regrets the decision to allow them to choose to race instead of freely drive as his chances of talking to her are limited with the required headgear. He takes his helmet from Bragi with a thanks but sends one more glare in Balder's direction when he begins to goad him with mention of his slowness when they are all aware that Loki is one of the fastest—if not the fastest—people here.

It's that which makes his victory so much more wonderful.

"Cheater!" Tony shouts. "You cheated. You don't even have your full license! You cheated!"

Loki pulls his helmet off and shakes his hair free. "One man's cheating is another's strategy," he replies, grinning as Tony sputters for a response. "Don't bother, Stark."

"Congrats," Balder says. "You are quick in many ways."

"Many of which you will never know."

He smirks. "We will see about that."

For that, he offers Balder a drink of his water, which should be warning enough that something is to come though his friends all cringe from their places as he gets on his toes to lift it above his mouth, and he tilts it back slowly at first before turning it over and allowing it all to wash over Balder's face.

"Sorry, it appears my reflexes are not one of the things I am quick at."

Balder glowers at him as he saunters away, feeling not a worry in the world until Fandral catches up with him, putting his elbow on Loki's shoulder as if they are the old friends they will never be. He may be attractive but that is where their common traits end.

"I never got to ask where did Thor went," Fandral says. "You were the last one to see him before he left. Did he not tell you where?"

"No, he did not because my cousin is an ass," Balder says, slinging his arm over Loki's shoulder, and how did he get dry so quickly?

"Do not speak so ill of Thor," Hogun says. "He has done nothing to wrong you as you have done to him, will commit against him."

"What does that mean?"

"We are all very aware of where your sights lie, Balder, and as friends of Thor's, we do not approve of your lack of tact. You should respect your cousin and direct your pursuit elsewhere, but it seems that you do not care of the meanings of your actions." Hogun turns to look at the traffic, effectively ending the conversation.

Though none of his words were directed at Loki, he has a great feeling that Hogun holds him at just as much— if not more—fault for whatever the relationship between him and Balder is. They are friends, step cousins, but from an objective point of view, one would think they were something along the lines of old flames or casual "fuck buddies." They did not fuck, thank you very much, and Loki would never enter a relationship with Balder.

It's more than the fact that Balder is Thor's cousin. Balder is not the kind of boy he can see himself with, one who disregards the consequences to get what he wants. As much as he loves rebellious people, he could not ever trust someone who is so quick to change their loyalties. His massive narcissism is also another complication Loki doesn't think he would ever come to accept, and in a relationship, acceptance is key.

Thor needs to learn to accept Loki's casual need to stretch the truth, and Loki needs to learn to accept Thor's need to hide things from him.

He needs to, but he doesn't want to, so Loki is not going to do anything he does not want to do.

Steve gives him a worried look as he sits down across from him at the chosen eatery and proceeds to ask him what is troubling him though he doesn't seem surprised when Loki replies with, "I'm fine," neither an answer or a denial.

"You know, you won fair and square," Tony says, shrugging his shoulders. "Doesn't matter. Still don't have a license."

"And how do you have a license again, Tony?" Bruce asks, and Tony is suddenly stricken by quiet. "Hm, I thought so."

"Bruce is pulling out the trump cards!" Clint says as the others make "oh" noises. "It's getting heated!"

"No, it really isn't," Bruce says, and Loki pats him on the shoulder. "This isn't—I really have no idea what he's even talking about."

"None of us do," Natasha says. "Most of the time, I'm just shooting blanks that just happen to hit."

"Hm, deep," Hermod says just as Bragi leans over the remove his hood.

"Like the Mariana Trench deep or the amount of make-up these American girls wear on their faces deep?" Vidar asks, and Hermod glares at him. "What, cousin, I was merely asking. I am surrounded by drama queens."

"I am but a drama king, Vidar!" Volstagg says, lifting his hands above his head. "You will address me accordingly."

"Oh yes, on the topic of kings and queens, Loki wants a king and to be a king," Tyr says as he resurfaces from the restroom, and Loki just happens to nudge his chair out from beneath his ass. He also happens to find it far too amusing when Tyr lands on said ass. "Worst king the world would ever see if you ask me."

"I must state my disagreement."

"Oh, Thor, Oh, Thor, you have come to save us from this shitty company!" Tony shouts, and Clint adds his own "Hallelujah" at the end. "My own king Steven has decided to tune out the shittiness and abandon me."

"I would never abandon you, Tony."

"Aw, how gay—whoa, whoa, Lady Natasha, I prefer it if you would keep your hands—ah! Keep your hands to yourself, woman! You belong to the man of strangeness, and I will not—ouch, please, hands away from the Vidar!" Vidar scrambles in his overturned chair, which Loki may have had a part in overturning as well.

Thor needs only to cast one look at Bruce before he relinquishes his seat, and Loki rolls his eyes and sends a look at a smirking Balder. "You missed me?"

Loki shrugs. "Your absence was noted."

"Psh, STFU, Mischief. You missed that godly cock-wielder." Tony grins sheepishly when Steve's eyes narrow. "I mean—I didn't even mean to see it. You see, I was just coming to tell Loki of his duties as my BFF, but he was all no, and so, I went upstairs, and bam! Thor's mega shlong was just there. Wow, phew, it's huge."

He happens—no, he does kick out the leg from Tony's chair, and he laughs loudly at how Steve makes no effort to catch him, too busy glowering to do so.

"Tony Stark, you are my current enemy," Hermod says. "I hate you."

"What—I was just saying!"

Balder chuckles into his glass, and Loki is almost too late to stop him. "Loki knows that large 'mega shlong'—ow, wow, Loki, what was that for? We are friends!"

He blinks at where Balder sits in an overturned chair beside him. "We are not friends."

"Wow, I've heard that one before." Tony shrugs. "Well, I hugged him and threatened to put him in my dungeon afterward, so…"

Clint shakes his head. "Dude, Balder, you're screwed. BTW, I dislike you. You're a treacherous twat. Yeah, sorry, but you and me, no, no. Vidar is my bro. You? No."

"Friends… it's a flexible term right?"

The glare Hogun gives Balder can practically be seen, red-hot beams of disapproval.

Thor's fingers drum a steady rhythm on Loki's thigh as he talks to Steve, tone hushed though not inaudible. He lifts a hand midsentence to answer an incoming call, and everyone at the table, even those not in the conversation, stops talking to turn their attention to him. "Yes, excellent." Thor stands. "I will be there promptly."

Thor is leaving. Again.

Loki begins to glare at his half-empty plate when Thor touches his shoulder, Loki turning to glance up at him.

"Are you not coming?" Thor asks as if Loki is an idiot.

Loki grabs his things while he wears an inquisitive expression, meeting Thor's eyes and asking him where they are going several times as they wait for their friends before departing, and each time, Thor responds, "You will see," smiling.

By the time Thor is pulling him along by the hand, he has quit attempting to ask, deciding to speculate in his mind of what Thor could have possibly been doing this entire time that he doesn't want to hide from Loki. This rules out any possibility of Thor having spent it with _someone_ though the confirmation from Natasha did much of that.

Thor drops his hand at the sight of twin men standing in front of a modern building on Tenth Avenue, and Loki walks beside him with anxiety in his gut, unsure of what is about to transpire.

One of the men steps forward. "Mr. Odinson, correct?"

Mr. Odinson. Loki bites the inside of his lip, trying hard not to grin at that.

"Yes," he replies, and he shakes their hands as if he is an adult or something. "It is nice to meet you."

"The feeling is returned," one of the men says, and he turns his gaze on Loki. "I am Barton Grimes, and this is my brother Percy. You are?"

"Loki Laufeyson."

The Grimes brothers share a look.

"The Laufeyson, hm?" Barton Grimes simpers. "We have done business with your uncle."

"In fact, we sold him his loft in Midtown," Percy Grimes says. "I assume these others are with you as well? If you would all be so kind as to quietly follow me to the unit we will be showing you."

His name holding such power of people's perceptions of him either makes him happy to feel relieved of the burden of making a good first impression or resentful that he will stand in the dead shadow when dealing with the important—the Grimes brothers appear important—people of the city. In Sweden, no one gave two shits who his father was, and in retrospect, he should have appreciated it more.

The doorman tilts his hat to them as they pass, and Loki casts a look around the interior of the building, one verily like Nal's in terms of impressiveness. Their companions agree, forgetting the instruction to be quiet, and let it be known with their whisper shouts.

The moment the elevator doors open onto the ninth floor, the Grimes brothers launch into speech about the "unit" they will be seeing, and Loki's mind finally takes the time to realize the implication of Thor being shown a "unit."

He is actually going to Princeton.

Yes, Loki knew this before, since last night, but this is yet another piece of proof that Thor is in love with Loki as much as Loki is in love with him.

He grins and wraps his arms around himself as he walks to the large window in the empty "recreational space" as Percy Grimes says. He turns and looks around, their friends doing the same while Thor nods like he is an adult or something-

No, Thor is an adult.

Of course he has been an adult since December, but this is just…

"Where is the bedroom?" he hears himself ask, of course attracting the attention of everyone else.

"Skipping right to the meat," Clint says, and a chuckle is shared when everyone realizes the double entendre.

Barton Grimes beckons for him to follow. "The master bedroom is of course the largest and includes floor-length windows that span the length of the room as well." He opens a door, and Loki's eyebrows rise at the view from the windows. "There is an ensuite bathroom and two walk-in closets. Any questions?"

He shakes his head and walks to the window, listening as Barton Grimes leaves the room, and just when he thinks he's alone, he hears the door shut.

Perhaps Clint should have been saying that to Thor if he's followed him in here with the intention Loki thinks he has.

"Shouldn't you be listening to-?" He stops when he sees Balder standing there instead of Thor. "I thought you were Thor."

"That is so insulting," he says, and he crosses the distance between them.

He starts to ask Balder what he is doing, but he cannot get words out as his mouth is muffled with Balder's. Shock is bypassed in favor for incredulity, and he shoves him backward, bringing a hand to his lips and wiping away the saliva. "What is wrong with you?"

Balder licks his lips with a smirk. "-5."

Loki cocks an eyebrow, but his mind makes the connection from Balder's response to the words of his brother as he explained his own reasoning for kissing Loki. Thor was at 0 with Tyr's kiss, and now he is at -5.

His response is to shove him as hard as he can, which is not very far with how sturdy Balder is as an Odinson. He gives a frustrated sound before shoving him again, and Balder has enough sense to actually give Loki the satisfaction of moving him.

"How dare you?" he asks as he wipes his lips again, unable to stop tasting the overpowering mint toothpaste. "How dare you?"

"How dare I? Hm, let us sit back and recount a rather large lie you told to my cousin. Is it so wrong for me to want to want to make this lie a truth? And the only way to do this is to fuck you." He crosses his arms and turns to look out the window. "This view is nice."

"Why?" he asks, frowning.

"You are asking this again? Honestly, Loki, you are the largest cock tease to have ever walked the planet." Balder sighs. "Why are my standards so high? Why can I not accept subpar sex from strangers? I just want sex, Loki, okay? I do not want anything more or anything less from you."

He clenches his jaw. "He is your cousin."

"I do not see your point. If you are implying I have some loyalty to him because of a blood relation, I would like to remind you that Thor is not my favorite cousin for a reason. Perhaps it is the fact that he is an immense asshole who people seem to like for some indeterminable reason. When we were children, I actually liked him a lot. He was my favorite family member for the longest time, better than Tyr. Things have changed since then. We have all changed."

"So you're dragging me into your rivalry?" He chuckles. "How nice of you."

"I actually like you, Loki. You are fucking beautiful, almost irresistible really. I have wanted to fuck you the moment I laid eyes on you, and I still do," Balder says as he stares at him. "I could care less about Cousin Thor. He does not have to know."

"What about me? What about my feelings about all of this?"

"I know you are still angry about his fling with Zeus. We could both benefit from this. I get to fuck your little ass, and you get revenge." He interlaces his hands behind his head, and he somehow grows smugger. "I have been told of how great I am in bed as well. You could look at it as a bonus."

Loki shakes his head. "I have amazing sex with Thor who I love," he replies.

Balder chuckles. "You are still mad about Zeus then. I would be as well. If I knew my boyfriend was emotionally into someone else, I would be quite enraged. Sex is one thing, but an emotional connection is another." A corner of his lips quirk upward in a lop-sided smirk. "Cousin Thor is emotionally stilted. He would see no difference."

What makes Loki so angry is that Balder's points are all valid, evilly so, and Loki would be lying to himself if he said they were all bullshit. He can lie to himself about many things, but this is not worth the effort.

"I should buy condoms on the way home, yes?"

"No," he says just as the door opens and Thor and the Grimes brothers walk in. He puts on a warm look to dispel any curiosity before it starts. "The view is excellent," he says as he goes to stand by Thor's side.

Thor's side is where he stays as the brothers finish showing them the apartment, where he is safe from Balder's advances and harsh truths. He only moves from his place when Thor suggests that he go and retrieve whipped cream when they stop at the grocer.

He doesn't care if Balder gets condoms as he doesn't need them, and doesn't intend on using anything but his body and this condiment for his activities tonight. Balder can use them on someone else, someone who is not Loki.

Sex is still the same: mind-blowing and physically taxing, and the few days of inactivity have only lent to his increasing need. Thor feels the same if his eagerness is any clue—though Loki remembers that week of completely out-of-the-blue enthusiasm and _why_—and he utilizes their combined skills to their maximum, telling Loki to bend there or lick a dollop of whipped cream there. All in all, it's fun.

Fun.

He washes the flecks of dried white mysterious liquids with a slight frown. Sex with Thor should not be merely fun. It should be something of legend as it was… before.

He grits his teeth and lashes out on the nearest thing, a few bottles of body wash, and they explode in a cloud of foam and bubbles. Why did things have to change, and why did Thor have to find someone who has something—who he claims doesn't have something that Loki lacks. He knows better than that, and even if Thor claims otherwise, Loki lacks in an unknown variable, one Loki can guess though he would rather not.

He sits down under the spray, the tile slippery with soap, and he doesn't cry as no tears come however much he tries. Here, he can cry all he wants without fearing of them judging him or offering their own attempts at comfort.

He doesn't want comfort.

He wants-

"Hurry it up in there, Loki!" Vidar shouts, and with a sigh, Loki picks up the ruined bottles and discards them, ignoring the quip of being "slower than Cousin Balder claims you are" when he exits the bathroom.

He runs into Thor as he enters his room, the irritation he already feels amplifying at the sight of his phone pressed to his ear as it has the past few days, and Thor presses a kiss to his forehead before biding him farewell. He watches Thor retreat down the stairs with teeth bared, moist skin cooling with the loss of his heat.

He understands that Thor is trying to ensure that his—their—future is stable and fairytale perfect as he seems to believe it will be, but the knowledge does not make the other knowledge of his betrayal much easier. If it weren't for his emotional affair—he gulps at that because it sounds so… real, as real as it felt—feels—Loki would be seething over his deliberate deprival of the other college acceptance letters received.

In fact, Thor could have told him not only of the one he got from Oxford, but of the others. He was far too focused on making Odin happy to see that his own happiness was at risk. Even with Zeus and the obvious nature of their relationship, he did not see that his happiness was at risk—their happiness.

They are a whole as Thor keeps emphasizing, but Loki was one before this and will remain so as long as Thor continues his disappearances without any prior word of explanation. He does not owe Loki an explanation, but Loki wants one because he didn't ask then and look where that ended up. Both of them are feigning normality like the naïve boys the adults see them as.

Oh but Loki is not that naïve. He learns quickly.

Sigyn does as well for she is prepared to depart the moment Loki enters the dining room without making any motion to sit down, Loki only waiting for her to stand and follow. "I am sure my cousin is not up to anything lascivious."

He doesn't respond until they are elbow deep in rubber bracelets with "ironic" statements on them. "How would you know?"

She stops moving beside him, but he continues, snorting at a "Kiss me I'm Irish or whatever" bracelet. "You do not trust him."

"No," he replies, "I can't."

"I try to understand, comrade, but…" She takes his hand in hers. "You two should realize that this is not healthy."

He pulls his hand away and turns, knowing that she will follow. "Our relationship has never been 'healthy,' Sigyn. We are both emotionally challenged individuals with struggles of our own. I don't know what you expect it to be like. It's only been two weeks."

"Yes, but people have fallen in love in shorter time than that. Falling out of it could be even shorter," she says. "You are not happy."

He pulls on a pair of green sunglasses and puts on a smile. "I am never happy, Sigyn. I am Loki."

She doesn't push him farther on the topic though he knows she wishes to, the possibility of Loki pushing her away the only thing stopping her. She knows that talking about his and Thor's relationship is not worth the sacrifice of their own. As everyone else, she is inherently selfish, which he doesn't fault her for. He is selfish too.

Even in his selfishness, he still did not do what Thor did, and because of Thor's own selfishness, when Loki spots a grinning face and hears the Mediterranean accent coming from it, he knows the name that belongs to the face, to the words, and he hurts, feels as though the healing wound near his heart has been reopened with the care of a rabid wolf.

New York City is too small for eight million people to go about their lives in peace.

Calmly, he hands the cup of tea to Sigyn before he weaves around the tables of coffee-drinking hipsters, coming to stop in front of the table where two red-head men sit with similar faces.

Zeus' grin falls when he notices Loki. Good. "Loki, I had little idea that you were a frequenter of this fine establishment as well." He gives a tight smile. "Thor and I often met here, as recently as—what is it now? Oh yes, five weeks ago this Saturday. Time passes far too quickly. Which reminds me of the unfortunate fact I have not seen Thor since your tirade. He was distraught and unable to enjoy his night as he properly should have been. As both his step brother and lover, I would think you would at least attempt to put your own egotism and wounded pride aside for him."

A hand on his shoulder causes him to not do the desirable thing and wound Zeus on the outside as he has been on the inside. This fucking boy thinks that he knows so much about Thor, that he is the authority on what Thor needs and deserves when he was merely the one on the side! If Thor cared so much for him, why didn't he tell Loki?

"Let us not project, Zeus," he says.

"I am not projecting but observing. Thor said you were a keen observer, but"—his words switch into another, more familiar language—"we both know otherwise. Thor says that my accent provides a 'strange' lilt to my words. He does like strange things, does he not?"

"Brother, what is the meaning of this?" the other red-head whispers, Zeus making a dismissive gesture.

"I do not find it in myself to hate you, Loki. I only envy you and what you continuously throw away." He shrugs his shoulders. "I cared for Thor in ways that you do not, Loki. That is what you lack. You want him to care for you, but you care not for him."

Sigyn's hand tightens as if agreeing. She's wrong. They're both wrong.

"How dare you act as if you know more about my relationship than I do?"

"Loki, this is not a contest as Thor has made it known that you have won and always will," Zeus says. "I persisted until Thor let me in, and that did not take much with how fragile he was after your abandonment. He sought emotional council from me, and I gave it. If you think that selfish, you are a fool. You may be weeks away from 17, but you are but a boy, Loki. Thor has given you his life."

Loki crosses his arms when Zeus stands with the other red-haired boy.

"If you are not willing to do the same, Loki, you are going to hurt him worse than you seem to believe he has done to you." He gives him a cautious look. "Poseidon, come, brother. Let us depart."

A chill runs below his skin as the outer ring of his vision begins to tinge red as if he is under the thrall of drugs and looking to inflict harm upon anyone bearing an eagle insignia though the eagle insignia is instead a stupid grin and red hair. His fists yearn to connect, and his legs wish to kick, but he remains a barely composed person of flared nostrils and intrusive thoughts.

Wrong, Zeus was so very wrong, and Loki is sure of it. He claims to know so much about Thor and how Loki is supposed to proceed with their relationship, but he is making guesses based on whatever Thor may have told him during the tumultuous weeks of their relationship. He is biased against Loki not only because of that but because of his feelings for Thor.

Loki knows the allure of sabotage, was tempted to try it when he thought Jane Foster and Thor were _Jane and Thor_.

Zeus' aloof demeanor does not fool him. He is just as wicked as Loki can be, has recently been.

"Are you-?"

"Fine," he snaps, taking the cup of tea from her and using it to occupy his mouth. He is more than fine even after that unfortunate encounter with that unfortunate boy. He cares not for what he had to say as Zeus doesn't matter, and Zeus was wrong.

Yes, he was wrong, wrong, **wrong** about Loki, and anyone who thinks otherwise is an enemy.

He glances at Sigyn and takes in her face for any Sigyn's of the treacherous thoughts running through her mind, but she simply returns him a wary look as if she knows that one wrong move may set off the rage he's keeping at bay for the sake of composure.

"Very well," she says with a tight smile, and she takes his elbow. "Let us find more establishments with those charming flannel shirts I so dearly love."

Every person with a head of red earns a second look from him, which means that Loki finds himself doing many double takes in the sea of dyed heads that travel the city sidewalks. Sometimes an inflection of the words as if asking a question or a rolled R and he readies himself to voice his rebuttal to Zeus' wrongness about everything, hackles rising and fists clenching.

Sigyn's own prods and gestures for him to uncurl his fingers stop him before he can descend into the rage—righteous rage as Zeus is wrong, okay, so very wrong!—and she continues her words where she left off with only a cautious look.

If it is fear that she feels, Loki feels shame in return.

"Are you hungry?" she asks, and he doesn't reply, allowing her to guide him into an eatery without resistance. She sighs as they take seats near the window, and Loki stares down at the gyro. "I stand by what I said this morning."

He chews the dough shell with deliberate slowness.

"That _arsel_ Zeus may have been overt-"

"Continue talking if you wish to sever the remaining ties between us." He sets the food aside and gives her a neutral look. "I have tolerated your treachery once this week. I am not so willing to do it again."

"Comrade… I am trying to-"

"Help? Sigyn, I no longer need anyone's help," he replies, and it flashes in his mind: Balder closing the distance, their lips touching. "Balder kissed me," falls from his mouth, but he adds, "but everything is alright now. Everything is perfect."

The comedy in the additional words is lost on Sigyn as she only stares back with barely restrained frustration, her point of break approaching with each dismissal Loki gives her. After the abrupt pause during their failed attempt to have sex, he expected her to not last much longer in the way of enduring him, but she stayed. Even Sigyn has a threshold of Loki tolerance.

"Perhaps I should say that 'everything is in its right place' in the words of your lord and savior Thom Yorke."

"Shut up." She shakes her head. "I do not wish to hear what you have to say anymore, Loki."

"Can I not point out your obsession with the epitome of mainstream hipster music, which in itself is a contradiction-?"

"You know what you can do?" She stands and pulls out her vibrating phone. "Spend the rest of the day by yourself because I am going to meet my sisters and mother at the airport alone. I do not think I will be able to stand the sight of you with that knowledge. Even your beauty cannot salvage the filth you have just admitted."

He blinks.

"Nothing is 'alright,' Loki." Sigyn shakes her head, and Loki clenches his teeth. "Thor may have hurt you, but you have hurt him much more than he ever could, ever would. Zeus is right."

He is happy to let her go after those last three words, spoken treachery, and he relishes the loneliness of the empty seat across from him for a few moments until he begins to feel the edges of guilt creeping into his chest, a feeling similar to a heavy rock or… being drowned.

He takes a deep breath in and blinks away the beginnings of darkness.

Zeus is wrong. Sigyn is wrong. Everyone is wrong, and Loki doesn't need them.

Before this period of his life, he did quite fine without the opinions of others, and if he must revert to the time where he had a permanent filter on the mouths of others in his mind, he will until he is free to respond as he pleases.

Aggravated assault is not what he wants marring his record as a first offense.

He lets the breath out just as he gets a call from the only person he isn't feeling an inclination toward murderous: Thor.

"Loki." His voice is like ice cold water, washing over him but not extinguishing the flames of rage, only shoving the red hot away into a place deep inside though Loki knows a shortcut.

His breath is shaky as he smiles. "Thor," he replies, "you need me, yes?"

"I always need you." So clichéd. "But, yes, I do require your presence. We are going to the gym, and a source of motivation is needed for me if I am to surpass my current record of 520."

He's already readying to depart though he has no intention of letting Thor know that. "What of your imagination? Have you forgotten last night?"

There's a short pause on the other hand followed by a sigh. "No," Thor replies, "I have not, which does remind me of your recent lack of stretching in other arenas outside of bedroom walls. I have taken the liberty in retrieving your proper equipment and attire for that stretching thing you do."

"It's yoga."

"Before I met you, I had never seen yoga of _that_ sort, Loki. I look forward to another viewing of your skills though I lament the fact that I will have to be less hands-on."

"Who says that I will come?" he asks as he discards the remnants of his food, and he offers a disingenuous smile to the cashier as he passes. He starts to add another quip when he realizes that he is alone without an adult in possession of a valid driver's license. He can't drive. "Thor, wait, I-"

Thor leans against his car as if he is Jake Ryan though he looks much, much better, and Loki is not a 16 year old girl. He is a 16 year old boy thank you very much, and only for a few more weeks. "I have an inkling that you will offer little resistance," Thor says both from his phone and from his true mouth, the one that Loki leans up to briefly kiss.

He tucks his phone into his pocket and cocks an eyebrow. "You're stalking me."

"I would prefer the term 'trailing,' but if you wish to play it at that"—he leans in to his ear—"I am game."

Loki pushes him away with an eye roll. "I could still resist. I could run."

"You could, but I doubt you will," he replies, and he slips his hand into Loki's pocket, Loki involuntarily gasping, to retrieve the car keys. He dangles them with a smirk before unlocking the door and gesturing Loki in as if he is a knight. "I know you won't."

"For a fact? You are so very cocky, Thor." He shoves lightly at his shoulder before he slips inside.

He entertains Thor's need for dramatic chivalry, allowing him to guide him into the gym with a hand on the lower back and open the doors with a sweeping motion for Loki to enter.

_You owe it to him_.

He clears his throat and offers Thor a smile where he ties his sneaker across from Vidar, getting a thousand kilowatt one in return. The heaviness starts to pile onto his chest with each passing moment of standing in the locker room, and Loki excuses himself as soon as he finishes dressing, grabbing his mat and heading for the glass wall room.

Others he has not seen in weeks trickle in after him with words of relief over him not being dead though Jean-Paul says that Malcolm did mention Loki's status of living, Malcolm absent from the faces.

His chest feels as though it has been temporarily spared of the weight when he lifts his hands above his head to stretch his body up. Though he does the same action every morning, it is different here with dozens of eyes on him, waiting for him to revert into the persona of "Yoga Boy."

"Yoga Boy" has been absent for far too long, he decides as he casts a smug glance at those on the other side of the glass and behind him. They have grown hungry for the boy of contortions and mystery, and Loki is going to feed them—feed _him _and his insatiable appetite.

Balder and Vidar enter, Balder wearing a grin that spells out trouble while Vidar casts an unimpressed glance around. They take their places, Balder of course as close as possible, and Loki does not reward his grin with anything more than a look of annoyance.

He hasn't had prolonged interaction with him since the incident, and his presence is only pulling him back under, where he would rather not be.

Thor gives him a look that reeks of arrogance before he sits down on the bench, Bragi looking unimpressed as he loads weight after weight onto each side. Inside, Loki cringes at the risk of it finally proving too much for even the Odinson to bear, but another groans at the prospect of seeing him display just how powerful he is, just who Loki is with.

A sigh escapes his mouth as he rolls his shoulders. Months have passed since Thor started being with Loki and Loki with Thor, but a part of him is still in shock at the fact.

Perhaps that is what makes his duplicity so much worse: Thor's and… Loki's.

He snuffs the thought before it can gain air and puts his focus toward where Thor is beginning to lift the weight.

The muscles flex and contract beneath his golden skin as he lets the weight descend toward his chest, Loki's heart rate dropping and temperature increasing with each inch lost between him and the bar, and a millisecond passes before Thor is pushes the weight back up as if he is in possession of super strength, which Loki would be suspicious of if he were a believer in such things.

Applause comes from many of the people who have stopped to admire the spectacle of peak human perfection—no, near-perfection; he is as flawed as everyone else—and Thor sits up and wears an expression of pure smugness, staring at Loki.

"_I have launched the first shot,_" his look says, and Loki readies his weapons and ammunition for firing against this walking mass of sex, charm, and arrogance.

"Everyone, I will not spare speed," he says. "After the first few sequences, I cannot guarantee you will be able to keep up."

"Oh, I like where this is headed," Balder says.

Loki touches his toes, ignoring the sounds of satisfaction Balder makes. He stands up with a grin and instructs the others to follow his lead before he begins in the first Sun Salutation. He doesn't try to make it overtly sexual or sexual at all, biding his time until he reaches the more advanced levels that the unsexiest person in the world would be pressed to not make sexy. With that said, Loki has little problem in keeping the attention of not only Thor but many others, some lustful and others simply fascinated.

He pushes into a squat and bites his bottom lip as he presses down deeper until he is in a full split, and the burn is both cool and warm as it travels down his legs.

Thor shifts, his hand coming down to adjust the crotch of his shorts in his version of covert.

He brings his legs together and lies back, rolling his pelvis back until he is almost folded in half, and he grabs the tips of his toes, pulling his legs back into a split. He exhales as he feels his muscles stretch to their near limit, and he shuts his eyes to block out the way Balder is staring at him, one far too familiar.

A moan leaves his mouth as he gets back to his feet, and he smiles as he makes eye contact with Thor across the floor.

Thor makes a gesture for Bragi to move away before he falls into a push up, and as Loki is ready to dismiss him, he presses up into a handstand, and as if that's not enough to display how much stronger he is than everyone else, he shifts to two fingers only before starting to do push-ups.

Gasps of awe come from behind him though Loki doesn't gasp, only watches with an impressed lift of his eyebrows.

"Show off!" Tyr shouts from a treadmill.

If they are going to show off, Loki is going to win this little battle of strength and agility. He may not bench 450—no, it's 520 now—but he doesn't need to.

Thor ends his show of raw power by unnecessarily ripping the sleeves of his shirt off to the envy of some and the awe of others, and he sends an unimpressed look at Thor when they make eye contact. Of course he is salivating inside, but he keeps his mouth shut in a smirk.

"Oh, how shall Loki respond to this challenge?" Vidar asks. "Will he resort to such nude-arm measures?"

He hooks his thumbs around the hem of his shirt and pulls it over his head, setting it aside with deliberate nonchalance. He blinks as he stands half nude, taking his bottom lip into his mouth as he puts his ear buds in, glancing the cocky expression Thor wears as he watches.

Normal is not what they have; they never had it to begin with.

With that said, Loki can go back to when he was a boy with little hope for the romantic future between him and his step brother, and he will not be feigning normality. He will, however, be pretending something else, something he knew how to remotely deal with.

"Call on Me" starts to play, and Loki is in October.

He squats, his hands on his thighs, and rhythmically pushes down and rises, his eyes narrowing into something seductive as he maintains eye contact.

Thor's hands interlace behind his head as he settles in to watch, ignoring the others that speak to him.

Loki's hands fall to the mat, and he licks his lips as he begins to thrust his hips, body opening in ways that make the arising situation in his shorts so much worse.

He lowers onto his back in preparation for the next move when Balder moves over him, casting a predatory glance down. "Move," he says, teeth clenched. "Or I will make you."

"I would like to see you try," he replies. He's goading Loki, thinks that Loki will try and fail to move him, but Loki will move Balder.

He draws his knees up to his chest and rolls up to get from between Balder's legs. He hits the sides of Balder's legs with his own, using the instability to push him backward, and Balder catches himself inches from the ground with his hands, but Loki uses the leverage behind Balder's bent legs to pull himself up. He sits down on Balder's knees, grinning down at Balder.

"I told you to move, didn't I?"

He pushes up to his elbows. "You did, but you should know that I am not one to listen," he replies. "I also do not give up."

Loki slides from Balder's knees and feigns defeat. "What have I gotten myself into?" he asks as Balder kneels over him. "Who will save me?"

"Perhaps my cousin though I-"

He slips from beneath him, shoving Balder down onto his stomach, and Loki straddles Balder's lower back, sliding his arm around his throat while he rests his forehead on his shoulder. "I don't give up either," he says with a grin, "cousin."

"You are dominant, Lovely Loki," he says, voice choked off. "Quick as usual, yes?"

He releases his hold around Balder's neck and pushes to stand, shaking his arms relaxed. "We have been over this many times," he says as he wipes sweat from his brow with his discarded shirt. "I am more than 'quick,' Balder."

He climbs to his feet with a grin. "I am not in a mood to test my luck."

"You did that a day ago," Loki replies, giving him a bitter smile. He has not forgotten the sudden seizure of his shoulders of ensuing lip-lock, and he has not forgotten the consequences if he dares say anything that may hint something happened between him and Balder since what he told Thor.

It was a simple peck on the lips, well not merely a peck, but it only happened a day ago.

Three weeks is what he should consider. His smile increases in bitterness the longer he and Balder keep eye contact.

"I—Loki, if you wish me to apologize for letting my attraction be known and kissing you, I will, but only for the fact that it seems to burden you."

"It's—it's fine." He turns to see Thor standing in the doorway and eyeing them with suspicion. "Tone it down if you will."

Balder smiles. "Done."

He approaches Thor with a smirk, casually wiping himself with his shirt, and he immediately sees the dark look in his eyes that spells something questionable is about to happen.

Thor reaches forward to touch him, but Loki finds himself taking a step backward, Thor's eyes narrowing and sending blood downward. "I won."

"One cannot win until the competition is over, Thor," he replies before going to Jean-Paul.

Jean-Paul grins as Loki informs him of his intentions, nodding and gesturing for Loki to go ahead before he disappears.

Balder watches him with a lazy smile, and Loki steps over him, leaning into his ear with a threatening grin on his face.

"If you dare touch me without my permission, I will ensure that more than your hands with be broken," he says, and he draws away. "Thank you so very much for your cooperation."

He crosses his arms. "I—whatever you want, Lovely Loki."

Clint Barton's dance practices consisted of many things besides learning the dance for Tony's birthday, including the learning of another unrelated dance to a song Clint is far too obsessed with, which does make his decision to perform the dance in front of the artist herself not entirely surprising. His obsession may have resulted in Loki knowing a dance widely mimicked very, very well.

Thor's brow furrows the moment the song begins to play as if it is an affront on his own status as Loki's one—and only—but Loki continues with his plans, keeping eye contact as he sashays and sways as he was taught. Loki waves his hand around as he points to his ring finger with the other, seeing something go off in Thor's eyes before he starts to grin, and Loki cannot have him grinning when he should be on his knees begging.

He puts more attitude into the dance moves and allows the feelings to be channeled through his eyes as well, watching the smile subside in favor of a clenched jaw and breaking self-control.

One last flash of his naked ring finger, and he's being pressed against the glass, Thor's mouth hard on his. The chuckle that he starts to let out is swallowed by Thor, his tongue sliding in and filing in the empty space of his mouth. Thor, forever filling him.

He moans when Thor's hand cups his ass, pulling away to remind him that they're in public.

"So we are," he says as his other hand comes to cup the other ass cheek. "What does that matter?"

His victory seemingly means nothing. "Not here!" he exclaims, shoving at Thor's shoulders. He grins and looks up into his darkened eyes. "Thor, not here."

"Then where, hm?" He bites at his neck, and Loki gasps. "Home, yes?"

Loki cannot form a verbal response, instead relegated to moans and nods of affirmation to Thor's queries. He puts up little fight when Thor lifts him from his own two feet and hangs him over his shoulders as if he is his trophy. If anything, Loki should be wielding the trophies, but he's not complaining if this ends the way he hopes it to.

Still, he does not make it easy for Thor, kicking and struggling in his grip all the way until Thor deposits him giggling on his bed, Loki grinning as Thor hastily removes his clothes, and he takes great joy in squirming away from Thor the moment his hands go to the waistband of his shorts. He matches Thor's predatory look with an amused one of his own and switches to a look of innocence when he finds himself cornered on the bed, batting his eyelashes and biting his lip in the ways he knows Thor loves.

He will make up for his forgotten win with reparation of his own.

He yawns. "I'm tired."

Thor looks flabbergasted. "It's—it is only 9-"

"But I'm tired," he replies, blinking owlishly. "I worked so very hard at the gym today with my stretching. You witnessed this, Thor. "

Thor's hand trails up Loki's bare leg. "Perhaps it would be best to sate your need in order to gain a proper sleep."

He spares a yawn. "Tomorrow we must interact with our family members," he says. "There is no time to waste on… fun."

Thor stares at him for a moment before he starts to chuckle, low and… sexy in his chest. He hovers over Loki as his fingers trace the inseam of his shorts. "Games, Loki." He kisses his clavicle before he tears the center of Loki's shirt open with just one hand. "I hate them."

"Why? Is it because you always lose?"

His teeth scrape down Loki's chest, painful yet pleasurable. "No." He repeats the same action with Loki's shorts, throwing the halves onto the ground. "They are a waste of my useful yet limited time when they do not end with you naked."

He goes to slip from beneath Thor, but his wrists are grabbed and pinned, neck peppered with harsh kisses. "This isn't—uh, Thor, please, I—this isn't one of those games!"

Thor kisses his mouth, and Loki bites down on his lower lip, keeping ahold of it as Thor pulls away. "Your lying game is my least favorite."

He yelps when Thor turns him onto his stomach by way of his boxers' waistband, and he removes one wrist from Thor's grasp to bring his hand up to his mouth and take three of his fingers in with a moan, turning his head to the side to watch Thor in his periphery. He removes his fingers with a wet plop. "What good is a silver tongue if I cannot speak untruths?"

He grins as he is moved yet again, only this time to a sitting position, and he tries to hide his grin again when Thor stands above him, hands making quick work of his sweatpants. He looks at him from beneath his lashes, loving the way Thor groans from only a look. He does love Loki like this, innocent, helpless, needy.

He wraps a hand around a half-hard Thor and takes a tentative swipe over the head. "But, Thor, if I cannot play games, what can I do?" He takes another lick, a drip of saltiness coating his tongue. "I am but a boy."

"Loki, please… don't do this."

He takes a third into his mouth with a smirk, batting his eyelashes as his tongue swirls around the tip. He removes it all to grin up at Thor. "What? I'm sorry, Thor, but I do not understand." He kisses the side of his cock as he continues to feign innocence, tongue coming out to gently ghost along.

"This game you're playing. It's-" Thor groans as Loki takes him back into his mouth, this time more than half the way. "You're so… You want this, do you not? You want me to treat you like… a—Loki, gods, I-"

He halts his twisting and sucking to pull off Thor's cock, standing up to meet his exasperated gaze. "Treat me like a what?" He licks the stickiness around his mouth, not as salty as the end goal.

"A maiden."

Loki chuckles. "Oh no, Thor, I do not want you to treat me like a maiden," he says, leaning in close, and he ignores the fingers that have slipped into his boxers and settled at his entrance. "We both know a maiden is what I am not."

"Then a-" Thor grins, one of his slick fingers pressing inside. "You wish for me to treat you like a nymph."

"I do not," he replies with narrowed eyes, which is hard with one—no, two fingers inside of his asshole. He licks his lips and does not moan, barely. "I don't need a king or a hero."

"But you want one, Loki." Thor touches his chin and adds yet another finger. It's almost too much, too fast, but Loki, he—he likes it. "You have one."

He chuckles again, the action making him involuntarily clench. "You are not my king."

"You are my queen," he says, and a shiver runs up Loki's spine as he glares at Thor, heat in his neck and crotch and where there are three fingers starting to move inside of him. "And what does a king do to his queen?"

A whimper escapes his mouth when Thor shoves his fingers inside past the knuckle. "I don't—you tell me, Thor."

He withdraws his fingers with little gentleness and tears his boxers from his body with a smirk. He grips Loki behind the knees and lifts him from the bed, Loki wrapping his legs around Thor's hips. They fit, almost perfectly.

Loki grips at Thor's shoulders, nails digging into the firm flesh when he's breached. Night after night and it's still simply too much. The following nights after, the pain plateaued adjustment wise as Loki will never quite get used to having something this large inside of him, filling every inch as if Loki was empty until he found the fulfillment of Thor's cock.

"A king fucks"—he thrusts, fully impaling Loki—"his queen."

He leans back in Thor's grasp, the hands on his hips holding him stable to the anchor that is Thor. Not one to let Thor get the upper hand so easily, he does make it as painful as he can, digging his nails in deep, locking his knees hard around Thor's hips, but not even he can think very rationally when Thor's saying the things he is—"You wanted me to fuck your tight little ass like the little nymph you are?" "Take it hard and deep like I know you can."—and pounding into him with little mercy.

Loki rests his head on Thor's shoulder as his body goes numb, that place inside of him repeatedly hit without pause, and Thor takes it as Loki being bored—which he truly isn't, can't be with what they are doing—actually dropping Loki onto his back and not giving him a second to adjust to the change in position before sliding back into him.

"Now you can take it as deep as I know you can, get fucked like the boy you are, _my boy_." Thor groans as Loki moans, and he begins to grin. "You so love being filled with my cock. You take it ever so beautifully in your tight asshole."

He fists his hands into the sheets as the tension in his gut builds higher and higher.

"Tell me, Loki. Tell me how badly you want to cum." Thor's voice is suddenly in his ear. "Tell me how badly you want me to cum in your ass."

Thor stops moving, and Loki just—he can't do this. He needs him to move before he simultaneously explodes and implodes.

"Yes, Thor, please, I—fuck me, now. Please."

He chuckles, and Loki is going to punch him, after he cums of course. "Ah, the magic word, _my queen_," he says, and Loki praises all of the pantheons when Thor begins to move again. "I am going to fill you, Loki. I am going to cum, Loki, and you're going to cum with me." Thor's hand is around the base of him, stopping him and preventing him. "But not until the king gives his word."

Loki moves his hands to move Thor's fingers, but his wrists are seized and pinned above his head. "I hate you," he says. "I hate you so much."

Thor removes his fingers and dances them up Loki's shaft, Loki's eyes squeezing shut. "Cum."

His eyes roll in the back of his head when he does as commanded, back arching from the bed, and he squeezes around Thor and is then filled with liquid warmth that only amplifies the sensitivity, the misfiring synapses rendering him motionless save for the ability to work his epiglottis, enabling a scream to leave his mouth.

They have had better ideas, but having sex in a house full of people is definitely not one of them.

The haze does allow him to continue to not care about anything but regaining motor control, which happens after several moments of lying there under an equally as exerted Thor. He slides up enough to remove Thor, wincing and whimpering at the sudden emptiness combined with the aftershocks, and stares up at the ceiling as he tries to form a coherent thought.

"If this has become a new 'fantasy' of yours, I am a willing participant," Thor says.

"It's not a fantasy," he replies. "You are not my king nor am I your queen or nymph."

Thor chuckles before he sits up. "Okay, Loki." Now is the perfect time to start an argument, but Loki can't bring himself to. "Come join me in a shower."

He finally feels like a teenager sneaking around as he slips out of his room to tip-toe to the bathroom, his hand in Thor's, and he is almost afraid of what or who he will see when he feels for the light, letting out a sight when he finds Thor there with him, only Thor.

"We have to-"

"I know." Loki bends over to turn the shower on, wincing though he is fortunately turned away from Thor. "I, um, screamed rather loudly."

"You are a screamer," Thor replies, hand cupping his ass cheek, "and a biter."

He swats his hand away and turns his back on him when he gets under the spray, a smile coming to his lips when he senses Thor behind him. His smile starts to waver when he feels an extra something touching him, but his mind puts two and two together though the thought that Thor is already ready again is not entirely comforting.

"What is the issue with my cousin's lack of self-control?" To anyone else, its jesting and nothing more than a tease for Balder's nature, but to Loki—the person in love with him—it's sharp and threatening.

Thor hasn't broken Balder's fingers. Yet.

"I don't know," he replies. Wrong, he does, but the place for a confession of that sort is not in the shower with a hard cock pressed up against his ass. "He's just... weird."

"'Weird.'" Thor's wilting already as if he knows that Loki is lying. "Loki, do you trust me?"

No, Loki truly doesn't, but he can't tell Thor that with words. With actions, yes.

He runs his hands over his hair, relishing the spray against his scalp. Thor's hands are much more enjoyable, but he has a feeling he won't be feeling them combing through his hair again tonight..

Thor slips out of the shower without another word, and Loki doesn't attempt to stop him or tell him what he wants to hear: "Yes."

He cannot ask Loki to not lie and keep getting what he wants from his mouth. His lies are him, and Thor has to accept that if he wishes for things to be a construct of "okay," but he never will. It is just not in him to sit back and accept the unchangeable things.

Much like it isn't in Loki to pretend he didn't see Zeus earlier, like Zeus was entirely... wrong.

He wasn't, and Loki's decision to not tell Thor of the kiss only affirms his rightness. To think he was able to extrapolate from the things Thor told him both enrages him and shames him. He is weak.

The realization of his weakness only causes him to give himself a pitiful look in the mirror before he wrenches the cabinet open, takes the scissors into his hands and pulls a lock of hair tight, ready to snip it away, but he doesn't.

No, he drops the scissors onto the counter, and he forces himself to bare this, this mask he has created. He must keep everyone satisfied. Smoke and mirrors.

A simple excuse of needing time to recuperate satisfies Thor's curiosity as to why Loki doesn't join him downstairs, and Loki curls up into a fetal position as he listens to the sounds of laughter and teases about the scream he let out drift up to him from his half-closed door. He inhales and exhales, hearing each voice and wondering where he would fit in amongst the gruff tones of Volstagg or the impassive drone of Heimdall. He finds that he can't, and it only frustrates him, makes him want to know why?

Can he not get more than a day of something resembling happiness?

A glowing Thor slips in beside him at some point during his brooding between wakefulness and slumber, pushing him toward the latter.

Sleep cannot even prepare Loki for the inevitability that awaits him when he awakens though the hand that Thor slips around him does have the effect of giving him the extra motivation he needs to leave the house and join in the planned festivities.

Even so, Loki makes no effort to appear more than contemptuous as he does as Heimdall directs him.

Finally, the point where Loki cannot escape from the inevitable meet and greet with people he loathes has been crossed, exactly the moment he steps foot into Battery Park. His aunts stand with their looks of usual dissatisfaction at everything prettier and happier than them, which includes him though they seem unaware of the fact he is not happier than anyone.

"Nephew, you look darling," his aunt Fenia says, flipping her hair behind her shoulder.

"You are in need of a haircut," his aunt Menia says, and she continues to thumb her hair where it reaches below her breast just as her sisters' do. Hypocrisy. "You look feminine."

"Yes, he quite does." His aunt Gríedhr gives him a disingenuous smile. "Loki Laufeyson."

He bites his tongue to keep the insults at bay though he almost loses one when his favorite and only first cousin Fridleif joins them semi-circle, dressed as if he's going to a yacht party with his other pretentious friends. Yes, he may be 14, but it is not that far out with his parentage.

"Cousin Loki."

"Fridleif." He sees Bruce walking by and grabs his arm, pulling him to stand beside him. "You have arrived just in time."

"Well, the weather is nice," Bruce says, hair ruffling in the breeze. "Um, it's nice to meet you all."

"Fridleif," Fridleif says as he offers his hand. "And you are?"

"Bruce Banner." Bruce cocks an eyebrow. "There is a severe lack of genetic diversity save for Fridleif though I assume the blond hair is a paternally inherited trait."

"Blue-green." Thor swoops in with his billowing cape of red heroics and "I shall protect Loki," or more factually and realistically, his pale blue oxford which makes his eyes just pop in a way that Loki is considering dragging him off somewhere for another round. "They appear green when he wears certain shades of green. Look, they are green now."

"Thor, come here!" Vidar shouts, and Thor gives him a smile before he goes to where Vidar stands with a few blonds.

"The Odinson." There's a look shared between his aunts as if they are extraterrestrials communicating through telepathy, which would make sense. Their beauty is a means for them to blend in with the normal members of society who do not loathe everything.

His mother arrives with Skadi in her sheath dress, normal stilettos exchanged for sky high platform heels, and she goes to Loki's side, taking his elbow. She's taller than him by an inch. "My sisters, nephew, and Loki, I am delighted to see you all here."

"It has been ages," his aunt Fenia says. "Frid is as tall as Loki."

No, he does not need to be reminded of that.

His uncle Frodi captures the attention of Fridleif and takes him to discuss something pretentiously father-son, so Menia and Fenia follow, leaving him to stand with his mother and favorite aunt.

"You are weeks away from 17, nephew," his aunt Gríedhr says. "Just yesterday I was 30 years old and your poor 20 year old mother was informing me of her pregnancy with Laufey. The time does pass very quickly. 12 years has since passed since Laufey's death. How unfortunate. We should be happy that he managed to spawn you, yes?"

Loki has no qualms against hitting women, but many of the people around him do.

"Now, us, we are like men, producing until the day we die which was the case with your grandmother. She popped out Farbauti and croaked at 60." His aunt grins, spectral opposite to the uneasy look his mother is wearing. They both know where this conversation is headed. "I never understood why you're mother fell for that patriarchal tradition of breeding young. With this... development, I understand."

His mother's eyes narrow.

"She's barren, the first one in ages, prematurely albeit." His aunt begins to chuckle, a low gurgle in his throat, and Loki feels the sickliness from his sound reach out and seize him like tendrils of refuge. "How-?"

"Gríedhr, do tell us where your children are," he says, "or is your husband too busy filling other women with them that he has not had the time to spare you any? I did not see him today."

She gives him a cold look. "Mind your place, Loki."

"Mind your husband."

His mother gives his aunt a neutral look, not reacting when she scoffs and stomps off. "Loki, I am proud though I doubt I will hear the end of that." She smiles and goes to touch his face, but he flinches. "I know you and your—Thor are in love, but to know that he is with my frost giant like that makes me realize that you are no longer just a boy.

"You have grown into a young man, but you are still my little boy, okay? Yesterday, the scream you let out was quite… unnerving. I would prefer it if you two limited your activities while everyone is still here. I want you to be happy, but I also wish for you to remain _min lilla Jõtnar_." She smilesand chuckles._" _I know just how my father felt when your father showed up to claim the babe in my belly with a marriage certificate in hand. He wasn't very happy though had married at 18, which I'm sure he would be glad to recount when he gets here tomorrow."

He only blinks. His maternal grandfather hates him, and he feels the same way.

"I am so sorry, Loki. For many, many things, but most importantly, I wish that you had a real father, more than what you did have-"

"Let's not, Mother."

He walks into the Battery Gardens building and almost walks back out at the sight of hundreds of people standing and sitting, faces he both knows and doesn't.

"Loki!" Clint slings an arm around his shoulder. "Hey, you look totally cute, girl. BTW, I heard about the Single Ladies thing yesterday. Making me proud."

Natasha waves a Loki from where she sits across from Bucky and Peggy.

"You know," Clint says as he starts to snicker, "this is going to be even funnier when you realize what a coincidence it is that you danced to that song and-"

Natasha is suddenly pulling Clint away while she sends him a warning look. "Loki, you look great as usual. Still sporting long sleeves in the summer."

"There is no other way," he replies, and he takes the front of her necklace in his hands. "I return the sentiment though I am sure you don't need to be told how beautiful you look."

"Aw, how cute! BFFs!" Clint crosses his arms. "He's my BFF, Nat. Back off!"

"I will be doing the backing off," Loki says as he walks away from the two of them. He spots Steve standing outside through a window and decides that his company is the most tolerable of everyone available though he finds that Steve really isn't available when he goes back outside.

"I told him he shouldn't, but he listens to no one," Steve says.

"We need a little fun in this pretentious party, Steve." Tony grins. "If you really wanted, you could pick me up and drag me away, but you agree."

Loki nods as he gives Steve a knowing look. He himself doesn't make any motion to drag Ton away either.

They try to look casual as Tony messes with some cyan device plugged into a port at the DJ table, but they're not casual enough as Heimdall appears in front of them, arms crossed and disapproving leaving him in waves.

"Heimdall," Loki says with a grin. "We have not had much of a chance to talk."

"What are you two doing?"

"There are three of us here! Steve is a person too, dammit! He's just really, really pretty!"

Heimdall rolls his eyes. "Steven has no more of a part in your pranking than as a viewer, which I cannot fault him for as he is docile."

"Docile?" Steven frowns. "I don't see any harm in what Tony's doing, but that doesn't make me docile."

"Wait for it, wait—my jam!"

"Hungry Like the Wolf" begins to play very loudly from both inside and around the building, the people standing on the lawn turning to look at the source: the three of them.

"Woo, I like this song!" Balder jogs from his seat on the patio and pulls him onto the lawn. "Let us dance!"

He struggles with Balder's hands holding his as he twirls them in circles, Loki finally pulling a hand free only to almost fall though Balder catches him with a hand around his waist. He doesn't thank the smug face but shoves away from him to glower. "No."

"Why not?"

"I do not want to dance with you," he replies.

Balder smiles. "Then dance next to me, Lovely Loki."

At "Rock the Casbah," he grins and takes a step away from Balder, replying, "I accept," before he shucks the sleeves of his sweater above his elbows. He laughs as he taps his foot and nods his head to the beat, finding his "groove" in no time. He elects for hip sashaying movements though his shoulder shimmies and finger snaps does take away most of the sex appeal or give him that of an old man.

Balder resorts to the Running Man when he realizes he is thoroughly outclassed in dance moves. "It's unfair that you do not look completely ridiculous doing that," he says when Loki does the Batusi. "Completely unfair."

"What's unfair is your lack of moves!" He pauses when "Walk Like an Egyptian" fills the air, cheers coming from the others watching.

Clint sprints out with his arms over his head. "Fuck yeah! Egyptian time, bitches! You better walk!"

People come to join the dance until they are surrounded.

Loki puts on a blank expression as he does the Egyptian, giving Tony a blank stare when he starts to peck him with his Egyptian hands, which ends with Tony holding his hands up in surrender and Loki erupting into laughter.

Arms wrap around him from behind, but before he can tense up, he recognizes the touch and allows himself to relax.

"Where have you been?"

"Talking," Thor says, turning him around. "I have seen you dancing."

"You should have joined me," he says. "I was ever so lonely."

"I think not," Thor says, eyes somewhere behind Loki's back. "Anyhow, I am here now, and you can show me your moves." He chuckles, and Loki feels heat rushing to his neck already. "Dance for your king."

He shoves away from hm and smiles despite himself. "I kneel before no one."

"I have seen otherwise," he replies, and of course "Relax" is the next song as if Tony's AI can see into the future.

The song only plays for a few seconds before the music ceases, and a glance over reveals Odin and Bragi standing at the DJ table, Bragi tapping at the equipment.

"Hater!" Tony shouts, and Thor grins, kissing the corner of Loki's mouth before Freya comes and steals him.

"Lovely Loki, there is someone I wish for you to meet." Balder guides him with a hand on the shoulder to a table amongst the ones filled with blonds where a woman sits, Loki instantly knowing who she is. They come to stop, and the woman rises with a simper. "Farmor, this is Loki. Loki, this is my grandmother."

She pulls him into a warm hug that smells of apple cake. "Yes, yes, I have heard much of you, Loki. You are absolutely gorgeous."

He almost flushes and takes a glass of water from a passing server's tray to occupy his mouth.

"He is my new step cousin, so he's your step grandson."

She chuckles and gives Balder a look. "He is Thor's betrothed and my future son in-law."

Loki doesn't choke though swallowing is quite hard. Well, this is definitely Odin's mother. They plan for the future, far future.

"I knew that if Thor would be _bøsse_, he would have magnificent taste," she says.

"Farmor, are you not perhaps skipping ahead? Loki is 16, 17 in a few weeks." Balder is saying what Loki is thinking though he cannot bring himself to say so. He is still trying to not choke.

"I was married at 16, my brave one. You need to find yourself a good husband before it is far too late. You are only 19 for a few more months." Thor's grandmother sits down and gestures for Loki to do so as well. "Your younger cousin is wise, and he knows what he wants. He has gotten that from his grandfather."

"Farmor, you have met Loki." Thor puts his hand on the back of Loki's neck, Loki flinching away at how hot it is. When he turns to give Thor a curious look, he sees the source of his "excitement," eyes burning red with fire as he looks at Balder. "I pray you have not scared him away."

"You have chosen well, my golden one. He does not scare easily."

No, he does not _choke_ easily.

He sets his glass down and stands, going to give Thor a kiss but thinking better of it, and he flees with as much composure as he can muster, uncaring if they speculate what is wrong with him. He can't sit there and listen to them talk about definite things when he has done wrongs that Thor is unaware of.

He finds a corner and sits there away from everyone, going undisturbed until Fridleif and his new friend Alexander Power—a fellow SHIELD student and son of some poor soul who is friends with Odin—take the two vacant seats, and he doesn't hesitate to take a dinner mint and the bottle of caffeinated drink from the center of the table and combine them, walking away just as it explodes on the two of them, shouts of outrage following him.

His aunts Fenia and Menia mumble something snide when he passes, so he accidentally trips a server who dumps a tray of champagne flutes on their light blue dresses. He turns to them with a fake frown. "Perhaps the twin thing of dressing the same is not such a good idea anymore, yes? You are in your forties anyhow."

He whistles "Devils Got a New Disguise" when he passes Freya, grinning when she scowls at him.

"Comrade."

He stares at Sigyn in the doorway, words such as "traitor" and "ex-best friend" coming to mind. "Sigyn."

"Vidar!"

"Idunn, hello, what are you here for?"

"Bragi?"

"Lofn?"

The corners of his mouth tug up into a sneer as he watches the four of them stand there with the same looks of confusion. Finally, he gets some good, clean fun.

Lofn steps toward Bragi, but he steps backward, hands held out. "Bragi, I have not seen you in months, not since-"

"You kissed him," Idunn says. "None of us have seen him since then."

Vidar slowly walks away, pulling his hair from its ponytail and sliding his orange cap over his head.

He and Sigyn exchange an excited look before they turn their attention back to the three standing very close to the railing separating them from the river. With their above average heights and the average height of the railing, it really is no surprise when Lofn is almost shoved into the river though Bragi sadly prevents her from falling by keeping ahold of Idunn's hand, Idunn's other hand held by Lofn.

Thankfully, neither of them are calmed down even after being pulled up, Idunn grabbing a tray of candied apples and Lofn grabbing a plate of heart-shaped cupcakes, but Bragi shoves them apart before they can throw anything and yells for them to calm down. They drop the foods and start to walk away, but Loki cannot have that.

He slips between the tables, crouched, and picks up an apple in one hand and a heart in the other, snickering as he throws the apple at Idunn and the cake at Lofn. If they were more than rage-filled creatures, they would realize the error in that, but they don't, turning and resuming their fight via anything able to be thrown.

He goes back to his place beside Sigyn, grinning as people start to trickle out to watch the commotion.

Bragi ducks a thrown apple which hits a newly appeared Tyr in the face. Tyr picks up a smashed cupcake and throws it back and misses terribly, a passing Hoder getting hit. Hoder surprisingly doesn't brush it off as immaturity and retaliates with a chunk of shredded ice which Tyr ducks and it comes within reach for Loki to grab it.

He exchanges another look with Sigyn before he launches it, and it hits Thor who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Vidar reappears with a ball of what looks like mud, and Loki pulls Sigyn down behind a table to avoid the mud balls and an enraged Thor.

"Thor, calm down, it was not—pleh, ew, Vidar, is that mud?!"

A muddy apple lands next to him, and Loki picks it up, blindly throwing it.

"My friends, why place mud on an apple?" Volstagg asks. "Vidar, do not—you will pay! Fandral, duck-"

"You beasts! Thor is by far the best Odin—I take that back. Thor, do not throw that at—I did not even—no!"

Loki snickers with Sigyn.

"Look what you have started," she says, giggling. "This is hilarious."

He bids her a temporary farewell when he spots an unopened bottle of caffeinated blue something on a nearby table, and he skitters to hide behind the table, reaching up to grab the bottle and a few mints. He drops them into the bottle and caps it, waiting a few seconds before turning to launch it on the nearest poor soul.

Thor leers down at him. "Loki, what are you-?"

The bottle explodes over Thor, drenching him in blue.

Thor draws a hand over his dripping blue face. "Loki…"

"Oops-" He takes off onto the lawn, his chuckles echoing in the semi-darkness, and he can't push himself to run fast enough to simply rocket away from Thor's grasp, each look back revealing the distance between them is closing. His last look back before he is pinned on the ground is of Thor lunging forward.

Thor straddles him, grin bright in the evening light. "Can you ever stay out of trouble?"

He grins. "Nope," he replies, "and that is why you love me so."

Some of the blue drips onto Loki, but he doesn't complain. "You are not my queen, Loki." Thor chuckles. "You are my jester."

"Hm, I like that job better though I must ask if I still must kneel before the king," he says.

Thor's thumb brushes of his bottom lip. "You will always kneel before the king," Thor says. "You use your silver tongue so well when you are on your knees."

He takes Thor off-guard, rolling them so he is on top. "You don't always have to be standing when I'm on my knees." He shifts his knees in the grass, letting out a moan when he accidentally grinds down. "Do you wish to hear a joke, _my king_?"

Thor's hands drop to rest on Loki's thighs. "Yes, dear jester."

"Knock, knock."

Thor chuckles. "Who's there?"

"Olive."

"Olive green?"

Loki wants to grin, bask in the look of warmth Thor is giving him, but he doesn't. "No," he replies. "Say 'Olive, who.'"

"Olive, who?"

He shakes his head. "Olive you."

Thor lets out a brisk laugh and cups the side of his face. "The best jester in the land."

"You know it—Thor, gods, can you at least warn me?" He tries to glare up at Thor from his new position on his back.

He leans in and hovers for a few seconds before he kisses him, weight starting to pile inside of Loki's chest with each movement of their lips. Thor pulls away first, resting his forehead on Loki's. "I love you so much, Loki. I am just—I am so in love with you, do you know that?"

Loki nods, gulping.

"For the rest of my life, I plan to express to you the sheer scope of my love though I think that not even this lifetime will allot me enough to time truly show you how much I love you," he says, and he pulls away. "You should go get cleaned up before I do something prematurely."

He chuckles as he gets to his feet. "Have I done that much for you stamina? Thor, it looks like we will have to work on that, won't we?" He walks backward, pulling his hands from Thor's. "I love you too, Thor."

He's still wearing a lopsided smile when he enters the bathroom, and as he dabs at the stray flecks of icing—he miraculously came out mostly unstained—he begins to hum a song that comes to mind, opening his mouth to sing the chorus without thought.

"They are turning my head out to see what I'm on about, keeping my head down to see what it feels like now-" He stops and looks down into the sink, cursing that stupid song and Thor's choice to make it his ringtone.

"My dearest nephew."

He looks up from the sink and at his uncle, watching him in the mirror. "Nal."

Nal turns off his faucet but doesn't respond, so Loki turns his attention back to washing his hands where his uncle is not giving him an unnecessary stare down. He briefly considers asking Nal what he wants after a few more moments of feeling his eyes on the side of his face, but knows that his uncle will tell him if it is important enough.

"Thor is going to propose to you tonight."

He—no.

He turns the faucet off but keeps looking down at his hands. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I want the best for you, Loki. Believe it or not. I care not what you believe in when I am involved. My actions will speak for me," he replies. "As will yours, my nephew. I will see you at the dinner tomorrow. I would not miss that for the world."

Alone, he glances up at his reflection, and he hates what he sees, absolutely loathes it. He is a pale imitation of what he should be, of what he projects to others, and Nal sees it.

He may love Thor, but his decisions have not displayed so.

Thor has been more than perfect-

No.

He raises his fist to the mirror but drops it when he realizes what he is about to do. Loki Laufeyson does not think with his fists, but with his mind, and mindlessly breaking mirrors is not a part of his modus operandi nor will it ever be.

Thor found someone else, and he abandoned Loki as if-

No, he didn't abandon Loki. Loki abandoned him because he's selfish and egotistical.

Thor needed him, but he was too worried about protecting himself, but—no, Loki was making sure that Thor made the decision himself. It was harsh and cold what he did, but he did it because he loves Thor, loves him more than anything he has ever loved, which reflects so well on his emotional history.

They're both emotionally damaged in their own way though Loki is quite sure he has it far worse than Thor's simple inner conflicts over whether to follow his father's instructions or not. He's had those kind of problems from a man who has been dead for 12 years and more!

But somehow, Thor loves him, and Loki loves Thor back, more than Thor could possibly love him.

Yes, he loves Thor so, so much, but he keeps making these mistakes, and he keeps hurting Thor. He is weak, and Thor is strong even if he claims to be weak on the inside. His uncle is wrong, somehow, on that front as Thor may have done weak things, but he is not weak.

Loki is a weak boy who keeps trying and failing because that is all he can do! He succeeds at failing!

"Loki, Thor's about to give his speech," Harry says as he and Peter enter the bathroom.

He looks away from his reflection.

"I can't believe you two are like together," Peter says. "That's crazy, but it does explain the weird pseudo-incest tingles I was getting from you two."

"You mean 'wow, these guys are both hot, and how hot would it be if they had sex' tingles, Pete." Harry winks at Loki, and Loki manages to roll his eyes. "C'mon, Pete."

"Loki, hurry up before you miss your brother-lover give his speech. I bet it's full of loving things for you."

Yes, quite full of "them," or the epitome of a loving thing to say.

Reflection-Loki stares back at him, eyes empty and face blank and _weak_.

He can't do this.

The doorknob is slippery from his damp hands, but he manages to stop it before it slams shut, looking down each side of the hallway before he turns right—everyone is in the room a the end of the left—and begins toward the glowing exit sign.

From one of the side hallways, Natasha emerges like a black cat, sticking to the shadows until she no longer wants to, and she moves in front of him to fill up the path with her petite form. Many alternative people could have found him, but he is unsure of whether this is a good alternative or not.

"Where are you going?"

A simple response of something witty would suffice in dispelling the suspicion, but Loki is not composed, and Natasha is not stupid.

"I—Natasha-"

"You're running."

When said like that, it sounds... cowardly.

Loki is not a coward. He may be weak, but a coward he is not. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

"You don't understand," he says, wiping his palms on his thighs. "He is-"

"-going to propose to you, I'm aware." She crosses her arms at his confused look. "I wouldn't lie, Loki. Thor has been coming over to me and Clint's. He needed a woman's eye on the whole ring thing, so he asked me."

Is there a soul he can trust, or is Loki doomed to spend the rest of his life in paranoia of someone betraying him? He supposes he should come from this a stronger person, more leery to tell the simplest of anecdotes to others.

His nostrils flare as he inhales.

"But you're running or you were about to before you ran into me. Loki, you can't do this. You ran the first time, remember? You hated yourself for it."

"This is different, Natasha! This is long-term commitment-"

"Which you want, right?" She touches his elbow. "You have to make up your mind, Loki. You keep making it out like you're in this for the long haul, but then I catch you trying to skip out of the country again."

"I wasn't going to go that far," he says.

"You can't do this, Loki, not if you don't want to push him away permanently. He can only take so much hurt before he gives up, and Thor's very, vey persistent." Natasha sighs. "I know you're angry about the thing he had with that guy-"

"Zeus."

"Yes, Zeus, but he doesn't matter. Thor loves you enough to try to start a future with you, but you're too afraid to see that. He violated your trust a bit, yes, but haven't you done that back ten-fold?"

This is not about his own faults. It's about Thor's, and his betrayal. Those nights when he couldn't sleep, Thor was out on the town with his "friend," when he was throwing up his stomach, Thor was making secret plans.

How is that remotely Loki's fault?

Many things he can be faulted for, but he will not accept that. Oh the irony; the things others claim are not his fault are his fault and vice versa.

"We're going to talk about it, okay?" He curses himself for being so readable though Natasha is Natasha. "What he did wasn't that bad, Loki, and it was forever ago in the teenage attention span, okay? He thinks you're the one, Loki. Thor wants to spend the rest of his life with you, only you."

"Why Zeus?"

There's applause from down the hall and a few hoots.

"Why Hero?"

He sends her a confused look before he sees the cocked brow.

Oh.

That.

"Welcome to the floor Thor, who needs no introduction. You are all aware of who he is."

Natasha looks at him for a few seconds before she shakes her head. "If you do this," she says, "don't—Loki, you're going to regret this for the rest of your life."

"Thank you, Heimdall…"

"We learn from our mistakes."

"We shouldn't have to make them in the first place," she replies, and she moves around him, eyes still glued to his face. "You can make the right decision the first time, so you won't ever need to use the lesson. Has your uncle ever told you that?"

Thor's chuckle sounds anxious, and Loki's stomach starts to churn. "When my father introduced me to the splendor of Farbauti…"

He takes a step forward toward Thor's voice. He isn't a coward. He wants this, to spend the remaining days he has on earth with Thor already. He knows it for a fact.

But engagement? It's so definite and tangible, the promise that leads to the promise to end all promises.

A promise that he's seen broken.

He steps backward. Why can't they just be together without attaching rings and dates to their future calendar? Thor keeps asking for so many things from Loki: love, forgiveness, trust, and he keeps getting them however hard it is for Loki to give them to him. Thor doesn't know this because Loki can't let him know!

He's not really… weak.

"I must bring the topic to step siblings because Loki's existence is an attestation to Farbauti's maternal and overall strength…"

He may not be as weak as he sometimes thinks he is, but he is no Thor. He cannot lift 500 pounds above his head or heft the weight of all of Thor's wants and expectations. Loki shouldn't—doesn't have to because he is Loki.

He is Loki, who needs nothing but his bag of tricks, the bag that has steadily increased in carrying size though not capacity through the years. And from this bag, he has pulled masks and lies and shields, shields that Thor has broken down with his strength.

Loki is not weak.

Loki is not a coward.

He slips a hand into his bag and listens to the sound of Thor complimenting him to hundreds.

Loki is Loki.

* * *

**A/N:**An estimated 1-2 chapters and an epilogue left!

Oh yep, write some more "flangst" shorts for Thor; will keep updating the next few days: story/story_edit_ ?storyid=9284892

OH YEAH, I'M WRITING THE ENTIRE THING FROM THOR'S POV TOO IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW: s/9248796/1/SHIELD-Academy-God-of-Love


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N: Last full-length chapter! Wow, this is pretty huge, but yeah. It's been nice working with you guys...**

**Actually, there's an epilogue, and a few short stories from Thor's POV. They explain a whole lot of Thor's motivation in this chapter. The link is at the end. **

**Also, for the person that requested a Nal one-shot, it's coming!**

* * *

Farbauti Borson: Flushing Bride?!

Loki's always considered himself more than a good liar. Sure he can speak untruths, but lying in its truest, most beautiful form can be done with just a voice and a set of lips. He can spin tales that make a normal person long for the dream world he has constructed with his words or simply put on the façade of a carefree boy. Both, sometimes he can do both.

Even so, he cannot see the future, but he can slip on a mask of a pretender in the present.

In addition to the face of a pretender, he puts on the facade of one who blindly hoped, who believed in normality though he had never seen it nor had it, who trusted and did so with his entire being, and he walks to the left and keeps walking until he has entered the room of family and friends.

"I thought you were skipping out or something," Clint says as the others sitting at their table all share a look of relief.

He meets eyes with Natasha. "I simply needed a few moments," he replies, and she slightly inclines her head in approval.

He owes her. More than a lot.

"Loki was unlike any other soul that I had a chance to acquaint myself with," Thor says, and Loki doesn't meet his gaze though he can feel his eyes on him. "He did reject me initially, and I was very… disappointed with that development. Most of our friends attending were also drawn by the allure of Loki: mysterious, withdrawn, eccentric, _vacker_. When our relationship progressed, I was continuously enthralled with what I learned of him, and I grew to respect Farbauti in a much different way than a superior.

"Farbauti, you have changed my life forever. Without you two, I would have never discovered true happiness." Thor raises his glass. "Congratulations!"

Everyone raises their glasses and repeats him, Loki blindly grabbing for Steve's and finishing it off in one gulp. He is going to need all of the courage he can get for what he knows is coming.

"Keeping in the spirit of matrimony and hopefully of celebration, I must turn my attention to Loki himself." He hands the microphone to Heimdall, and Loki is shoved to stand by several different hands.

He takes an unsteady breath as the lights dim around them save for one that follows Thor's progress toward him which is far faster than Loki would like. He needs all of the time he can get to prepare even with his nerves shoved into a bag marked "Later," but Thor's long, powerful strides are not giving him that time.

The moment he reaches him, he drops to his knee, and he's kneeling in front of Loki, and why is he reaching into his jacket? And oh gods how could Loki forget, he is going to propose to him. When his hands reappears, it holds a black box.

Thor reaches into his jacket, and oh gods, there is another ring? This one is orange though it is also diamond, and Loki hasn't seen rings as beautiful as these. Ever.

"Loki, will you please do me the honor of joining me in nuptials?" Thor takes his hand, and this is happening, actually happening. "Will you marry me?"

He blinks, and Thor is still looking up at him with shining eyes and a bright grin, one box sat on his knee and another in his hand, orange and red and diamond twinkling just as the circles of hopeful blue.

He should decline as loud as he can, should lash out on Thor for putting him in this two option position. He should say no and run and never look back.

"Thor, I apologize, but I missed your speech though I did catch the parts where you waxed romantic about me. I think I came in time for the best parts. My speech tomorrow is going to have to be something excellent now. You are always making me look bad," he says. He's painfully grinning now, Thor's eyes wide with anxiety. "_Já. _Yes, I will… marry you."

Red is slipped on one ring finger and orange is slipped on the other, and Loki can barely hear the screams and shouts of celebration over his pounding heartbeat.

Thor stands, and their lips crash together, Loki's arms wrapping around his neck as Thor's hands find his hips and take their rightful place. Teeth and tongues collide and air is shared as the ever familiar taste, touch, and smell of Thor invade his senses, almost blanking his mind to make room for analysis of every small detail of him.

Almost because one other fact fights the thoughts off with ease.

They are engaged.

Thor is his fiancé.

He inhales as they part, and his eyes open to find Thor's staring back. _Helig, skit_ indeed.

"Two rings, really?"

"I…" Thor kisses his nose. "Well, a few weeks ago-"

"You were also going to propose me on prom night," he says, grinning madly at Thor's confused expression. He deserves this much for doing this. "I knew, Thor."

He looks extremely conflicted about that, and as he opens his mouth to say something, they are joined by their first congratulators: their friends, who have been in on the entire plan for how long? Their inclusion in Thor's search for a ring—another, unnecessary ring—does explain the vibe of holding something back from Loki. Tony's usual "team Thor" jib did take a significant decrease.

"You know, this is like a dream come true for Papa Stark." Tony fake sniffles along with Clint, and Loki unwinds his arms from Thor's neck to turn an exasperated look on them. "What? We can't cry for our babies?"

"No," he replies, "you can't, traitors."

"What?" Bruce shakes his head. "I wasn't even in on it all like that."

"Take that back! Right now, Loki!" Clint pouts. "We are not traitors!"

"This is fucking awesome!" Harry shouts, and suddenly there are tons of classmates around him, shouting things of similar sentiments. "Woo, another wedding!"

Loki's hands tighten into fists, and he winces at the feeling of two of his fingers being pinched, only to look down and remember that he wears not only one but two engagement rings courtesy of Thor. As if he could not shout to the world that he loved Loki with one ring, he had to do it with both. How Thor of him.

He replies with quick thanks through tight lips to people he only knows belong there because of their blond hair and peak physiques. To those he recognizes as his family members, he offers them more than a tight smile but a shit-eating smile that projects how proud he is of being truly loved unlike them. His uncles by marriage are there for the occasional sex and status with marrying into his maternal family, but Thor actually sees something worth marrying inside of him.

Thor grins and laughs and claps shoulders, and he's so effervescent with his love and pride at his proposal being accepted. Yes, cocky as ever.

Loki brushes off Fridleif's attempt to rattle off the statistics of his marriage succeeding—Loki knows them already, thank you very much—and makes his way to the center of the crowd of proud "bros" around Thor.

"You were like, 'marry this,' and he was like, 'okay, Thor-eo.' It was pretty boss."

It did not go like that at all though he seems to be the only one to remember an hour ago.

"The guy sure does love you, my friend," Brian says. "Cheers, mate."

"Cheers!"

Loki starts to turn and go to avoid the slaps on the back everyone is passing around, but Thor sees him and pulls him to his side with ease, tangling their fingers together though the ring on his right hand does make more some adjustment on Loki's end through squirming his fingers until Thor gets the gist.

"Never thought this would happen, but it is." Luke pats his chest as he puts on a proud look. "You two have come a far way. This is the highlight of my damn summer, which will be spent writing my badass speech for your wedding because y'all know damn well that Luke Cage is 'speeching' at the wedding of the year."

Wedding of the year? These people seem to think that engagement entails immediately wedding, which Loki is not, not, not okay with. Engagement? …Okay. Wedding? No.

"And Robert the Great will be right there alongside him," Robert says, patting him on the shoulder. "Luke, my bromate, let's go dance to some love songs with our girls. Feeling the love tonight."

Loki turns to Thor to see him staring at him, and he sighs. "What now?"

Thor shrugs. "Nothing."

"Thor, really-" Loki stops talking at the sound of a too familiar band playing around them, a band he loves to hate.

Thor grins, and Loki curses everything in existence as he's pulled to the center of the floor where others are beginning to pair up and dance.

"I am not dancing to 'Yes,' Thor," he replies, pulling his hand away. He flexes his fingers and glances down at the foreign weight of the ring, his engagement ring. Oh yes, one of the _two _engagement rings that Thor gave to him when he decided to propose in front of everyone, the ring that Thor does not have because Loki is not an idiot who tries to get people to marry him.

Robert mentioned love being felt tonight, which Loki is going to ensure Thor feels by dawn and not by way of his many "talents" either.

Loki smirks and takes Thor's hands. "Very well, I will dance with you, but you will pay for this."

"For the rest of my life?"

"No." Loki is dipped backward and pulled back up flush against Thor's chest. "Only tonight."

At the end of "Yes," they are surrounded by their friends and Thor's co-conspirators who demand to do "grown-up" things now that Loki and Thor have done the supposedly grown-up thing and gotten engaged though the fact that they—read: Clint—refer to it as that provides evidence to the contrary.

Loki still allows himself to be stealthily led from Battery Gardens and into the New York night surrounded by their group of friends who whisper in an attempt to not alert their departure, but they encounter Heimdall walking back with Sif—both of them offering their congratulations—who only gives them neutral looks when terrible explanations are given.

"Wait, comrade!" Sigyn emerges from the patio and jogs to meet them as she slips her jacket on, and Loki just notices the lack of plaid in her attire. "I am coming."

Tony opens his mouth to object, but Steve holds his hand up and grants her permission with a warm look though Loki knows full well she would tag along even without it.

Thor slips an arm around Loki's shoulder, practically demanding his attention while Sigyn walks alongside them. Is he actually… jealous? Even after proposing to him and getting said proposal accepted, he perceives a girl as a threat?

Loki chuckles and lets Sigyn slide into the cab before him, continuing when Thor nudges him inside with a firm hand on the ass. "No need to be so handsy, Thor," he says as Thor puts a hand on his knee. "You have told the world that I am yours, and I have temporarily acquiesced."

"Aw, that's the weirdest way I've heard someone say they belong to someone else," Bruce says. "I'm now proud though I already was before. I would have said no in front of all of those people. Loki, you've got guts."

Natasha gives Bruce a look that tells him to shut up though it is a bit late for that.

"This is so exciting!" Clint says. "Jeez, I thought Tony and Steve would be the first ones to—oh, oops, sorry, Steve."

Tony cackles. "Psh, Steve better not propose to me. That's my job."

Which reminds Loki of a job he must take care of.

He leans forward and puts on a charming smile as he talks to the cabbie, and he sits back with a smirk, letting Thor touch him all he wants but not giving up the location he asked them to be driven to. He meets Natasha's eyes and knows that she overheard, but she says nothing.

When they arrive at the lounge, Loki mentally makes a route to leave as quickly as possible while remaining fairly undetected.

"Ah, now I feel like a grown up." Clint nods in satisfaction. "I hope they play jazz."

"A lounge, comrade?" Sigyn snorts. "Ever so pretentious."

"You know that I am not planning on taking apart of the pretention," he replies as they walk a pace in front of Thor. He puts a hand on the nape of her neck, casually glancing back to see Thor's eyes on his hand, and he groans and remembers the ring and what it symbolizes. Making him jealous is not going to be very easy with it on though he will even out the field in no time.

Minutes after arriving, he states his need to use the restroom.

"Well, I'm coming," Tony says, and Loki wants to shout at him. "Steve, come on. Protect this ass."

Loki gestures for Sigyn to come as well and exchanges a look with Natasha, getting a nod in return. He owes her quite a lot. He keeps digging himself into a hole of debt though friendship is not a formal agreement, so he need not worry so much.

At the bathroom door, he glances around once before taking Sigyn's hand and pulling her toward the side exit.

"Where are we going?" Tony asks. "Why are they not coming?"

"I need a ring, Tony," he replies. "Thor and I are both engaged, not only me."

"I'm sure that Thor won't do anything bad just because he doesn't have a ring," Steve says as Loki thanks the cab driver for waiting with a professional grin that manipulates ever so easily. "He proposed to you anyway. I don't think you're supposed to-"

"You are not supposed to propose to someone without any prior warning either." He gives the same look to Steve and feels satisfied at the apologetic one he gets in return though Tony rolls his eyes. "I am not one to follow societal roles, Steven. Do remember that I am gay."

"That's hard to forget." Tony shrugs when Loki cocks an eyebrow. "What?"

"Shut up, Stark."

They stop at Tiffany & Co.

Sigyn states her distaste for such wasteful spending as Tony scans the showcases of wedding bands and wedding rings and points at which ring of the minute he thinks Loki should buy. "You are going to spend your blood money here, hm?"

"Hipster Chick Number 0, our daddies' money is well earned!" Tony says, waving his index finger around.

"And you should be happy I am," he replies. "I could deplete the monetary resources to construct weaponry." If he were to buy the planet.

Steve smiles at the saleswoman but glares at the three of them. "Please."

"I am not doing anything," Loki says, watching as Tony observes the wedding bands aloud.

"I cannot believe you said yes."

He pretends to not hear Sigyn and turns his attention to Tony talking to the woman about a silver band he wants inscribed with "Thunderfrost love." She suggests something more formal, but he pulls his sunglasses down and says "I'm Tony Stark," before turning away and pointing to a ring with red and blue diamonds. "That. How much?"

"$50,000."

"Cheap."

Loki rolls his eyes at the atrocity of a ring and walks to a display case in the corner, Sigyn's footsteps behind him. "You told me to commit, so I did."

"You have not told him, have you? Of course you have not as Balder is still alive and well."

He turns to her and lets the fire come to his eyes, feeling unashamed when her eyes widen. "If you care to tell him, go ahead, Sigyn. No one is stopping you, are they? I am not." He grins. "Do know that when you do tell him, I will no longer be your comrade, _comrade_. Do you need the directions back to the lounge because I will give them to you?"

She looks away, jaw clenched. "No."

"Hipster chick number 0, come look at these Ray-Bans. They're fucking diamond!"

Loki resumes his perusal until he finds a few that are not entirely inadequate, and he requests to have them pulled out. He scrutinizes them hard because he is not allowing Thor to win this round of "who loves who more."

"This one is quite beautiful."

He freezes in his place at the low growl of a voice, goose flesh sprouting on skin both covered and exposed. This can't be happening. Not now.

"It has a surreal quality to it," he says, and his voice is gravel, has always been though it has no more warmth. Hero reaches around him and picks up a vivid blue ring, holding it in front of Loki's hands. "It would go so well with your eyes."

Honestly, Loki thought he was dead, and he really didn't mourn if he was. He almost drowned because of Hero, and if that is not enough to warrant a death wish toward him, what is?

"Here, take it," he says, and Loki catches the ring in his open palm before it can clatter onto the ground. The gold is cold with Hero's low body temperature, unnervingly so. "It is like you, stunning yet ever so frosty. Detached some would say though we both know better than that."

Loki closes his fist and turns around to face Hero. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? You do care about someone other than yourself, little frost giant." He grins, and it's not pretty. "_Min lilla jotnar_, I want nothing. What I need however is... recompense."

"Recompense for what? I owe you-"

"-nothing, correct?" Hero reaches up to touch him, but Loki flinches away. "You are but an afraid creature. Thanos was right."

He gulps but tries as he might not to let the fear show at the mentioning of his name. He hasn't heard it spoken in so long, and he liked it that way. "Thanos knew nothing about me."

"Are you sure of that, Loki?" Hero moves in closer, and Loki instinctively raises his fist. "Loki, I would have thought you would know that such things do not deter a Titan. Fear only encourages us. You should know this. Thanos was not going to stop. He liked the fight." He chuckles. "I am starting to as well though not with him. Do send Thor my congratulations."

He's gone just as quickly as he came.

"Oh, what's that?" Steve looks at the ring and smiles. "It's pretty."

"Yes, it is," he replies, and he sets it back into the slot, "but not pretty enough."

Something green catches Loki's eyes and he sees a diamond ring set in emerald, one that would go so well with Thor's eyes. "Excuse me, miss?"

The woman comes to him with a smile. "Have you found something?"

"Yes." He points to the ring. "Give me that."

Sigyn visibly cringes when the woman gives him the five digit price tag though Loki takes great pleasure in knowing that his particular uncle will take note at the amount being withdrawn from his account and see the item and possibly eat his words. He thought Loki would say no, but he didn't.

He chuckles as he looks at the ring in the box. The sharp cut of the emeralds are going to even out the score very well.

"Tony, you better not." Steve crosses his arms when Tony presents a dog tag with a wide grin. "There is no need for something so extravagant."

"But diamonds, Steve, pretty diamonds." He waves it around. "Steve, you're going off to fight for 'Merica for day. Let me let you do it in style and love, and you can wear it with style and love in the meantime as well!"

Steve opens his mouth to object, but Loki stops him.

"Steve, you know Stark is not going to let you leave without anything," he says. "This way, you are already prepared for the military, and you satisfy Tony's need to be Tony Stark."

He sighs. "Fine, Tony. Go ahead."

"Yes, yes, yes! Give it to me with blue diamonds! Also, don't forget the 'Love you 5ever.'"

The woman takes the necklace from Tony with a faux smile.

The moment they step back into the lounge, Thor has a hold on him, his hands tight on Loki's shoulders as he gives him a dark look. "Where were you?"

"Places," he replies. "I don't have to tell you everything, Thor. Don't worry. I'm safe."

"You clearly felt the need to conceal this place from me, Loki. I have every right to feel curious."

"I don't have to satisfy this curiosity either." His lips remain quirked into a small smile as Thor simply stares at him as if he suddenly expected Loki to transform into the perfect spouse-to-be with forthcoming explanations and all. He should know who he wants to… marry. "You'll find out in time. Let us go do adult things."

Beneath the table, he slips the box to Natasha, feeling quite proud of himself when her eyebrows rise and her mouth forms an O, Bruce leaning over to see what she is looking at and having the same reaction. She passes it back just as Clint comes to take his seat, and Loki knows that Clint would not hesitate to shout, "Nice ring!"

"Instant Crush" comes on, and Loki leads Thor onto the dance floor, trying and failing not to chuckle at how put-off Thor is over not getting his way.

"I said yes, Thor. You don't get your way much farther than that." He runs a finger down Thor's arm and sighs at how stubborn he's decided to be with his indifference. "I also…" He slips his hand into his pocket and removes the ring from the box. "Wrap your arms around me, Thor. Don't suddenly decide to be shy."

He gets a simper for his efforts and arms wrapped around his waist, so he rests his forehead on Thor's shoulder and reaches behind to intertwine their hands for a few moments before he slides the ring onto Thor's left hand.

Thor untangles their hands and brings his hand to his face, brow furrowed.

"I said that you would find out in time," he says. "I kept my promise."

Thor grins. "You did not merely say yes to entertain me then."

Loki gulps and forces himself to chuckle. "No," he replies, "I did not."

"Good."

They meet halfway, Loki cradling Thor's face with his hands, and he forgets the rings and "accidentally" scrapes them along Thor's jaw. He laughs at the "ow" Thor lets out and pulls away to give him the best smug look he can though it is hard with how hard he is getting and the declining amount of rational thought he has.

"You think it funny to hurt me?"

"No, I would never dream of laughing at"—he bites Thor's bottom lip and looks up at him deliberately slowly—"_my king_."

They find the others and don't need to say a word before it is realized that the lounge is no longer of use.

"Looks like it's time to go," Tony says. "Come on, bros. Thor and Loki want to fuck, and honestly, I want to fuck too. Let's ditch this joint."

Public indecency laws are almost broken. Lots of running stops them from dropping their pants and fucking right there as they get home in a short amount of time—not short enough for Loki—and are still clothed and free of criminal history.

Thor nods as Hoder attempts to express his congratulations, pulling Loki up the stairs. "Yes, Hoder, thank you. Tell me more later."

"Someone is in a rush," Loki says as he pulls his shirt over his head.

Thor shuts his door and strips his own shirt off. "Why waste time listening to what I have heard many times already?"

Everything starts the same, the kissing, the touching, until Loki opens his legs with the intention of letting Thor gain entry.

"No, Loki, wait." He puts his hands on Loki's knees, and the emerald rubs against Loki's skin. "I… I want you… inside of me."

If Loki were not already diamond hard—like those in his _rings_, ha, ha?!—he would be after that. He sits up and covers Thor's hands with his own, taking in the three rings: red, green, orange. Three different colors that somehow go so well together.

He grabs the blanket and pulls it overtop of them, grinning. "I would be charmed."

He's done this once before. The first half of the emotional affair, he was quite sober though not of sound mind and free of the red grip, but toward the end, he succumbed again. Without the risk of being pulled under the veil or the need to prove to Thor that he's sorry for his wrongs—they have both done bad things, okay?—he feels little anxiety as he touches Thor, confident though gentle in his movements. He only wishes he could have stopped himself those months ago and told himself to wait until he could properly cherish it.

They let out simultaneous moans when Loki finally pushes inside of him, Loki pauses to soak in the sensation of being inside of Thor.

"_Jag alskar dig_," he says, pressing a kiss to Thor's sternum.

Thor's thumb brushes over his lower lip. "_Ich bin in dich verbliebt._"

Loki bites his bottom lip as he pulls out, another moan leaving his mouth as he thrusts back in. His pace steadily increases until Thor is demanding that he fuck him in a voice that makes Loki do as demanded with great enthusiasm. He has no remark to give in response to Thor's pushiness, and if he did, he would not be able to verbalize it. His vocabulary only consists of words of love and words of appraisal for Thor's ass and how "so very fucking amazingly miraculously perfectly tight" it is.

They cease moving at the sound of the door opening, Loki resting his forehead on Thor's chest as he tries to hear whoever it is over his blood racing and Thor's breaths.

"You cannot possibly be sleep already."

Loki locks his door while Thor seems to have not. This is why they have sex in Loki's room because things like this do not happen. Loki's mother does not walk in while they are having sex, completely unaware of the fact that they are having sex because of them not needing to turn the light on which would definitely clue her in on the fact that there are two people beneath the blanket.

"I have come to talk about this… engagement and offer my own words of congratulations," she says.

Thor blinks up at him in the near darkness, and a flash of mischief crosses his eyes before he clenches.

Loki bites down hard on his bottom lip to stop from groaning.

"Thor, I know you are in here. I can somewhat see in this darkness."

He wraps a hand around Thor, thumb ghosting the underside, and gives a hard tug.

"Farbauti, I…" Talking to Loki's mother while engaged in intercourse seems to be something Thor is not proficient at. Finally.

"Is someone in here with you?" she asks, sounding wary. "I could have sworn Loki's door was closed though Sigyn—Oh!" The overhead light is turned on, and Loki holds in a groan at both this situation and Thor clenching. "_Oj, _well, I know those clothes. I saw them on my son earlier this morning, green shirt, black trousers." She makes a sound. "You two… please, keep it down."

At the sound of the door shutting, they both let out moans as they cum.

"Learn to lock your door," Loki says as he pulls out, biting his lip at the sensation. Ha, now Thor knows what it's like to have cum dripping out of his ass, Mr. "I Can Never Not Come Inside of Loki." Loki does ask him to, but Thor doesn't have to always listen.

"That could have been a lot worse."

"She is probably crying her eyes out at the thought of her little boy getting fucked in the ass." He snickers. "I wasn't getting fucked in the ass this time."

Thor rolls his eyes and pulls him close. "Next time."

"Next time you better not try anything like that again," he says. "I can clench harder, Thor."

His chuckle vibrates in his chest and into Loki's body. "I love you."

He shuts his eyes and swallows down a sudden surge of anxiety. "And I, uh, feel the same," he replies as he begins to fade from consciousness.

When Thor isn't there when he awakens, Loki isn't entirely disappointed for Thor should know things aren't going to change as Loki knows things aren't going to change.

In the familiar comfort of Thor's bed, he takes a brief moment to consider the state of his affairs.

Hero Titan is alive and wants "recompense" for Loki's rejection, Balder wants to fuck him, tonight is the rehearsal dinner. his mother and Odin are getting remarried tomorrow, and he is engaged to Thor as per Thor's request.

Things could be worse.

Things could be better.

He snuggles beneath the velvet soft bedspread that smells of Thor and pushes away thoughts of the future for another time.

At some point, Heimdall comes in and wakes him by use of an air horn, Loki ending up tangled in the sheets and on the ground. He gives Loki an impassive look as Loki gives him a well-earned glare. "Good morning," he says. "Wake for you have missed 'brunch.'"

Loki regrets that oh so much, not being subjected to breakfast with people who are going to harass him with questions he is not keen to answer.

"Also, everyone has departed to pick up their garments for tonight's rehearsal dinner," he adds when Loki goes to the doorway of his own bedroom to find it surprisingly empty. "Thor sends his apologies for being unable to be here at the moment."

He doesn't want an apology for that since Loki kind of enjoys the relative solitude he has been granted with everyone's absence. He relishes it as time goes on, and he gets his first shower without fear of someone thinking it funny to burst in or tell him to hurry. He has missed his 30 minute showers.

Heimdall uses two laptops, a tablet, an earpiece, and a phone as he sits at the island, not glancing up when Loki comes to scrounge a breakfast together.

Loki sits down in front of an open file which contains the seating charts and the guest list. He snorts as he takes in the hundreds of names in alphabetical order with basic contact information included. He continues to read until his eyes skirt over two names he hasn't seen in over a year.

Amora and Lorelei, classmates he would not count as his enemies or friends.

"You invited them?" Loki glares his hardest as Heimdall pays him no heed, and he reaches forward and pushes the folder under Heimdall's face. "Why is it that I am the last to learn everything?"

"If you had spent the past few weeks paying attention to things other than your shortcomings"-he gives him a look when he starts to refute him-"you would have been able to aid me properly and thus screen those invited. You have done your other jobs as man of honor such as your speech, correct?"

Loki stares blankly, and Heimdall cocks an eyebrow, looking amused.

"You have until the return of everyone to come up with something. I suggest you perhaps take this notepad and pen and put them to use."

He looks at the pen and paper Heimdall seemingly produced from thin air and sighs. He was not planning on writing this speech ever, "winging it" and hopefully making himself look anything but stupid. "I don't need to write a speech."

"Then what speech will you give later?" he asks, both hands working on either laptop keyboard. "You are brilliant, Loki, though your emotions remain unchecked. I would not risk an incident if I were you." He looks up and gives him a tight smile. "Alas, I am not you."

The paper and pen go untouched in favor of Loki enjoying a bowl of cereal for the first time since Bragi and his brothers and cousins' arrival. Simplicity is sometimes better than grandiosity though that seems to be lost on the Odinsons.

He gets to the bottom of his bowl when Balder and Tyr arrive with their garment bags in tow, and Loki goes to take his leave upstairs with only a nod in their direction, Tyr returning it though Balder doesn't acknowledge his existence. Great, now he has that to deal with.

He goes for a run, and the mix of house and experimental music set a fast pace though he easily keeps up with it until he reaches the west side of the Manhattan and narrowly avoids collision with someone making no effort to move from his path.

"Excuse me," he says through clenched teeth, and the inconsiderate "statue" of a man turns to look at him, the reflecting sun from a passing car shining in his violet-blue eyes. Loki freezes.

He doesn't know their name, but "Titan" comes to mind anyway.

"Pardon." A voice so much like the one he heard yesterday, emotionless. "My apologies."

He stands frozen and watches as the man turns and leaves without as much as a glance back. He shakes his head free of the confusion and continues on his run, pushing away the thoughts of the strange man with familiar eyes.

His song is interrupted by an incoming call from the only person stupid enough to chance calling him who is not Tony Stark: Thor, and Loki answers it with an expectation which is quickly met when Thor asks, "Where are you?," the opener of most of their recent phone calls.

"I'm out," he replies. He knows that Thor is going to ask again, but he is not one to give information over so willingly. "Doing constructive things."

"I also wish to do constructive things, Loki. Don't be so quick to assume."

"I was not assuming anything." He glowers at the passersby. "Bryant Park," he replies, and Thor makes a sound of affirmation before Loki hangs up, not taking a seat to wait as he should. He continues running though at a significantly slower pace, but he is no match for Thor's hunting skills.

He rolls his eyes as Thor pulls up alongside him, hair blowing in the wind and aviator sunglasses the same chrome as his car, and opens the door but makes no motion to get inside, glaring at those who look at the spectacle the sight of the two of them and this atrocity of a car. "I'm sweaty."

"When have I ever cared?" Thor turns forward, and Loki notices—yes, notices because Thor is an animal—that he is chewing gum. "Get in."

Loki does with another roll of the eyes, crossing his arms. "You look like everything I hate: arrogant, uncaring, blasé. Did you spend the morning with Johnny Storm?"

The stereo volume increases, and Sibelius becomes audible over the city cacophony for a moment before the orchestra is replaced with the voice of Chris Martin, Loki sending a glare in Thor's direction as he drums his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Johnny did accompany us to the gym," he says as they walk the sidewalk, "but I don't see what you're getting at."

He slaps Thor in the arm and winces when his ring digs into his finger. "I absolutely hate you," he says as he twists the ring, and he shies away from Thor's touch when he enters the door that Thor opens. He shakes his hand free of the pain and looks around the entered building, putting two and two together when he sees the open showroom of assorted couches and tables. "You could have given me warning that we were going to look at furniture," he says through a smile.

Thor puts a hand on his shoulder. "We appear domestic."

Domesticity or traditional, romantic togetherness for the masses. He is a mature participant in a serious relationship complete with picking out furniture for Thor's—their?—first apartment. He should explode at any moment from the orthodoxy of it all. Loki Laufeyson, average boy.

He silently resents Thor for dragged him into this as they peruse the offerings, Thor asking his opinions on things such as area rugs for the living room and throw pillows for the master bedroom. At 16, most are worried about pimples and having sex, both things Loki has not had to worry about for years and six months respectively.

The ring on his finger is yet another accelerator of his adolescence. He's losing that just as he lost his childhood.

"Are you two…?" The salesman gestures between them, tongue sticking through his grin. "Together?"

Thor pulls him flush against his side. "He is my fiancé."

"How darling," he says. "My boyfriend hasn't put a ring on it yet, so count yourselves lucky. Congratulations."

Loki's right hand tightens into a fist but slackens at the intrusion of the ring.

"My thanks."

He keeps his silence the ride back, alternating between trying to ignore the rings on his fingers and twiddling them. He envies Thor's casualness over having his ring on, driving, shifting gears, tapping as if his finger is empty.

"I need a shower." The shower does little to ease the anxiety that has crept into his mind, actually amplifying the new weight of the rings on his fingers. He goes to take them off but thinks better of it which proves to be the better decision when Thor enters without knocking. "Knocking is a thing," he says as he turns off the faucet.

Thor holds the same scissors Loki held before in his hands as he sits on the closed toilet lid.

Loki grabs his towel since Thor makes no motion to and wraps it around his waist. "Yes?"

"I wish for you to cut my hair," he says, holding the shears out. "I trust no one else to."

"Who has cut your hair these past… nine months then?"

Thor pulls the hair above his crown from the tie, and it joins the rest of the hair falling past his shoulders. "I have allowed your mother to trim when she becomes unbearable though I have no gotten a cut since the last time I saw Sif who I let do so very reluctantly."

He chuckles as pulls a lock down, biting his lip as he takes in the length. "Protecting your golden locks from the evil grips of the mortals, hm?" Loki takes a snip without warning, snickering when Thor sends him warning look. "Calm down, calm down. I promise I won't give you a Brad Pitt."

They lapse into silence, the slicing sound the only one besides the drip of the faucet. Loki snips inches at a time though he goes risk cutting a few longer pieces to see Thor's negative reaction. His work goes smoothly until Loki moves closer to Thor to get a better view of the center of his head, towel shifting down his lips enough for Loki to feel the air hit the drying tuft of hair and cleft of his ass.

"You are distracting me," Thor says as if he is the one cutting.

He grins as he twists a lock, snipping the ends. "How can I, Lovely Loki, distract oh mighty Thor?"

"Please, do not call yourself _that_."

Loki bites his bottom lip as he gets another lock of hair between his fingers, and as he cuts, he hums. "Why? Isn't it cute?"

"_He_ gave you that endearment."

"So?" His finger ghosts down the side of Thor's face as he threads through the trimmed section. "It's just a title, Thor. It doesn't mean anything."

"And fiancé?"

He pauses briefly before he brings the scissors up and takes a generous amount. "Thor, don't—you are more than aware of what I mean."

"Am I?"

He sends him a cross look. "Yes, you are," he says, "and if you were wise, you would know that saying such things while I wield scissors to your beautiful hair is not good for your hair or its description as beautiful."

Thor gives him an amused look as if he believes Loki wouldn't happen to slip the scissors too high and leave him with a piece significantly shorter than the others. "You love my hair as it is a part of me, which is why you are the only one I entrust its care to."

He turns Thor's head with fingers under his jaw, giving him a neutral look as he does. Once their eyes are no longer locked, he allows just a semblance of emotion to slip into his eyes, and he looks at his frightened expression in the mirror. Sickening.

"I love you, Loki. You are more than aware of that."

He tucks the weakness inside and puts on a smile, chuckling. "Am I?"

Thor's hand slips into his, the ring somewhat limiting how their hands fit. "As I said, more than."

Loki goes to cut another lock, but he's pulled into Thor's lap, Thor's arms wrapping around his waist. "How can I cut when I cannot see what I am cutting?"

"I have a head that I can turn," Thor replies, and he shrugs. "You have a better vantage point from here and are far more comfortable."

He pulls a lock in front of Thor's face and meets his eyes as he cuts, face moving closer and closer until the cutting is abandoned in favor of kissing Thor. The shears clatter to the ground as Loki cups the sides of Thor's face, and he shifts to straddle Thor's lap, towel falling to the ground.

Thor takes him in hand, Loki groaning into his mouth, and begins to stroke, thumb sliding over the slit and smearing the collection of stickiness on Loki's rapidly sensitive head, and Loki grinds down from sheer habit, the rough of Thor's jeans rubbing against him in a way not entirely unpleasant.

At a knock on the door, they pull apart, Thor's hand leaving Loki only after another sharp tug.

Loki collects his towel and answers the door without bothering to hide his annoyance even when he meets the eyes of his mother.

"I require a talk with you," she says, and she pulls him from the bathroom, Loki too busy holding his towel tight around him to try to resist. "You received my congratulations yesterday."

"Yes," he says, "I did."

She nods. "Then I have no use of delaying." Her eyes sharpen, and Loki tenses. "Are you willing to give it all up as Thor has been willing to do for you, as I was willing to do with your father?"

Finally she learns to skip straight to the point though Loki is sure she may be aware of his situation below the waist.

"Loki, answer me."

He opens his mouth to do so, but only air leaves. He can't… answer her.

It is a simple enough question when taken at face value, but none of his mother's words can ever be taken at something so mundane or common as face value. She is tricky and as of recent, annoyingly so.

"You are making a mistake."

"Loki, do you expect me to finish my _hair_ myself?"

His mother continues her scrutiny of him as he sends her one last look, one frustratingly laced with confusion and… fear, before going back into the bathroom.

Thor's hands go to his towel, but Loki bats them away and picks up the shears, and he finishes the rest of Thor's hair without another word, pushing his mother's questions out of his mind and trying to focus on not taking too much or too little of Thor's hair off.

Thor is left to shower while Loki goes to dress for the rehearsal dinner, the tuxedo his mother picked for him laid out.

He finds himself asking the same question as his mother, and of the almost-answers he forms, he doesn't like any of them. They all leave a bitter taste in the back of his mouth as if poison, which they will be equivalent to if he says them aloud, says them to _him_.

Too many people approach him upon arrival though Heimdall acts as his savior, pulling him onto the stage.

His speech is the first thing of the night unlike Thor's which took place at the end of the evening, and Loki almost laughs maniacally at the power he feels as he stands on the stage above everyone, their eyes all giving him expectant looks though they don't all expect the same.

He takes a breath before he brings the microphone to his mouth. "Growing up as an only child with my mother as my sole guardian after the age of give, I was accustomed to it being the two of us. I had little desire for things to change again, fearful that the change would be as traumatic as the unfortunate and untimely death of my father." He pauses and notes the silent, no one speaking at all.

A simple uttering of "I can't marry you, Thor" would send everything into emotional disarray, and is it not only right for the outside world to reflect the chaos of feelings inside of Loki? He holds paints of fate in his hands, a stroke here will end in tears, one splatter there will be fury and rage. He wants to paint it red and bring rise to shouts and curses of dismissal. He wants everything to fall to pieces at his feet before he himself crumbles.

Loki has learned to put his wants behind him for the time being.

"When I met Odin, my first thought was that he was trying to replace my father," he says, the words coming to him as if from an exterior source. In some way they are as Loki means very little of what forms. He's pretending. "It's quite ridiculous in retrospect, my father and Odin being different people. I knew that he made my mother happy in ways that I could not, and honestly, it bothered me. She was much too old to have a boyfriend."

A few chuckles and cackles from the men and a dismissive gesture from his mother.

"As if channeling my one and only best friend Tony Stark, they went off and married like reckless teenagers, dragging me and the mysterious son of his along." At that moment, he knows that this speech is headed somewhere Thorian. "He attempted to talk to me afterward, but I dismissed him, thinking he was like his 'mother loving stealing' father.

"We moved here with them after their whirlwind romance. I despised them both, interlopers they were. Odin especially." He laughs, sucking his teeth. "He is quite a lot to take in."

"Big Borson!" his table of friends shout, exchanging high five afterward.

"Yes, 'Big Borson' he is. But I adapted and learned to accept them into my life. Upon closer look, Odin is simply a family man looking to do whatever it takes to keep them on the right track." To his surprise, it doesn't come out as bitter as he thought it would.

While he's still in control, he decides to end the speech at its climax. "Congratulations, Odin, for managing a woman as great as my mother, and Mother, congratulations on the husband." He forces a smile. "Any man who raises someone as fantastic, wonderful, perfect as my _fiancé _Thor is a great man himself. _Tack så mycket_."

He chuckles under his breath as he leaves the stage, and he is greeted by a grinning Thor when he goes to take his seat, which is never taken because of Thor immediately seizing him as the contemporary music starts to play and everyone begins to chat.

He hangs off the elbow of "the Odinson" like a trophy, which Loki is not. He is not the spoils of war, the war Loki would have won had he continued fighting.

"You will make such a beautiful groom," Thor's grandmother says, and the thin rope binding Loki to the role of a subservient fiancé snaps, granting him escape which he takes with a tight smile and no explanation.

"You look as if you would rather be anywhere else." Nal looks at him over his glass, amused about something. "Congratulations, Loki. You have done the unexpected," he says in Swedish. "I am thoroughly impressed with your courage to do something like that. You are nothing like Laufey at all."

He grabs a champagne flute from a passing waitress and downs it before she can stop him with warnings of drinking laws. He offers her a warning look which gets her moving away from them and turns a curious one on his uncle. "What do you mean? I thought I was on the track to be dead."

Millicent comes with a grinning Mary Jane following her, gushing about something. "Loki, my soon to be nephew, congratulations! We're both engaged now." She casually flashes her large diamond. "I do hope to be marrying before him. Nally, you're so competitive. I know you won't let that happen."

"Much worse than dead, my nephew." He tilts his glass back though his eyes remain on Loki, full of mirth. He hands Millicent his glass and touches her bare shoulder, turning to go. "Do not worry, Millicent. We will be marrying before my nephew, but I will not be the one to ensure so."

Loki has no time for his uncle's games, so he walks away without bothering to ask who will try to stop him from getting married. He has a feeling that he knows this person very, very well, better than anyone else if he might say. Better than himself.

Amora and Thor stand with little to no space between their bodies, and Loki is moving toward them without another thought besides getting her away from him, to stop her from attempting to seduce him as she often tried to seduce their peers. She cannot have him.

He smiles as he walks up to them, not entirely satisfied when Thor turns his attention to him. "Amora, you know Thor?"

Thor's look is a blank, completely oblivious as usual. "Yes, she and I share many mutual friends," he says, glancing at her, and Loki clenches his fists, uncaring of the rings digging into his palms. "I have known her since childhood."

The world should consider expansion.

"Loki, if you imagine, the ruling families of Sweden are bound to travel together," she says as if Loki is a fool. She is a scheming broad who should set her sights somewhere else, somewhere not Thor though Thor seems to have no clue or be pretending that she doesn't want to fuck him right now. She is giving him the eyes, the eyes that Loki gives him though his are a lot more effective. "Though he doesn't really know me as Amora." She flutters her eyelashes. "They've always called me the Enchantress for my ever so enchanting-"

"Yes, quite a small world we live in," Loki says. "With you and your sister being here, I am surprised you didn't bring Skurge as your plus one."

"Actually, I did." She gives him a sour look, which Loki doesn't react do. "He insisted that he come here, and as his closest friend in the world, I let him. He's somewhere around here…"

Thor's eyes burrow into his soul as if searching for any traces of satisfaction, which Loki does feel, but he is careful not to show it. Thor can be jealous. Loki is not jealous, simply clairvoyant of what will come from this.

"You two are step brothers, right?"

Loki cocks his head to the side with a sweet grin. "Yes," he replies, "and fiancés." He turns and leaves her standing there with her mouth agape like it often is though she is usually on her knees and some hulk is above her. Amora, he loves to hate that girl.

Thor goes to the table of their friends while Loki finds an alternate seat for the evening.

His aunts grumble when he sits down at the last seat at their table, but he ignores them and takes the bottle of Shiraz from the center. He pops the cork and pours a glass for his bored looking uncle, pitying the fool for being here , but doesn't take a glass for himself. If he had not married his aunt Menia, he would be somewhere else, somewhere Menia-less.

"You look terrible, Loki," Menia says. "You looked better earlier. What have you been doing?"

"What do you think? Look at all of these young handsome men here. I'm sure one of them was oh so happy to sneak off into one of the empty rooms around here with the newly engaged boy," Gríedhr replies. "He's cute in _that_ way. A straight boy wouldn't even mind with a face like his."

"Yes, yes, you're right, but he better get his act together if he ever plans on getting married. Cheating so early, hm?"

He inhales deeply.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up like that grandfather Bergelmir of his."

"Mhm, heard his father had a 'problem' toward the end with the results of his many affairs. Oh yes, it is time to eat."

He gets snapped at from all directions for picking at his food as his friends fraternize, happy and grinning and pleasant as they all eat together sans Loki. They sit two tables away, close enough for them to wave Loki over to join their congregation of SHIELD and non-SHIELD alike, but they don't.

It's not as if Loki cares.

At some point after the main course, Thor stands up, and their close friends follow, so naturally, Loki does as well, Loki following though at a distance.

Loki stops at a tray of fruit and picks a few grapes, popping them into his mouth as he strains his ears to hear what his friends are talking about at the fountain of chocolate.

"…are still going, right?"

"Of course I am," Thor replies. "Nothing has changed. This has only cemented my decision. Even if he had not, I would be going, with or without you. I do not need you truly."

"Dude, we're your bros. It's our duty to support you," Tony says. Support him in what?

"This is like the thing I've been waiting my whole life for," Clint says. "I get to support a friend too. Me and you, we're best bros for life. All of us, we're all best bros for life."

And what of Loki?

"You guys seem to be forgetting the most important thing. Me, I was on the no flight list since freshman year, and this is the first time I'm going on a plane in years," Bruce says, and Loki looks at them in his periphery, chewing the last of the grape. "We're going to England, home to some of the best universities in the world. During our stay, I'm going to use their resources."

He steps away from the table and backtracks until he is on the opposite end of the room, his "friends" and Thor a mile away in the distorted field. He takes a deep breath and turns to look across the tables, heart racing in his ears.

Thor promised, and Loki can't let the get into him now. He hasn't let Balder's or his uncle's attempts to weasel their way between them affect him before, so today is not going to be the first day. He will not let himself fall victim to misunderstanding.

He blinks away the burning in his eyes.

Perhaps England wasn't even the real place they were talking about. He wasn't exactly supposed to hear that conversation, so it's not unrealistic that he misheard. He was chewing, the sounds of his chews in his ears. Sound can be distorted very easily. Loki knows this. He knows science.

He also knows who Thor is and who his supposed friends are.

A month into their friendship they had little problem with scheming behind his back. In nine months, not much has changed in other regards, so is it so far off to assume that Loki's hearing was not to blame for what he heard.

"Laufeyson." Skurge saunters to him with bowtie undone, perpetual smirk in place. "It is such a surprise to see me, yes?"

"Amora told me," he replies. "So, no, I'm not surprised."

He takes Loki's hand, and Loki is hyperaware of the red ring on his finger, the weight that had almost become accustomed once again a planet. "You are engaged to that Thor I met last week. I had a feeling there was something I was not seeing between you two with the way he was looking at me," he says. "I still think he's a bitch."

Words of defense reach the tip of Loki's tongue where they meet their death. Thor can defend himself.

"I should offer congratulations, but I'm not happy for you." Skurge shrugs. "You're trapped."

Such a blunt, harsh way to put it, but Loki is trapped or very, very close. Time still remains to escape before Thor can abandon him as he plans to. Again.

He bids Skurge a farewell and seeks solitude at an empty table with a procured bottle of Shiraz which he is a fourth of the way through when he is graced with the presence of Lorelei who takes a seat uninvited, Loki giving her a blank look as she gives him a smile.

"Loki Laufeyson, it has been quite a while since I have seen you."

"Almost a year," he replies. "Have you missed me?"

"Only your beauty and wit, silver." She chuckles, and the buzz in Loki's veins make him join her. "I can't believe you are getting married." There goes that word again. "The world is ending. Ragnarok is approaching."

He takes one last sip of his drink before he sets it aside. "Jealousy is only masked by your beauty."

"The same could be said for your precious Skurge."

"Funny though inaccurate."

Amora's shrill laugh draws Loki's eyes to where she is now draped over Thor as he gives her a look that is not repulsion as it should be. He is entertaining her thoughts by not rebuking her, so Loki can-will do the same. The blonde "enchantress" can do whatever she wants, and Thor can do as he pleases as well. He is going to anyway.

Loki does what he wants, is doing what wants.

"My sister has always had an eye for Thor. It is too bad he is gay." Lorelei grins. "Like that has stopped her before."

He glares at her though his mouth remains a smile. "She is a warm hole. Not many men would turn that down."

"Sweet Thor has changed. Maybe he has become one of those men, especially with these promiscuous girls who are definitely throwing themselves at him. I know the same goes for you. Oh look who has decided to join us."

Sigyn graces Lorelei with a tight smile. She doesn't like it when others encroach on her territory.

Neither does Loki, but he isn't Thor in possessiveness factor.

He stands and grabs a glass. "I will see you both later," he replies, and he downs the drink and hands the emptied glass to Sigyn.

He finds the roof after stumbling upon a stairwell and takes up residence along the stone railing, leaning on his elbows and looking out over the New York night. He feels as anxious as before, but at least he can feel so in peace.

Balder joins him, and they stand in relative silence, Loki satisfied that he has no choice but to acknowledge his existence unlike earlier.

"I never got to express my congratulations on a personal level," Balder says rather awkwardly. "I didn't want to get in the way anyway..."

"Thank you," Loki replies, "for waiting. I really didn't want to hear anymore congratulations on my fuck-freaking engagement."

Balder and he look away from each other, the city sounds filling the space between them.

"I am not used to not getting what I want," Balder says, breaking the semi-silence. "You probably think it's an Odinson trait, which it partially is, but mine comes from my own skill and perseverance."

"Oh, with this mysterious skill what have you done?"

"I play association football for Man. U." Balder waits for a reaction that Loki can't force himself give as he has little energy to lie at the moment. "It is in the Premier league."

None of that means anything to Loki save for the fact that it's supposed to get him to either melt or devolve into queries about this association football he plays like some rabid fan. Unless association football suddenly becomes a board of scientific discovery-which it won't; he does know what football is-he is not ever going to care or pay more than a second glance at the players who are probably built like Balder though his appearance is more a gift from the gods than a product of this "skill."

"Well, you are not impressed."

Loki snorts. "No," he replies, "not really."

"I have a jersey with my name on it: Odinson; 26. Kids wear it; adults wear it. I should take you to a sports shop and buy you one. Consider it an engagement gift." He grins and nudges Loki with his elbow though Loki remains unamused at his joke. "Tyr used to play as well, but one cannot be goalie, the only position that uses hands, when they keep breaking their dominant hand. You would be a good striker. You are fast."

Loki chuckles, shaking his head. He _can_ laugh because Balder's obviously trying for one at Loki's suspense. "And that is not going to happen."

"I still have a day left here, Loki. We leave Tuesday morning, and football at night is quite fun." He sighs, and Loki suppresses one himself before there is a lapse of silence that isn't filled with awkwardness but... tension and not the angry kind. "Hoder thinks that it is a waste of my resources."

"Why do you care what Hoder thinks? You are a man," he replies, feeling a jolt at the last word. It holds power.

"He practically raised me. I may have been there for Tyr and Hermod as the eldest of us three, but Hoder was there for me though he sometimes-" Balder sighs again. He's on the path of becoming an angst machine like someone else. "He was brutally harsh, much like Uncle Odin."

Brutal truth was to Laufey as lying is to Loki. The man held little to no patience for lying, which often ended with Loki being punished, and Loki was far too... stubborn to simply cease lying. He instead became better at it until Laufey could barely tell when Loki was lying though his reaction to it was no less enraged when he did see the slight waver in Loki's gaze.

He has since learned to control his eyes.

"See it as a necessary bad," Loki replies. "Those things mold you into the person you are"-he turns to him with a smirk-"however superficial and vain this person is."

"On the topic of mental issues, your cousin Fridleif recognized me." Balder gets a certain look upon his face, and Loki sighs in preparation for the persuasion attempt that is coming. He doesn't care about his supposed fame. "As you see, my hair is running on the longer side. I usually keep it cropped short like... Jack in the Titanic, but now it's Aragorn."

Loki cocks an eyebrow, slightly impressed that he actually knows the characters names unlike most. Now that is more impressive than "association football."

"It explains why these Americans haven't recognized me though they do not appreciate football as they should. However, the same can't be said for your cousin as he approached me and immediately said something along the lines of me being the worst captain in the league, but I know he truly adores me."

"Because it is so very impossible for someone to not recognize you or hate you, yes?"

"Exactly! In England, I get approached for autographs all of the time. Here, I get approached for my non-football skills."

"You are an idiot," Loki says, feeling triumphant when Balder gives him an incredulous look. "Stick to football."

He grins. "Actually, Lovely Loki, I got into Oxford on merit. I am an Odinson."

Loki would be angry at his arrogance, but he only has the energy to shrug it off and turn his attention back to the city around them. He feels Balder's eyes hot on his face, so he isn't very surprised when Balder thinks it remotely okay to try to touch his cheek. Loki leans away from his hand to turn to him.

"If I asked if I could kiss you, what would you say?"

Loki stares into the earnest blue circles, and he cocks an eyebrow, prepared to answer that he would in fact say no, but he closes his mouth and turns his attention back to the city. He tosses the question around his mind for a few more moments before glancing back at Balder. "I'm engaged."

"You don't sound very happy about that come to think of it."

He swallows down the lump of anxiety and fear. He cannot admit ignorance to Thor's proposal plot or the fact that he was going to run like some coward, especially not to Balder. Instead, he says nothing of answering. "If we were to play football, where would we go?"

"Anywhere with enough space to run freely, where your long legs can stretch out comfortably," Balder replies, tongue darting across his lips. "You will be on my team."

"Everyone wants me on their team." He bites his bottom lip as he shifts his ass to stick out more. "I'm in demand."

"Yes and even Cousin Thor sees that though he has gotten you on his the team that matters already. For life, right?"

Yes, "till death do us part," where Loki is concerned. He learned from the best: his parents.

Balder runs a hand through his hair. "He keeps making stupid mistakes, you know? He doesn't appreciate the things he has, never really has." He glances at Loki. "I may be vain and have an inflated ego, but I am no Cousin Thor. I would not dare to—to perpetrate an emotional affair on my boyfriend and expect him to forgive me. I would not dare to try to force him into marriage either. I would however keep persisting. Some things one persists for."

An exit strategy should be the only thing on his mind, but he remains standing there with only a foot or less between him and Balder, a rapidly declining distance.

Loki thinks he may be the one who is moving, but he pays little attention to the thought as he places two fingers under Balder's chin, tilting his head up to see the smoldering blues.

"I would have chased you to the end of the earth," Balder says, hand coming to rest on Loki's side, just below his ribcage. "I would have tried again."

He licks his lips. "Ask me that one question again." His gaze flicks up from Balder's lips to his eyes. "You may get a different answer."

"May I-?"

He sucks the air from Balder's lungs via lip to lip contact, interrupting his attempt to speak, but he returns it in the next breath. His lips move at a feverish pace against Balder's distantly familiar ones, and his hands grasp at the "Aragorn length" strands of soft hair.

He is bent backward as Balder presses against him, a hand falling to Balder's shoulder to anchor himself though the hand at his hip is keeping him secure enough. If he lets his mind blank, he can pretend that he is in trusting hands.

He doesn't let that happen though but still feels that way. His libido is making him a fool.

He moans into Balder's mouth when a hand cups his ass rather viciously, Loki breaking away from the kiss to inhale as his ass is kneaded with expert hands. He wants rough, quick and dirty and fast unlike the slow and loving and drawn out he has had.

New, new, new is what he needs. He's a 21st century teenager. His attention span is allowed to be short.

He retaliates with fingering the head of Balder's cock through the fabric, chuckling when Balder groans and praises his "lovely fingers."

They pull apart, air still shared between them.

"What if I..." Balder sighs, and Loki's brow furrows. "This is stupid and irrational, but—Loki, I have no idea what I'm doing here. I keep making these mistakes with you, thinking that if I push, you will push back, and it's only hurting you, and Loki, I don't want to hurt you, okay? I don't want to hurt you, ever. I am used to girls throwing themselves at me, but you, you continue to be a mystery and I've had my fingers inside of you, felt your warmth. I always get what I want, and I just—and I find myself like… lying about who I am—More than usual because one cannot be a footballer and not lie, but I know, you are rubbing off on me in the worst ways—I want to get closer to you, to make you see that I—Loki, what if I might... love—like you?"

Loki steps backward as he wipes his mouth.

Oh—oh gods.

Oh gods.

Oh gods!

What has he done?

He kissed Balder… willingly.

Loki flees the scene with little dignity he has left, snatching an entire bottle of wine from a woman who he aims a quick apology at. He takes his bottle and flops down next to his grandfather Farbaut who is too engrossed in conversation with one of his uncles to pay much attention to Loki as he pours himself glass after glass.

His aunt Menia takes the bottle from him at some point after what could possibly be his 50th glass, and Loki leaves before she can try to talk to him about how much of a failure he is going to be.

He just wants to be happy, feel the love.

Fridleif tries to shove him away when he puts an arm around his shoulder, so Loki finds another person to hug, his step grandmother, a frigid woman who married his grandfather for some unknown reason. He pats her on the shoulder and tells her that she is only "half-stupid" before he takes a seat at the table of his friends.

"Enjoy my speech?" he asks with a grin.

"You're drunk," Natasha says. "You are really drunk."

He chuckles. "I am not."

"Blame it on the alcohol," Clint says, and he exchanges a look with a few others around the table, all of them erupting into song.

"Do they do this often?" Sigyn asks, and he nods, opening his mouth to let her put food in. Sigyn tries to shove something non-alcoholic in his direction, but Loki thanks her for her assistance and snatches a bottle of wine from one of his great aunts.

The bottle is finished far too quickly, and the buzz in Loki's veins is not nearly strong enough to overpower the increasing anxiety he's feeling at every new congratulations aimed his way by some happy asshole, blind to how this isn't time to celebrate _that_.

"Erik!" His eyes widen when he spots the man talking to Raven at an empty table. He hugs him as he falls into his lap, letting out a sigh of contentment when Erik's arms come around him. "I haven't seen you in forever. I'm so happy you're here."

Erik gives him a weird look like Loki's insane. "It's nice to see you here in one piece after all I've heard." Loki smiles at his voice, velvet in his ears. "Though you appear to be slightly drunk." Erik is still so funny and charming.

Loki leans his head on his shoulder and runs his finger down the unbuttoned top of his collar. "I have never seen your chest, Erik," he says, and he undoes the next button, taking in the hairless indentation of his sternum. He inhales the scent of Erik's neck: ginger and _man_. "You smell quite excellent."

"Um, Loki, hey, you might want to not do that with the whole being engaged thing." Raven pulls him to his feet with a grin. "I know Erik's totally delicious, but so is Thor, and I doubt you want a fight with Charles, who is somewhere around here, right?"

"I was only appreciating," he replies, drinking someone's drink; he doesn't know and really doesn't care. "Erik, we should talk more. I would not want to… lose touch."

Erik clears his throat. "Sure."

He beams at Skurge and pulls him into an embrace, loving the firm muscles and bulk. "I never appreciated you."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Skurge's grin is beautiful.

"I should have let you fuck me." He pouts. "You have such a nice cock."

"Loki, look—I have a feeling that you're fucked off your mind on something."

"But I want to be fucked off of my body," he replies, taking a break from grinding his teeth.

Skurge moves away from him. "You are engaged to that guy who is a total fucking bitch, but I won't—not when you're like this."

"You are a coward," he says. "If you were strong, you would have taken it from me already, taken it from me when I first declined."

"Loki, are you-I would never do something like _that_." Skurge touches his shoulders, but Loki leans away.

"Why not?" Thanos had little problem, and he was strong like Skurge. He was Skurge in a strange way.

"Because that is fucked, really, really fucked, Loki."

He sighs. "I'm sorry that you feel that way and hope you will have the courage to learn to take when you want. Waiting is for the weak." He taps his bicep and grins. "I know you have one."

"A what?"

Loki leans up to whisper into his ear, teeth ghosting over the shell. "A cigarette," he replies. "A smoke, a _fag_."

"When did you start smoking?" Skurge asks, and yes, he does have a pack on him. His habit is finally useful for more than looking like a "bad boy."

"_Tack sa mycket_, bad boy," he says as a lighter and a cigarette are set in his hand.

"Hopefully it sobers you up. I'll be there to smoke one in a few. Stay close and don't wander too far. Wouldn't want anyone to try to take advantage of you."

Loki cannot be taken advantage of if he wants it, just like he always has from any willing giver though he was far too stupid to see so. He was too caught up in his preferences to see that none of it mattered because Loki doesn't deserve choice.

"_Choices are for those with the necessity_," as his father often said in response to Loki's stupid, foolish, naïve curiosity. He was right about that, about everything—"_Weak, useless, idiotic, disappointing"—_regarding Loki.

He holds his palm around the flame as he lights the end not in his mouth, shielding it from the summer wind of the outside. He tucks the lighter in his pocket and takes a long drag of the cigarette, the heat filling his lungs and snuffing out the leftover rawness from that overreaction earlier. He's distantly missed this, the sensation of stick death lighting a dank fire inside of him, caressing his insides as no one has ever done before.

The warmth is torn from his fingers and snuffed out by an Oxford shoe, ones that Loki picked out for him.

Thor looks as if he wants to strike Loki, to hit him until he is malleable to Thor's hammer of what he wishes for Loki to be, and something akin to satisfaction rears up inside of Loki. He has Thor's full attention, and Thor cannot cast him aside because he "has" him now. Loki is still liable to run.

"Laufeyson, I see you actually listened to—oh, hello, fiancé." Skurge crosses his arms, smirking. "Well, you look pretty pissed. This night just got better."

"I suggest you say what you need to say," Thor says, quickly jumping to conclusions which happen to be correct. "You will pay for this in blood."

Skurge eyes narrow, and he makes no motion to do so, Thor cracking his knuckles.

Loki slips around Thor and holds his hands out just as Thor takes a step forward. "No."

"Move."

"No! Hit me, the one who really hurt you!" He shoves his chest, Thor a brick wall in both hardness and stability. "I—you don't care about how I actually feel, Thor! I'm just here, and you're off flaunting your victory without even considering how I even feel about this all! You were just about to do it again!"

"My hand!" someone shouts.

Thor's caught off guard, so surprised that Little Loki hasn't forgotten. "I love you, okay? Listen to me!" He attempts to grab his shoulders, but Loki moves away. "Listen to me!"

"I require medical services! It's—it's broken!"

"I have been, Thor. I finally listened and I looked too, and I heard and I saw!" He snarls, and he shoves once more before he leaves, teeth moving together as if pummel stone.

This is _his_ fault.

His legs carry him to the nearest lit storefront where Loki composes himself enough to approach a dark stranger standing in front and convince him with a painful smile and an already broken promise to buy him a pack of cigarettes. He takes the pack with dreamy eyes and a sucked in lip, watching as the man melts like putty and makes no attempt to get what he is owed.

He briefly glances back to ensure he is not following him and smirks. Laufey would be proud that he used his resources to success.

"Loki."

He catches the blue-violet eyes, and a shiver goes down his spine. Water rushes over him and pulls him deep under as the air leaves his lungs to be replaced with the claws of death, tight and constricting around his neck like the hands attached to the blue-violet eyes in the water opposite him. He makes himself look away and continue forward.

"Loki," a voice sing-songs. Another set of blue-violet eyes meet his accompanied by a broad grin. Large hands around his wrists, pinning him down-

"Loki."

He gasps and moves around another wielder of blue-violet eyes and stumbles backward for a few feet before he can wrench his eyes away and continue forward.

"Loki!"

Simultaneous hot and cold, behind him, beside him, in front of him, on top of him. Trying to get inside of him.

"Loki!" More of those eyes.

He slips between cars, skirting across the hood of a taxi, and takes off down the sidewalk, not glancing back to see if anyone is following him.

Too many voices calling his name and too many violet eyes staring through him, into him.

He drops the keys to Nal's loft repeatedly, and when he finally gets ahold of them, the keys clink together as they shake, frustratingly unstable in his hands. He slams the door behind him and takes a few moments to absorb the silence around him.

He is alone.

Finally.

The fluorescent light of the master bathroom flickers on, revealing the marvel surfaces interspersed with the occasional makeup bag or cosmetic product. He locks the door behind him—he would rather be on the safe side—and drags his shoes across the marble until he stands in front of the wall wide mirror, the face of a boy Loki was sure he abandoned greeting him.

He and the boy in the mirror smoke a cigarette and watch each other until they lift their hands to the mess of black, leaving the cigarette hanging limp between his lips.

With conviction, the one thing he can say with surety about his father was his fondness for Loki's hair whether he expressed it through the occasional ruffle—though not of affection—or by overruling his mother's attempts to take him for a haircut. His father may not have been overly fond of him, but he liked Loki's hair, hair that Loki keeps long for more than the reason that he hates society's rules and it makes him look more unapproachable.

He pays one glance at the shears before he takes ahold of a chunk in the front, and he cuts. Loki cuts, never above the bottom of his jaw, and he cuts until there is no more excess left to cut.

Black tufts sit at the bottom of his vision as he stares in the mirror, not at the reflection but past it, and finishes his almost burnt out cigarette.

Once he finishes it, he discards of the remnants of his shearing, mind carrying a new weight with it.

He feels the anxiety again.

Under the spray, his bones are too heavy under too heavy tendons under ligaments which are under too heavy skin. He feels so heavy as if the shadow is still above him, but he opens his eyes, blinking away the water, and only sees the tiling.

He scrubs his skin until it is raw and flushed, spending a few more moments to let the adjusted to cold water soothe his wounds, both the minor physical ones and the major mental ones.

A hand in his hair shampoos it, Loki trying not to think of how easy and quick it is to comb his fingers through.

His rings barely hitch.

This time, he doesn't recognize the person he sees in the mirror.

It is not the same boy from before. It is who they boy truly is beneath the layers of skin and muscle, now out for the world to see in his purist form.

In the confines of his bedroom, he pulls a headband around the edges of his moist hair, almost crying at something as stupid as his new lack of hair below his jaw. It is his doing, so he can only blame himself. He can also thank himself for the ridding of that weight.

He retrieves his cell phone from his pocket.

3:45 am his phone displays. Late though not too late for him to be awake.

He may have done several "immoral" things in his lifetime—mostly within the past year—things that some would balk at and others that would earn him the label of a demon from those who look down on his "type" or "kind." He has never been a fanatic as those subscribed to the latter school of thought, impassive and uncaring to such old beliefs, and marriage is often considered an a construct belonging to the ones who practice archaic traditions and discriminate by the instruction of those long dead. Naturally, it would make sense for Loki to loathe marriage as he loathes the misattributed source.

"Loki."

"Thor," he replies, and he blinks away the tears. "I made a mistake, many mistakes in the past few weeks, but the most recent was last night." He slides the orange ring off. "I can't marry you, Thor."

"What am I doing wrong?"

Loki laughs. His egotism is getting very old. "The fact that you need to ask that question is your answer," he replies.

"Can you please spare the crypticness for someone who has the time for it?" he shouts. His ability to jump straight to rage is one that Loki himself can admire—could admire if he were not so tired of Thor's inability to take a moment and think of his actions before executing them. Impulsiveness can only be attractive for so long.

"At least I am saying something at all."

England.

Oxford?

Oxford.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You tell me, _love_," he replies. "Thor, will you marry me? You have to say yes because I'm doing it in front of all of these people to pressure you. I want to give you the choice to either face me and say yes because you won't say no and show everyone how much of a coward you are or to run and show that you are just as cowardly as you were when you last ran!"

"What is that supposed to imply?"

"Nothing. I'm jesting because I'm the jester," he says, and he really needs a cigarette about now. "It doesn't matter anyway. We're even."

They are even.

Pathetic and unworthy flashes through his mind and rightfully so.

He cheate-

No, revenge is what it was.

Revenge that Loki deserved to have, that Thor deserved to get.

He wanted forgiveness that Loki couldn't give so quickly, not until he had this, retribution for Thor's wrongs.

They are even now.

His words are hollow: empty rounded vowel after dental fricative, and they come together to form words, ending in a confession of his own doing. "He kissed me," he says. "Once before. I kissed him back the second time."

He can't remember what it was like before this, before his main goal was to win at any cost, when he lost sight of what mattered and what didn't. He can only remember the hurt throbbing from the open wound in his chest, the sensation of his eyes burning with unshed tears as they do now. Everything else is a part of the distant mash of memories from his past.

"I had an inkling."

The words themselves should bring Loki joy that his plans have been foiled, but they merely cement his conclusions: Thor cares not about him. Loki is something he used to preoccupy himself.

Resignation spreads from his center to the rest of his body, to fill in every nook and cranny of his bones with the feeling of giving up. Why even try when nothing matters, when Thor seems to not care?

He inhales shakily, the burning of his airways and behind his eyes subsiding when he scrabbles at the remaining shields of his emotions. "Balder and I kissed twice, and the second time, I did not immediately push him away."

His sword glints in the fiery rage that surrounds him, the steel sharpened with the harsh truth. Thor often asks him to tell the truth, and now that Loki has told him, he doesn't seem to be satisfied.

He's never satisfied with Loki.

"When?"

"The first time at the apartment," he replies, "At the rehearsal dinner the second."

The sky rumbles twice, vibrating the ground beneath him, before rain descends in turrets. It coats his face, and Loki blinks away the water, which runs warm after it reaches his eyes and runs down his cheeks.

"I trusted you, Loki," he says. "I trusted you."

"Ed," past tense.

"But I care not for what you-I understand that you wished to hurt me, and you have." Thor sighs. "You have."

He can hear the hurt Thor speaks of in his voice, and it attaches to his own pain as if it understands and wishes to soothe it. It is much too late to soothe the pain. Now, is the time to amplify it, morph it into something large

"I... I wanted revenge," Loki says, the words burning their way out. He swallows down the cowardice. "I thought that it would even things out, level the playing field, but... it didn't. It didn't make it better."

This power he feels does nothing but disgust him. He doesn't want it, but now that he has it, he will use it.

"Loki... please-"

"Thor, we... I just-" He gulps. "I know. You're going to Oxford. I heard accidentally believe it or not, and I'm unsure of whether that's a good thing or not. It's quite irony with my propensity for 'hearing things' that this is one of the things I would rather not have heard."

The moment that it clicks in Thor's mind is marked by his breaths slowing down as if he is actively dying. Loki may have broken his heart, but Thor was planning the same. A broken heart is worth it if he is free, free to go live his Oxford dreams as he seems to still want to. He doesn't have to give up his life for Loki.

Loki wouldn't do the same.

"I won't marry you." He removes the red ring. "I won't be your fiancé."

The other line goes dead immediately, but Loki doesn't allow himself the luxury of crying.

Again, this is his fault.

Sun rays peek over the rooftops to dry the rain and Loki, Loki's vantage point from roof providing him with a nice view of the sunrise he hasn't had much time to appreciate. The sun slowly makes its way higher in the sky until Loki can see the top of its bright mass in the orange-blue sky.

In some convoluted way, he and the sun are one in the same as in Loki has followed it through its progression in the sky in his own personal life over the duration of the past day. He started from a point of contentment and ended the same though only after passing a point Loki never wishes to reach again.

Drugs, they are not his friend exactly like Lorelei.

The conniving cock holster slipped something in his drink. He will hurt her where he knows she will hurt the most, and he will enjoy it a lot. He should have seen it coming, but Loki has been distracted.

_He's_ no longer a distraction.

He goes to leave the rooftop but meets the eyes someone else in the stairwell.

His uncle stands at the bottom of the stairs, something… off about him. "I remember your hair being a lot longer the last time we spoke, which was only seven hours ago, and two rings are absent from your fingers," he says. "Something has happened, which we will talk about, but first we have other matters to attend to."

Loki hears something downstairs. Millicent? John?

"What did you do, Loki?"

"I don't know," he replies, and he shrugs though his mind shouts for him to give Nal what he wants. "I'm surprised that you don't."

"You were too cowardly to face the consequences of your actions-of your teenage engagement to a boy who is stupidly devoted and increasing possessive toward you, and you have the gall to dare act as if this is anyone else's fault but your own. You must learn to take responsibility for your own actions, Loki, which you will as long as I live and breathe. Laufey may be dead, but his effect is as lasting as will mine be."

Laufey this, Laufey that. Who cares about his father? He is dead, and his effect has been minimal. Loki is not going around and striking people, is he?

Last night was a lone occurrence, and his actions were warranted.

"I spoke of my father acting as the one who would ruin your relationship, but it appears that I was mistaken."

"I thought you didn't make-" He's pushed against the wall, the air slammed from his body, and any attempt to draw a breath in is disabled by the hand at the juncture between his neck and shoulder.

"I have been verily patient, Loki, but now is not the time for my patience nor is it the time for you to evade my questions! When I ask you something, you will answer, and the answer will be the correct one.

"I am one of the most powerful men in the world and definitely the most feared. A company does not become the largest defense contractor by making friends or being nice or by letting simple things such as teenage boys mar their reputation. I did not take this burden with the intention of it falling into the hands of a weakling, and a rebellious teenage boy will not change that. Your problem, Loki, is that you did not have a proper figure there to guide you along the way. That has changed. You will learn, Loki. Now, what did you do?"

"I didn't-" He instinctually struggles when his uncle seizes his arm and bodily drags him up to the roof, dropping him onto the cement with little gentleness. His bones ache at impact, but he is given no time to recover before Nal is hauling him to his feet.

"Laufey's hand was not as heavy as you seem to think it to be or very effective with how you behave. As children, Laufey was the spirited one, had a need to prove that Father did not control him, but he made the mistake of attempting to resist once, and his streak of rebellion was snuffed until he was of age. I knew what was good for me though he did slip off of the path momentarily. Your father's death fixed that.

"You would do well to learn quickly, Loki." He produces the pack of cigarettes as well as Skurge's lighter. "Here, take them."

The cigarette trembles between his lips as he lights it and so does the next one and the one following that. He can hardly feel his throat over the sting of the continuous stream of cigarettes his uncle forces him to smoke until he can't bring himself to do it on what feels like the hundredth.

"I thought you wanted to defy me and smoke, Loki." He waves the empty pack around. "Stand."

As he does, tears stream down his face unaccompanied by any sound. Sobbing only made him angrier.

"Do not dare to cry," Nal says. "No blood of mine will cry over such trivialities."

The tears dry up instantly.

Nal sneers. "Yes, you are quite like your father though you will never be him," he says. "He was no coward."

His brow furrows, and words are leaving his mouth before he can stop them. "What? So, he didn't abuse children?"

His neck snaps to the side before the pain blossoms across his cheek, the pain red hot and burning before it dies down to absolutely nothing, the right side of his face numb.

His mouth never did him any good against his own father then; Nal isn't any different, is he?

Nal adjusts his cuff. "You will not bruise."

He never did. Nal is not as different from Laufey as he sometimes claims Loki to be, but he isn't Laufey in true form either. He is not the shadow that lingers in the depths of Loki's mind with disparaging comments at every second, a silent threat of impossible consequences in his every action. Laufey's dead, but Nal isn't.

"Go wash. Your mother is remarrying in four hours."

His retreat is silent, and he remains so until he encounters John after re-showering and re-dressing, John giving him a curious look before yanking his hood down. He replies to John's query of "what the fuck happened to your hair" with a "scissors."

"Sassy bastard," he replies. "You look like shit."

"Thank you."

"What the fuck happened last night? No one knew where the fuck you went, and supposedly your fiancé went fucking ballistic on that one kid. He was in the hospital with that twin brother of his who broke his hand. You know what he did? He broke his damn nose and arm in fucking half, ice! He's fucking crazy, but I like him. He's nothing to mess with though."

Oh gods no.

"When?"

"Well, Nal got the call from that Heimdall guy asking where you were, and he said that something happened with the Odinson. After you called, something snapped—before his arm—and bam, hospital time!"

Loki swallows. Someone was shouting last night about a broken hand, a voice that sounded like Tyr in retrospect. Only one person could be who John speaks of, and if what John is saying is true, Balder was in the hospital along with his brother, put there by Thor.

What happened?

"He's not my fiancé," he says as an afterthought. He pulls up his hood as he moves around John upon hearing the approach of his uncle, descending the stairs with clenched teeth. He doesn't trust himself not to make another comment that earns him something worse than a slap to the face. If he's anything truly like his father, Loki will not be attending a wedding today.

He sits at his usual seat and eats the breakfast sitting there, only keeping it down under the gaze of his uncle. When he finishes, he turns a cold look on him, almost wishing for him to hit him again, so he can exact the revenge he wants. He is no longer a five year old boy.

"Your choice of wearing a hood will only draw attention to your hair change," Nal says. "Do as you will."

Nal exits, and Millicent enters in ice blue as the wedding invitation requested, grinning as she comes to stand opposite Loki. She talks to him about a recent runway show she walked, and Loki feigns interest to the best of his ability though he would be quite interested on another day. Today is just not that day.

John bids them farewell before Nal comes to retrieve them, looking his normal pretentious in a chocolate brown tuxedo, masking the true nature inside of him. Loki doesn't take his cues and continues to project this dissatisfaction with the world to those they happen to encounter to the car.

"Loki, where are your rings?"

His hand pauses on the door handle before he opens it, giving Millicent a blank look. "In my pocket."

An estimated 55 minutes before his mother gets married in the eyes of United States law, to Odin of all people.

By now, he expected to be able to tolerate the man, but he is no closer to accepting him as a true step-father than he is to learning how to be sociable and enjoy it. Those are things Loki's going to have to strive for it he wants them, and really, he doesn't. He's fine with hating Odin Borson and being relatively introversive. It works for him.

He slams the door of Nal's million dollar car—the window, of course, doesn't shatter—and crosses the closed off street, not worrying about getting hit by a taxi for the first time in months. He goes to step onto the sidewalk when his wrist is caught.

"I was never a fan of ecstasy"—he drops a pill in Loki's hand—"myself, and it appears that neither will you be. Take this. I doubt semi-coherence would look good on you in the photographs. You have other areas to worry about regarding those."

Loki takes it and continues onto the sidewalk, various acquaintances and step relatives standing around the atrium in their tans and blues. One of the groups are not quite acquaintances though Loki is definitely reconsidering with their recent actions.

"Hey, you're here," Steve says as Loki reaches the top of the stairs. "Everyone was looking for you."

Bruce crosses his arms, chuckling anxiously. "Things got pretty bad, pretty quickly, right?"

Loki enters the cathedral.

"Dude, just—what the fuck happened?"

He shrugs. "Life."

"Aw, boo hoo, Loki's angsting it up again!" Tony's voice echoes in the hallway, and Loki rolls his eyes. "You're a right dick, you know that? I can't believe you went through all of that just to fucking abandon him."

"Abandon?" Loki passes an open door where his aunts all stand before coming to a cracked one where he hears her voice. "If you could all kindly fuck off for once, I would be grateful."

"Fuck off-?"

He shuts the door behind him. "Mother."

His mother stands in her slip, a hairstylist spraying her hair, and she walks away from the woman before coming to stand in front of Loki.

They exchange a sharp look before she yanks his hood off his head in one smooth movement. A maniacal glee passes through him at the wide-eyed look she gives him, hand floating just above his head as if to touch but fearing that it is not merely an illusion of the mind. Loki actually is sporting a slight lack of hair.

"Where were you last night?"

"Places."

Her slap resounds around the room though the sting is minimal. It's weaker than before. "What has gotten into you? First, you have not listened to my advice until the effect is sure to be detrimental on your step brother, and now you have the nerve to act as if you are not at fault for the altercation that occurred. I know of your wandering eyes, Loki, and it is most sickening that you have inherited that from your father."

"Farbauti, please, control your anger-"

"I need to control my son!" She raises her hand again but drops it. "What has gotten into you? What have I done wrong in my raising of you? You have changed."

"I have. I am living the American dream," he replies. He stares at her, seeing the dark crescents under her eyes, and he is reminded of what he currently looks like. "If I told you someone… accosted me, what would you do?"

Her brow furrows. "Loki, what are you—why would you lie about—by the gods, I do not have time for this. Skadi, get him out of my sight and fix his hair. Keep him away from the alcohol and everything will be fine."

Loki shrugs off Skadi's hands and leaves, hands clenched into fists. He was stupid for even trying. It was like an eternity ago, and he's gotten over it.

Last night was the drugs.

He finds his dressing room easily, discovering.

They look up at a knock on the door, but Loki goes to open it, ready to dismiss whoever has come to bother them.

Ricky the hairstylist, the only American who has cut Loki's hair, enters with supplies under his arm, dressed in blue and brown as everyone else. He stares at Loki's hair in partial shock before he moves at almost inhuman speeds, ushering him into the seat at the boudoir as he rambles on about being trained to handle these kinds of situations.

Loki looks away from the mirror when the headband is removed and his hair falls around his head freely.

"I just—your hair was so beautiful, you know, and when you came in, I was always kind of nervous that I would end up ruining it or something, but I never did, which is good because I really didn't want to you to hate me with the whole being cute thing and all, but—your hair is—I can't ruin it. It's good that you're so attractive because this—this is a test for me, isn't it?"

A comb is pulled through strands, and Loki cringes at each snip he hears, pieces falling onto the Chanel hoodie. Well, his uncle bought it.

"I can fix this though. I swear, I'll totally fix this, and you'll look great. Just, Loki, right? Yeah, Loki, why did you do this? It was so pretty, and—you were drunk, weren't you? Like oh my god, it's remotely even, which is good for the sake of time, but still."

He looks up at Ricky through the mirror. "Yes," he replies, "I was drunk."

Sigyn and Natasha enter after one knock, dressed in the same blues and tans though Sigyn wears a bridesmaid dress.

"Well, you came," Natasha says.

Sigyn sits on the arm of the chair. "Comrade, I told them all you would."

He takes one last look in the mirror, glaring at himself, before he decides to answer their unspoken question. "I broke it off with Thor."

"Oh, Loki…"

"I am 16," he replies with a dismissive gesture. "What 16 year old is engaged?"

"You're 17 in how many weeks?"

"Yes, July 10th is not that far away," Natasha says, and Ricky makes an agreeing sound.

Sigyn sighs. "It's so much like when we were kids, comrade. It was this length when you first talked to me at four. August 5th, 2000."

"Aw, that's cute," Ricky says. "You remember."

Loki rolls his eyes, sending a look up when Ricky combs his neck. He knows Ricky is more skilled than that. He tunes out the conversation between Ricky, Sigyn, and Natasha in favor of drumming his fingers and waiting for Ricky to finish.

"I am a man of many talents!" Ricky exclaims, and Loki looks into the mirror to find that Sigyn is partially right. Straightened and trimmed, he looks like four year old Loki, which is almost a terrible thing considering his motivation behind cutting his hair in the first place. "We have like 15 minutes, so Loki, you should totally get dressed. See you at show time."

He strips down and dresses in his tuxedo, trying his best not to betray his anger at the situation to the three of them. He tightens his bowtie around his neck and adjusts his cuffs, feeling slightly peeved at how… Odin-like he looks in the golden light streaming in from the window. He can only imagine what the main hall looks like.

"Well, you're a god after all," Natasha says as she stands. "Snazzy."

Sigyn stands as well. "No, he's frost giant in Aesir clothing." She mocks disgust. "Take it off. You're far too golden!"

"The color is tan, not gold," he replies, "and the only 'tan' is my waistcoat and bowtie, so please, shut up." He turns and gives her a sharp look when Skadi enters and shouts, "3 minutes!"

Loki almost laughs aloud at the sight of the other bridesmaids—his aunts, Mrs. Munroe, and Sif—all standing as escorts. They truly believe that this would stop Loki from leaving the wedding. Absolutely comical and naïve. It's as if they don't know Loki at all.

Sif and Sigyn stand at his sides as they walk to the line-up, Sif's hand firm on his shoulder.

"With such a firm grip, your status as the only female among a group of boys makes sense," he says, stopping to stand in his directed place.

Sif moves to the front and Sigyn in behind her. "Yes though my fist is more effective," she replies. "You would like to learn, would you not? You are not one to discriminate between fists, are you? You did not discriminate between Odinsons."

He guffaws. "Oh, Sif, I had no idea you were into that. Sigyn, I would watch if I were you. You know what they say of a strong woman who keeps the company of men."

Fridleif and one of his many distant step cousins stand behind him, and Loki knows this how? He hears their insults directed at him, and Frid's "I told you so" rant about the failure of engagements.

"Frid, you are a fucking idiot."

His cousin scoffs. "Thank you for providing a constructive response."

"Do not be mad that it's true." He takes the flower piece. "You are interspersing large words to sound smart. Well, I'm smart. My friend Bruce is smart. Tony Stark is smart. You? You're an overblown little prick with a closeted father who stared at my ass too much during childhood."

"Loki!" a few aunts and his mother shout.

The orchestra starts playing.

"What? Everyone makes such a deal of me telling the truth. Well, now I am."

The song changes, signaling the entrance of the groom's party, and Loki takes a deep breath and puts on a smile as the bridesmaids in front of him start forward at Pachelbel's Canon. He walks in step with the females in front of him, keeping his eyes forward but scanning the sea of hundreds of browns and blues sitting in the pews in his periphery. Quite a large amount of time has passed since he has been faced with so many faces of disapproval, and it tickles Loki's heart to be so openly hated, mostly on the groom's side.

He looks up when he nears the altar, his breath stuck in his throat at the sight of Thor whose eyes stare past him, truly golden among those who appear only tan in comparison. He forces himself to breathe which is quite easy when he sees that John had his facts correct, a flesh-colored nose splint on Balder's otherwise unmarred face and Tyr and him both wearing casts on their arms though Balder's goes up the length of his.

His mother comes down the aisle with her arm around his grandfather Farbaut's, every part of a queen—prickly disposition included though not many are aware. The yellow light reflects off of the gold of her dress, but the effect isn't blinding. It only makes Loki stare on in pride at his wondrous opinion on bridal wear, the alterations he requested making her a sight even attractive to a blind man.

Odin takes her hand as she steps up beside him, only an inch of height separating them with those heels of hers. He beams, appreciating this woman like he should always and will always do if Loki has any say. A year left under the same roof, more than enough for Loki to keep his eye out and ensure he is the only one opposing his mother.

His aunts bristle behind him, clearly envious that this is not their wedding.

He looks over the audience and makes eye contact with Steve who must see something in his eyes because he mouths, "Are you okay?" Loki gives him a curt nod and returns his gaze back to his mother and Odin, but his attention is drawn back by the violent waving of Tony's arms.

Tony points at Loki as he mouths "You little bitch," and Loki turns away with an eye roll.

This only encourages him to try to get a reaction out of Loki, joined by Clint and Peter, to make rude gestures while most around them remain oblivious or ignore them.

Loki tries not to watch their throat cutting motions and finger guns as the officiator speaks, but when Peter points to Thor then him, and he and Tony start to make fellating motions, Loki's composure breaks enough for him to have to bite the inside of his cheek to stop from fuming at them. He inhales and slips his hand around his phone into his pocket, getting a whispered warning to "behave yourself."

If he had no conscience, he would strangle each one of his aunts until they were begging "Little Loki" for mercy. It is a pity that murder is a federal offense in America. It wouldn't be if the government knew them.

"If you would produce the rings."

Fridleif steps forward with the golden pillow, his piercing eyes boring deep into Loki's soul. He takes his seat, but his eyes are still on Loki, and Loki resists the urge to tell him to take a page from his own book and tell him to "fuck off."

His mother recites her vows, some words supposed to be talking about her love for Odin, but the use of the terms "amazing father" and "wonderful husband" says otherwise.

When Odin begins with "When a man like me loves a woman of Farbauti's caliber," Loki has to dig his nails into his palms to stop from laughing and pointing out how terrible of a line that is. He instead tunes Odin out for the most part and stares at the dozens of SHIELD peers, mostly all of them making some threatening or disapproving face or gesture toward him.

No one is on his side this time. He doesn't need them anyway.

Clint "sneezes," and Loki hears the word "asshole." Tony "sneezes" as well, but "hypocrite" is heard. A few others sneeze and add in insults for Loki's benefit.

Odin pauses in his epic, cocking an eyebrow in their direction, and he looks at Loki as if he's the culprit before turning to the officiator. "It appears there's a sudden onset of the flu among us," he says, inciting a few chuckles from the audience. He starts again, thankfully not at the beginning.

If they are to play, Loki will give them a good game.

Ignoring his aunts, he pulls his phone out behind his back and composes a text to everyone tagged SHIELD by use of the shortcut "72," simply typing out one word: Stop. He slips his phone back into his pocket in one small, smooth movement and resumes not listening to Odin's "speech."

Tony's phone is the first go off, "Sympathy for the Devil" playing loudly from his pocket, quickly accompanied by the sounds of songs ranging from Ke$ha to Daft Punk. No one has heard of Silent mode.

Odin stops again.

"Perhaps we should just skip the rest?" his mother suggests, and Odin's eyes narrow in the direction of his friends. "I know that you love me, Odin. You have the rest of your life to tell me so."

He smiles and kisses her on the cheek. "As you wish."

The officiator continues.

"I do."

"I do."

They step forward and kiss, and Loki pulls out his phone, holding it in his hands for everyone to see, but the piano starts playing the traditional tune and flower petals shower his distracted mother and Odin as they walk down the aisle, unknowing that it was Loki.

About 20 one fingered salutes are sent at him, but he grins until he realizes who his usher is. He hooks arm around Thor's without a second thought and tries not to look at him. He hazards a glance at him once they reach the stairs of the cathedral and sees his clenched jaw.

Fine, they will both act like they hate each other. That's fine.

He gives a sour look to his aunt when she tells him to smile during the photograph and makes no effort to smile with anything but his eyes. The moment the photographer finishes, he weaves through the crowd in search of someone he doesn't want to punch in the face, which he doesn't find, so he lets his uncle rescue him from the glares and take him to the reception.

He goes into the ballroom and finds his place card where it was on the seating chart, between his mother and uncle, whose card is not where it was on the seating chart. It appears he has been given a last minute guard again.

The changed bride and groom enter to applause, so wonderful and fairytale like.

"Nice of you to join us," Nal says to his mother who frowns as she takes her seat in her new blue dress.

"Hm, ever so funny, Nal. Loki, you could attempt to put on a happy face," his mother says through her grin. "It is a day of celebration."

"And also a day of lament for some." He pours himself a glass of wine under the table, taking it all in when she turns to talk to Odin on her other side. He pours himself another glass as Hoder is called for his speech, reluctantly letting Nal take the bottle from him.

The wine is diluted by the food he is urged to ingest by his mother, but the desire to do as he pleases is no less strong by the time he finishes half his plate to his mother's satisfaction.

Hoder takes his place on stage, and Loki fidgets in eagerness throughout his speech. He's collect onstage as he recounts the unfortunate deaths of their fathers and Thor's mother—Loki barely stops from peering over at Thor and checking to see if he's alright—and the ensuing months in which they all depended on each other for emotional support, which Odin—somehow—provided. There are a few crying people around the room when he finishes, but Loki's busy glancing at the unopened bottle at the end of the table.

"Thank you Uncle Odin," he says. "Thank you for being a father to us for those months. We love you."

When the time arrives for the cake to be cut, Odin stands behind his mother, his hand on her hip, and sends her unneeded words of encouragement as she looks for a proper place to cut the cake.

"Just do it already!" Skadi exclaims with a grin.

Odin wraps his hands over hers and they cut a piece of the cake, everyone applauding and congratulating. Loki doesn't because who celebrates cake cutting?

He gets his piece of cake and leaves before the stupid traditional of smearing cake over each other's faces starts and retakes his place at the table

"It is time for the first dance," Heimdall says.

He huffs as he takes another bite of the peanut butter and cream cheese cake, not able to properly enjoy it, and Odin and his mother move out onto the dance floor, staring at each other with love. It's so beautiful that Loki could throw up all of his cake.

They glide to the sounds of Michael Bublé, encompassed in their own little bubble of the universe.

That ends after Heimdall announces the next activity which Loki is forced to participate in when his uncle shoves him standing now that he is "single." Walking to the center of the dance floor as his mother stands with her back turned and her bouquet readied for tossing, Loki waits for one of the many step cousins, family friends, and others he can't care less about to catch it. If by some strange occurrence, Loki catches it, not many will be satisfied.

Then again, Loki should know by now not to think things like that as he just happens to be in the optimal position for catching the bouquet.

"What?" someone shouts. "Unfair!"

Loki holds the bouquet over his head for a few moments before he rips it in half, tossing it toward the rabid singles.

Pepper shoves Sjofn out of the way and retrieves one half just as Darcy leaps to get the other.

As the music starts, couples and singles join them on the dance floor while some return to their seats.

"Hey, bitch," Clint says as he, Natasha, Tony, and Steve dance right near where he shows everyone just how a person should dance.

"You look awfully happy," Tony says. "You're a good liar."

Loki grins. "Am I? Oh thank you, Tony. You are getting to my level, yes?" He spins. "I have never been to England myself."

At their shared look of shock, Loki cheers on the inside.

"You weren't-"

"I don't tell people to fuck off for no reason, do I?" he asks, and he narrowly avoids colliding with someone familiar: hard chest, large muscles, blond hair. "Vidar."

Vidar shakes his head. "_Arsel_," he says. "You are an immense mother fucking asshole, Loki. I am awfully tempted to punch you in the face, but there has been enough fighting these past twelve hours."

"What was the other fight about?" Loki cocks his head to the side. "Did Balder challenge Thor's lifting ability?"

"No, he fucking—he said he _loved_ you. What are you doing to people? Casting spells? You're a terrible, terrible person."

"So that's what happened," Tony says. "Wow."

"Oh."

"Yes, what a fucking idiot. He should know how mad Cousin Thor gets when people touch his things."

"I'm not his 'thing!'" Loki shouts just as there is a silence as the song changes. He inhales as too many pairs of eyes turn to look at him and see the spectacle of Loki almost losing his composure. "I am no one's 'thing.'"

Loki is not Thor's thing.

Okay?

When he catches sight of Lorelei, he excuses himself.

She jumps when he touches her arm. "Loki, you look… nice."

"You do as well," he replies, and he takes her hand. "Would you care to join me for a drink?"

After a second's hesitation, she follows, and Loki silently chuckles at how easy it is to get someone so scheming to fall victim to his scheme. She grins at him from across the table, and Loki returns one with barely concealed malice.

He takes a glass and a bottle of red wine from the center of the table and takes them so they're in his lap beneath the table. "I don't want to get caught," he says. "We're in America."

"Oh, yes, the archaic drinking laws." She turns to a standing Lofn, and as the two chat, Loki grabs a steak knife and runs it around the rim until it is sharp, and with the price his mother paid for these glasses, she was duped.

He is careful to pour terribly, the wine sloshing down the sides as if blood, and he runs his finger around the rim once, skin cutting and a few drops of blood intermingling with the red. Just as Lorelei turns back to him, he hands the glass to her. "Red wine is my favorite," he says.

She holds the glass in front of her for a few moments. "Laufeyson, you are shit at pouring," she says, and he nods, watching as she tilts the glass back and takes it sip. Her lip touches the rim, and she yelps, pulling the glass away with a scowl. "By the gods, was that the worst glass of red I have ever had. This glass is sharp."

He smears the droplet of blood around the tip of his index finger and watches the red dry. "Probably because it had my blood in it." He looks up from his finger to see her release her lower lip, a line of red oozing from the fresh cut.

"What?"

He smirks. "Yes," he says. "I fear that I should inform you that I have AIDS. It's the real reason I broke it off, and I'm quite prone to die within the season which explains why I look so terrible. The disease it getting to me terribly, Lorelei. You should probably get tested yourself, so they can catch it early. Do you recall all of that sex I supposed had back in Sweden with those random guys? What about the stories of my 'fag friends' and 'fag fun?' Well, yes, I got it from one of them."

She lets out a scream as she holds a napkin to her mouth. "You're lying!"

Loki grins. "Lorelei, why would I lie about that? We're friends."

She begins to cry, and Loki holds in a guffaw. "Well, I hate you!"

He stands. "Honestly, the feeling is quite mutual," he replies, and he exits the ballroom to go wash his hands.

And yes, the gods? They also like to make sure that Loki gets his good share of karma because the only other person in the restroom happens to be Thor, washing his hands with an expression of hatred for everything in the world.

He doesn't return Thor's glance, soaping his hands and rinsing the dried blood from his finger.

"Where are your rings?"

Loki blinks as he takes in the panic seeping into Thor's eyes, a storm brewing in blue, and swallows down the edgings of doubt that are beginning to seep inside of him, begging him to forget this dream of Thor-lessness. He flicks the water from his hands. "I am not your… 'thing.'"

Thor sighs and looks at Loki as if he isn't intelligible. "No," he replies, sounding very frustrated, "you are my… _partner_."

"Wait, w-what?"

No, this is not how this works. Thor does not get to fight forgive him and have it all be right like he wants it to be, like he keeps trying to convince Loki that it is with his pushiness and proposal. Loki will not let him have that. This is his revenge to celebrate his bravery for giving up what he wants!

"You cut your hair." Thor's eyes warm, and no, this is not happening. "It suits you."

"What?" Did he not ensure the end of their relationship when he admitted to "getting even?" Was that not the final straw in Thor's pursuit in a relationship with him?

"Are you happy?"

He gapes but composes himself. "Yes," he replies.

"You're lying."

Loki ignores that. "You got into a fight with Balder. Why?"

"He thought it amusing to recount your encounter and include a few words of his own love for you as well as his intentions regarding you." Thor shrugs. "He deserved it."

"You broke his arm and his nose."

"It will heal," he says with a dismissive gesture, green catching in the sink lights. "You got your revenge."

He sneers. "Yes, I did." He chuckles. "I wanted to hurt you, and I did." But it did not solve anything.

"I understand why you did what you did though it—if it was your intention to hurt me, you succeeded," Thor says. "I don't like the way this feels."

"Good."

"Are you happy?"

Again with that question that Loki doesn't want to answer. It's vague and abstract while he wants something tangible to work with.

"No," leaves his mouth before he can stop it, and he shakes his head as he watches Thor take a step toward him as if to offer him the comfort he truly needs but not the kind that he can want. "No, things don't work this way," he says. "There is no ending where we are together and happy."

Thor stares at him with wide eyes, Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "You are jumping the gun."

"No, I'm really not," he replies, walking backward. He pauses at the door. "Go to Oxford, Thor. Live your life. Be happy."

"I'm not going to Oxford!" He shuts the door over Loki's shoulder.

"Then why are you going to England?" he asks.

He looks away. "It is nothing of importance to you."

Loki chuckles, shaking his head. "Thor, everything with you is important to me. We are 'one,' yes?"

It is wrong to use Thor's own ideals against him, but if he weren't so adamant on making them known, Loki wouldn't be able to, would he?

"Loki, it's merely personal matters-I mean-"

"'Personal matters?'" He sucks his teeth. "Do not... lie to me."

"I am not lying to you, Loki. I am telling you the truth however purposefully vague it is."

"Why is there a need to be vague?" he asks. "Why can't you just say 'I am going to see what I have given up?'"

Thor sighs. "Because that is not what I am going to do." He runs a hand over his hair, his ring catching in the light. "I promise you-"

"Don't make promises that you cannot keep!"

"I am keeping this one, Loki, understand?" He lets out a frustrated sound. "I am not going to Oxford nor will my mind be changed about that. I am going to do something that must be done, and I want you to be aware that I have no intention to keep something of little significance from you."

"Then tell me if it's 'nothing of importance' to me!"

"I fear I cannot."

He wants to grab Thor's face and force him to look him in the eye and tell him that he's wrong, that his fears are unfounded, but he would be lying, and Loki doesn't want him to lie. He doesn't know what he would do if he knew Thor were openly lying to him. This avoidance is much better than that.

"Perhaps a few weeks, or even a few days, from now, I will get a call from you, and in this call you may tell me that Oxford is the school for you or your destiny must be fulfilled there. Either way, your mind will be changed, and I will not be the one to hold you back-"

"Loki, please, do this for me," Thor says, hand cupping his jaw. "Shut up."

His eyes flit to Thor's lips, blood running hot. "Make me."

The door thumps behind him. "Some people like to use the bathroom, you know!?"

Thor leans forward, but Loki leans to the side, slipping away from Thor.

He turns and opens the door to Tyr standing there with his hand upraised. "My apologies," he murmurs as he moves past him.

He goes to get air he suddenly needs.

The elevator doors open, and as Loki goes to step in, someone stands in the way, taking up most of the space.

"Loki Laufeyson." The man is taller than both Nal and Laufey, older than them if the laugh lines in the corner of his eyes are any indication, and quite fit for someone his age of… 65? "You have grown quite a bite since I last saw you though you are a quite short."

He only nods.

His grandfather steps out of the elevator, and he turns to look at Loki, Loki suddenly realizing how much taller he is than him. Eight inches has never felt like so much. Well, it has with nine, but… "I think it would be good to shift your focus to the situation at hand, Loki. Your ex-fiancé and step-brother is the least of your priorities and not worth the power of thought."

He's four years old again and kneeling in front of Laufey, listening to his lecture about self-worth.

"Do not fret, Loki. I assume your uncle has tried and failed to take a page from my rearing handbook. Disregard most of what he has said. He is far too sure of himself even with all of his knowledge. Your father was not sure enough of himself."

Loki's chin is tilted up by a finger so he is staring up into his grandfather's eyes.

"Let us go join the reception." He lifts a bottle Loki only just notices he's carrying. "I need a glass."

Walking beside his grandfather, Loki feels as though he is untouchable, those they encounter almost immediately averting their eyes and inclining their heads as if he is royalty. His grandfather doesn't pay much attention to anyone who isn't a tall woman, many of which they see upon reentry. For the women, he gives them a slight quirk of the lips, and Loki is impressed at their instant reaction to blush.

"Love is pointless, my grandson," he says as he sits down at an empty table, and Loki does the same without being told. "I went through the same strife as you are currently facing as a boy due to my propensity for seeking out the most altruistic, morally purist women. Perhaps it explains my love of virgins."

Loki's brows rise. "I agree," he replies. "I could do without it."

"Which is why you must learn to separate sex and love. Weaving the two together creates nothing but problems. Your uncle had that part settled far too well, to the point where he could once be with a woman and only see her as something to have sex with. It was unsettling to see the way he treated them when he was younger, playthings, brainless robots." He beckons a waitress over, and she blushes immediately. "Your father often called him a robot when they were boys. He was partially right."

He looks over to where Thor is dancing with Sif, looking annoyed and… beautiful. "I wish I was like him," he says. "I only liked Thor at first because he is so beautiful. Now, I love him for him too. It's just… I regret it, but at the same time I don't."

"I wouldn't say that your uncle has it all settled. When he did fall in love, it stuck with him throughout the years and until this day." His grandfather points at him and purses his lips, and he stands. "Unrequited love is the worst love, Loki. Do know that."

Loki notices that his grandfather left a full glass for him and vows to thank him when he returns. He is by far his favorite paternal family member.

Unlike his uncle who approaches him and gives Loki a look that makes him set it back down.

"I know he's here," Nal says. "I was just informed of his jet landing 30 minutes ago. but I fear I am too late if Father has been unleashed upon you all already." Nal cocks his head to the side as he regards Loki. "Yes, it appears Father has already taken the liberty of talking to you."

"He is nothing like you," he replies. "Nothing like you at all."

"Needle." His grandfather gives Nal a cold look.

They look like timeline counterparts, His grandfather a more intimidating version of Nal from the future and Nal his past self with a need to be an asshole at every chance. The height difference accentuates their personality differences as well.

"Father," he replies, "your arrival is… unexpected."

"You know me to be unpredictable, Nally. Not even you could have foreseen my arrival," he replies. "Though you should have expected me to come with the recent, thankfully resolved actions of your nephew." Bergelmir turns an unnerving smile on Loki. "Needle, take a seat."

Nal looks wonderfully uncomfortable. "Why is there a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1966 on the table?"

His grandfather pours another glass. "I needed something old, beautiful, timeless-"

"Like Mother?"

"You always were the snide one though your brother had quite the tongue of his own. John calls you Frost Tongue for a reason, yes? Now, where should we start?"

Frost Tongue? Loki does not ask.

Nal looks at Loki with a smirk. "His ex-boyfriend/step brother Thor?"

"Oh, yes, I hate him. Of course I received my information from various sources instead of use of my own two eyes, but from what I have gathered about Thor Odinson, I think he's too altruistic, self-righteous, confused, hypocritical, egotistical."

"Egotistical coming from a man who can barely think past his next warm bed and glass of Merlot."

"I never raised you to be so envious, Nally," he says. "If you lived your life as it was meant to be, you would have everything. There would be no room for envy. Loki, you are starting to see the error in how you have been living. You are wasting your time with this boy."

"I agree." Nal glowers as his grandfather pours wine into his glass.

"Thor is a boy you marry, which you had no intention to do since you are missing those ridiculous rings he proposed to you with and look as if you have been on a ten-day blunder," he says. "With today, you do not need to marry to have children, and you're a homosexual. You lend your sperm to some woman wanting to be rich and have a child, and you are free to roam the world and pillage any _arsel_, take any _kuk_, or do both. In Europe, they are progressive. They don't judge when they're on their backs."

"Father, do you wish for Loki to acquire every disease known to man?"

"Your point is invalid," his grandfather replies. "I have a clean bill of health, and I have had sex with more women than you will ever meet. Now, Loki, let's discuss our summer plans. France is where we will go first. Cheese and wine. Can fill the emptiest man's heart."

"And his gut," Nal says.

"Excuse me, may I take this seat for a few moments?" Balder asks.

"The other Odinson my grandson has caught in his thrall," his grandfather says.

"No-"

"Sit, young man," he says, interrupting Nal. "I must express my admiration for your skills." Well, Balder wasn't lying about his profession as a player of association football if his grandfather knows and knows of the skills he spoke of. Now that is kind of impressive.

"Oh yes, you are the Odinson that plays that football," Nal says. "Funny."

"Robot, shut your mouth of things you know nothing about, and keep your mind in the weapons and airplanes while I keep mine on the finer aspects of life such as traditional, friendly sports, which you were never very interested in in the first place. It is a shame that you two are not versed in sports like your brother and father was."

A corner of Balder's mouth quirks. "Loki would make a good-"

"-striker? Yes, I agree. Needle, come with me, so these two may speak. Perhaps he will be the Odinson that our family is joined by. He is the only nearly worthy…"

Loki raises his glass to his mouth to hide the heat in his face. "I apologize," he says before he takes a sip.

"For what? For your grandfather recognizing my skills or for the fact that I may have gotten a little drunk and told Cousin Thor my thoughts? Don't be for either. The season doesn't start until August, so I have time to heal. Also, I get to make up stories of my adventures in America to explain the compound break."

He looks at Balder who manages to smile even with a broken nose and… compound fracture of his arm. He's utterly hopeless. "Why did you… do that? You should've kept your mouth shut, and you would still look 'pretty.'"

"Gee, thanks. By the way, your haircut? I like it," he says. "You look beautiful."

"Don't say things like that before you get killed and no longer can demonstrate these skills I have yet to see."

"Cousin Thor would not kill _me_. He might try, but he would not exactly succeed. I will hit him with my cast." Balder stands, and Loki squints up at him. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you since I probably will not see you for a year. You should hear it more often. It will help with that inferiority-superiority complex you have going on."

"I don't have an inferiority-superiority complex." He doesn't. That's ridiculous.

Balder ignores his reply. "Hoder is making Tyr and I go home tonight, so I should bid you farewell. Remember, August is when the season starts, so I expect you to tune into the matches. Look out for the Odinson; number 26 jersey for Manchester United, okay?"

He nods, rolling his eyes. "Okay, 'Odinson; number 26.'"

"Can you possibly sign something for me?"

"Um…" A marker is slid into his hand, and he takes in the purple cast set on the table in front of him. "It's blank."

"I know. I have not let anyone sign it."

He bites his lip and thinks of something to write, grinning when he does.

"'Number 1 fan, Lovely Loki,' and wow, you have got a nice signature. I am not very surprised." He shuts his eyes when a soft kiss is put on Loki's forehead. "I love you, Loki."

He opens his eyes to tell Balder to take that back, but he's gone.

Unrequited love is probably the worst love.

At the sound of "Lose Yourself to Dance," Loki finishes his glass of wine and goes to do as the song title commands, slipping into the crowd of moving bodies as he has many times tonight. He raises his hands over his head and moves along to the 4/4 beat and voice of Pharrell. When he opens his eyes, Thor is standing in front of him.

"You look magnificent," Thor whispers, breath ghosting over Loki's neck. Yay, he's gotten courageous.

"Come for a dance?"

Thor chuckles, his eyes shining. "No, I think you know what I am here for."

"Hm, to get into my pants then." He tries not to feel so enraged at that. He's good for something, which even Thor recognizes. Can he blame him for trying for the one thing that Loki has never failed to give him?

"Ever so observant," he says, leaning into Loki's ear. "Why waste your time here with these people when you can have me inside of you?"

Loki exhales. "Wow, Thor, I never knew you to be so forward."

Thor wanted forgiveness, and Loki couldn't give that to him. Thor wanted trust, and Loki didn't have it to give. Thor wanted sex, and Loki let him have it with glee even in the dark parts of their relationship. Sex is the only constant between them. No, sex and love are, but love is just what they need to accomplish the sex.

He grabs Thor's hand. "I doubt anyone would miss us for an hour."

Thor's suddenly sober enough to take the lead, going to the concierge to get them a room while Loki stands beside him, trying his best not to touch Thor and ignite something more than detached lust. He's failing badly when he feels strong someone's presence, and he thanks the person for the distraction when he turns.

A woman with familiar eyes walks in a sheath dress with a slit up the side that displays legs belonging to someone half her age. She looks forward, but as she nears the desk, her eyes start to shift toward Loki as if sensing familiar blood.

The woman from the picture in Loki's room—she has barely aged since the picture which had to have been taken at least 20 years ago, the only evidence of her age the blue eyes that look to hold decades of wisdom. His grandmother.

He approaches her slowly, his eyes filling up with tears. Ginger-smelling embraces, stern smiles, tired eyes. "Mamma" appears in his mind in his younger voice.

She stares at him with the same neutral expression until she blinks and smiles.

He touch sends him back to a pat on the head and a soft murmur that he will be okay, the identical eyes next to her staring down at Loki with anger and sadness. He can smell the mixture of her ginger, Nal's cologne, and the wet earth as vividly as he can feel her soft hands on his neck.

"Loki," she says, the same voice as those tired murmurs. "My _Jõtnar_, I have missed you."

He blinks away the tears as he hugs her in his current body, resting his chin on her shoulder for the first time in ages. "_Mamma_,"—he hasn't said that in what feels like forever—"I have missed you too."

"By the gods, I am almost getting intoxicated from smelling you," she says, pulling away. "Your grandfather is an utter fool with little sense regarding alcohol and raising children. Do stay away from the alcohol for the remainder of the night, Loki. I do not wish you to become addicted as your grandfather has."

He nods.

"And you, young man, are with Loki?"

Thor nods and replies, "Yes, madame."

"The formalities are unneeded. Address me as you would address an equal," she says, and she takes Thor's hand. "I am Issdís; it is my pleasure to make the acquaintance of the one I assume my grandson was going to go engage in carnal relations with."

Thor sputters. "I—it was not my sole intention to-"

"Please, you are both teenage boys who are clearly in love. I support love in all forms, having loved once myself." She takes Loki's elbow as they begin to walk. "I also sense something… odd about you as well, other than the alcohol of course."

He lets out a chuckle. His entire family is made of clairvoyant people who see right through Loki like gas. He figures that he should skip to the part where he is in some pseudo-relationship with his step-brother who he is in love with to spare the guessing.

"He is my…," Loki says as they reenter the ballroom, "_älskare_." He doesn't know how to put it in English.

"Truly a wonder. This shall be a tale for your grandchildren."

"Pardon?" Loki stops walking, mind not processing.

"My grandson, I have tales to tell you of my romance with your grandfather. You two must tell your grandchildren of the holiday romance, yes?—you two engaged in. After this slight interruption in your relationship blows over, you will have another story."

"I—we're not—he's leaving," he says. "He is leaving me to go to 'England' but keeps saying that he's not going to Oxford, which makes no sense. Our friends are going there as support, and they act as if this is my fault!"

She turns to Thor, giving him a cool look. "Why are you going to England if you don't mind me asking?"

"I mind."

"My point!"

"Very well," she says. "Are you going to England for this Oxford?"

"Of course not," he replies, and he gets a text message—on his new phone?—that makes him grin and excuse himself to go "take care of something verily important." Loki doesn't allow himself to be sad to see him go.

"The case if closed then, my _Jõtnar. _You must learn to trust this boy if you two are to marry."

"We're not!" he shouts, apologizing quickly. "I broke it off. I'm 16. 16 year olds don't get engaged!"

"I was 16 years old myself when your grandfather proposed marriage to me at his age of 21."

What? Is he the only one with sense here?

"You may tell yourself that you don't care, but I can see the love in your eyes. You want him as much as he wants you. Now, I may have caught wind of an engagement that may or may not have occurred between you and some boy from your uncle. I have met this boy, and he seems nice.

"Also, I must admit that your mood of self-loathing is quite evident, and it is not pleasant at all. Do learn to make up your mind where emotions are involved, which I assume was something your mother neglected to show you as she was too busy with flouncing about and regaining the lost years my son stole from her."

"I apologize, but I should have clarified that—Thor and I are not-" He sighs. "I cheated."

"Gods, Loki, you are not your father," she says, frowning. "Now, tell me the entire truth instead of the abridged version I know you are giving me. You were always quite the little liar as a child."

"The person and I spoke privately, and he expressed his feelings for me after we kissed," he replies. "He previously kissed me once before after lying about how he felt, and I had no intention to ever telling him."

"Why did you kiss him?"

"I don't…" He exhales. "Revenge, okay? I wanted revenge."

"And this revenge has not lessened your love for him," she says. "I attempted revenge upon your grandfather, but I could not continue to do so for very long. It made me feel empty, just as you felt, yes?"

He nods.

"Loki, if you are intending to-" Nal stops his shouting the moment he spots them, and he practically melts into a little boy, rushing to Loki's grandmother's side and falling to his haunches as he wraps his arms around her waist and asks her if she is okay. "Where did you find her?" Nal asks, teeth gritted.

"Nally, calm your nerves. Loki and I simply encountered each other."

"Nal, have you seen my—Loki, there you are," his mother says. Her hard expression softens when she sees his grandmother. "Oh, Issdís, I had no idea that you were going to come. It is a pleasant surprise to see you."

She inclines her head, and Nal stands.

"I assume you have come to retrieve my son for your summer vacationing?"

How could Loki forget about that? The highlight of his summer with how it's been going so far.

"Yes, our flight leaves at 2:00 tomorrow to Paris." Whether his grandmother and grandfather are aware of their plans remains unknown though Loki will find out in due time with how the evening has progressed.

"AM or PM?" his mother asks, worrying her lip.

"Don't be daft, Farbauti," Nal says. "AM of course. That is something the Odinson would ask regarding my nephew."

"Yes, AM," his grandmother says, glaring at Nal. "Your snark is unneeded."

His grandfather comes and takes his grandmother's attention, a blonde at each of his arms who he dismisses with a murmur.

Well, he puts Johnny Storm to shame.

Somehow the impending interaction between the two of them attracts the attention of many people within the vicinity as they are suddenly surrounded by a dozen eager eyes.

His grandfather speaks first. "Issdís, it has been too long."

"It has been too short," she replies, a few of the people going "oh" but shutting up when his grandfather casts a look around.

His grandfather grins. "According to you," he says, eyebrows rising. "The entire family is here for the first time since Loki's birth. This is a moment needing to be celebrated."

His mother looks as if she would rather be anywhere else. "So, are you all going as a… family?"

"Oh, yes, Loki and Needle, we are leaving at 1:30 for Paris."

No, his grandparents are not in accordance.

"Bergelmir, there seems to be a misunderstanding as Loki and I are going to Paris tomorrow at 2:00, which makes him unable to go with you and Nal. I apologize for not telling you sooner."

"Hm, there is no need to apologize," he replies. "This is remedied easily. We are all to leave at 1:30."

His grandmother chuckles. "Your humor has not lessened."

Loki listens to the short conflict, which ends when a compromise of "1:45," the attendance of all four of them, and the next stop of Bologna.

"What do you both think of Loki's boyfriend? He is a nice boy."

"Nice boy?" Nal looks amused. "Oh, Mother, I fear you have not been told the entire story. You must know that this nice boy was not hesitant to set out on an emotional affair during his and Loki's relationship, which is why Loki departed for Sweden last week as I informed you. He did stalk him there and somehow convince him to return, but Loki did not forget. His actions may be irrational, but they are warranted."

Loki goes to leave before he is drawn into the conversation, but the gods have given enough gifts to Loki tonight.

"What do you both expect?" his grandfather asks. "He is the Odinson, Thor Odinson."

His grandmother's sharp eyes turn to him. "He's the what?"

Yes, the gods are evil.

"Nal, you did not tell me that this boy Loki was seeing was Thor Odinson!"

"The information was not pertinent!"

"That boy thought that my grandson would enter a marriage with him! How ridiculous."

"I retract everything I have said casting positive light on Thor Odinson," his grandmother says. "I despise him."

And that is what Loki takes as his cue to leave.

"Though, Issdís, do know that our Loki did redeem himself with his excursion with a very skilled boy who unfortunately goes by the name Balder Odinson…"

He takes his leave, but only makes it to the outer edge of the dance floor before he is seized by Volstagg and Fandral who both give him unnerving looks.

"By the gods, you actually look male," Volstagg says.

Fandral snorts. "Beneath all of that hair laid a boy though he does retain his daintiness. I am sure most men would not mind the lack of hair as it seems to be a universal thing with his lack of facial hair. Too bad that he can never grow a beard."

"A mighty beard makes the man!" Volstagg exclaims, stroking his own beard which is not _that_ long. It reaches his clavicle. "One day, you will see a beard upon my face that rivals that of the great Bor."

Oh yes, Bor, Thor's grandfather who Loki has thankfully not had the chance to talk to. If he is anything like Thor's grandmother, Loki is quite fine with them remaining strangers.

"What do you want?"

"Thor, have you seen him?" Volstagg asks.

"You are often the last one to see him before he disappears," Fandral says.

Loki frowns. "He said that he had important things to attend to."

They release him.

"That absolutely helps none whatsoever."

"Do not blame the boy." Loki is only a year younger than them! "He has not done this."

Loki watches them leave and tries not to wonder the same. He has thought enough about him for the night.

For the remainder of the night, Loki switches between dancing in the crowd of hundreds and slipping off to the side to hide at the approach of one of his paternal relatives.

"There my gaybro is!" Wade shouts, pulling him along by the sleeve. "We haven't had a damn group dance yet, you bitch. Come on and show these mother fuckers how you move!"

Loki joins the circle of his peers on the dance floor, the sounds of "P.Y.T." playing around him as everyone sings along or chants their praise for the one dancing in the center. He breaks away from the perimeter to stand in the center to do the Cabbage Patch with Bucky and James.

The traitors begin to grovel in their own ways, apologies thrown every which way until Loki tells them to shut their mouths and continue dancing. They don't listen of course, rapid, watered down explanations filled with apologies for their behavior as well as admissions of their immaturity and recounts of how Balder took the liberty of clarifying before he left as well as declaring his support for "Team Thor" after being "coerced" to do so by Clint and Tony.

"I didn't punch him because of the nose," Clint says. "Couldn't be that much of an asshole."

Perhaps Loki could learn to like watching association football?

The last song is "One More Time," which is a perfect ending to the night, Loki casting an unimpressed look at those who start trying to mimic "the Robots" of Daft Punk and doing his own dance moves so reminiscent of early 2000's house music.

The upcoming departures of Thor's friends and Loki, which his friends catch wind of, lead to a festival of half-wanted hugs and loud sobs. Arms and hands reach out for others to join the already large hugs and reminisce on the things they've done over the school year and over the past two days. In Wade's case, he makes it a point to argue with Sif until Volstagg tires of him and attempts to get him to leave. As he moves to do so, he grabs her and kisses her as hard as he can, a loud slap resounding over their heads as Sif frowns in disgust. Johnny and Ben sling their arms over his shoulder and skip out of the door, singing about "making good girls go bad."

"Well, this was fun," Gwen says, her hand on Loki's wrist. "You guys know how to party."

He chuckles. "If you say so." He takes her hand again and stops smiling. "Gwen, I will be absent this summer, but... if you require council, know that I will probably answer though I cannot ensure I will be sober enough to be of any assistance. You've known my grandfather for long enough."

His grandfather may have attempted to flirt with Gwen and succeeded though Lofn proved to be more appealing.

Gwen giggles. "Um, yeah, okay. That sounds good." She looks over as Peter calls her name. "Well, we have to go so... have fun on your trip to Europe. Grace them with your godliness and all of the snazzy stuff." Harry shouts, Gwen yelling at them for rushing her.

"That was nice of you. She reminds me of me."

"Sigyn, really?" He reluctantly takes her hand and begins to walk. "You realize that you two are absolute opposites. She wears modern clothes and pink."

"So? I could if I wanted. Pink would go well with my eyes."

He turns to her when they reach the bottom of the stairs. "Comrade, I want to thank you for what little help you gave to me when I most needed it," he says. "I may not have agreed with your ways, but I am sure that I will possibly see your motivations in the future."

She sniffles. "Okay, comrade," she says, and she pulls him into a hug. "I love you, Loki, okay?"

He pulls away. "Don't stop planning our wedding."

Freya shouts for her to hurry, and Sigyn starts backward. "Green, black, and gold!"

He turns to face the others giving him equal looks of sorrow and apology and realizes that he doesn't have time for them to try to fully explain themselves. He wants to get the goodbyes over with and worry about the explanations later.

"Don't get yourself killed," Natasha murmurs as they hug. "I really would rather not have to track someone down in France."

"Yeah, totally wouldn't want that to ever happen." Clint winks at him, and Natasha slaps him on the arm. "Dude, be safe."

"Yes, Loki, please, be safe," Steve says.

"Fuck safety, Steve!" Bucky exclaims. "Get drunk with me in mind! Fuck all the hot, um… men you want too!"

"No, don't do that," Tony says. "Team Thor, remember? Barnes, didn't get the memo?"

"I don't take teams."

"Of course you don't." Stark attempts to kiss him on the cheek, but Loki ducks away, Tony murmuring about him being a Grinch. "Really, be cool, okay? I need you next year at school. You're my best friend."

Clint and Tony exchange a look before launching into song, dancing the waltz as they sing, "You're My Best Friend." The looks they get from a group of Spanish dignitaries are going to sustain Loki over the summer when he thinks about these two and their foolish antics.

"Wait, before I forget…" Tony runs back and pulls out a bright cyan box from his coat. "Stark Tech prototype camera made specifically for you. Well, I gave one to Parker too, but his wasn't made with as much love, okay? Better use it. See you in a few weeks, and remember, July 4th. Call Steve, or JARVIS will have to go all Skynet on you."

Bruce pats him on the shoulder and nods. "I'll see you before school starts. Keep me in mind, okay?"

Loki grins, not forgetting Bruce's usual neutrality in all of it. "If I find any books about nuclear radiation, I will be sure to mail them to you."

He salutes him, and Betty waves, the two of them leaving arm in arm.

He looks around once but doesn't see any trace of him.

"Loki-" His mother goes to touch him, but he moves away. "Loki."

"Don't touch me," he replies. "I am making good on that promise I made you. I'll be no longer your responsibility at all in two hours."

Her eyes blaze for just a moment before they fill with tears, and Skadi comes and puts a hand on her shoulder as she expresses her congratulations for the honeymoon his mother is to depart for in moments, moments before she is free from Loki and no longer liable to try to "protect" him.

"Loki, come," Nal says. "You are to go back and pack."

His mother sighs. "Loki, just—be careful." She takes his hand, and he lets her have this one touch. "Be careful."

He looks away from her piercing gaze and pulls his hand away, following his uncle. He undoes his bowtie as he sits in the backseat, watching the cityscape out of the window as Nal talks to Millicent at length about something she doesn't seem interested in whatsoever.

Nine months here and there is still so much of New York City that he hasn't seen.

Loki gets out of the car to a "one hour" from Nal and rushes up the stairs into the eerily empty house. For the first time in weeks he is truly alone in his home, and the feeling is strangely foreign, almost uncomfortably so.

He's zipping up his suitcase when he the doorbell rings, and he goes to answer the door with a sigh, partially surprised at who he sees standing there.

"I came to drop something off," Pepper says as she enters, someone's oversized coat draped over her shoulders. She follows him up the stairs without instruction, and Loki's actually thankful it's her instead of someone else. Pepper isn't that annoying when she tries.

He zips up a duffle carry-on of his necessities before turning to her.

She shoves a book into his hands. "Here, it's the yearbook."

His eyes scan over the navy cover, the SHIELD insignia as well as _The Shield_ on the front. He spent a fair amount of his last weeks of school assisting Gwen and offering his own opinions on page layouts and color schemes. The first few pages reveal that his work is not for naught: crisp, sharp, and perfectly SHIELD.

He inhales and flips through the pages until he reaches the first page of the 11th grade, a picture of Gwen and Reed as well as one of his friends minus Thor.

"You all look nice, don't you?"

Loki flips the first few pages, stopping at Bruce's page. He does the same to his other friends though he does stop at his own page and take in the "surprise" Gwen had in store.

"Lots of green, just how you like it."

"Yes, olive green," he says, and he swallows as he fingers through the senior section, two page wide spreads for each student. It means that he can't miss his page or the red and gray.

Thor watches picture-Loki as he stares down at their interlinked hands with what most would see as disinterest-no, definitely not what he was truly feeling-his 1000 kilowatt smile in full effect and aimed at Loki. A sociopath could see and feel the love.

He brushes his finger over the image but catches himself and snaps the book shut, dropping it onto the desk. He grabs his duffle bag and avoids Pepper's eyes.

"Loki."

His jaw clenches, and he focuses on the nearest object: the yearbook.

"I know that whatever I say probably won't change anything, but I'm going to say something anyway because you know, that's me, Pepper Potts, the wisest person ever. You're probably angry and confused about whatever Tony is refusing to tell me about, but you should know that he truly loves you, Loki. Look." She grabs the book, and Loki watches her with a sigh. "This? This is the look someone in love gives another person in love. It's the stuff you hear about in fairytales, all captured in one picture.

"It's a modern day Disney classic."

He takes it from her and tucks it under his arm. "If you wishes for me to take it so much, you needn't to put together a clichéd speech," he replies. "Tell Parker that he needs to work on his camera work though he's on the right track for a successful paparazzo."

He flicks the light switch down as he exits. "Very good artistic view."

He drops his luggage onto the ground and opens the front door.

Pepper pauses. "Have a nice summer, Loki," she says. "I'll see you next school year."

He watches her go to the awaiting car and slip into the passenger seat, a built boy peeking his head out of the driver seat to give Loki a suspicious wave.

"You have a nice night!" the boy shouts in a Brooklyn?—accent, and Loki gives him one wave before they drive off.

Loki shuts the door and turns his back just as another knock sounds on the door followed by the turning of keys. He unlocks the door halfway through the frantic attempt to open the door and meets a panicked Thor.

"I thought I missed you."

"Why-?"

"Come on, we have to go!" Thor yanks him from the house by the arm, Loki unable to gain his balance until he is shoved into Thor's car.

"Where?" he asks, shifting to sit up.

Thor pulls away from the curb at twice the speed limit, so Loki has to hold onto the sides of the seat to remain upright. "You'll see," he replies at the first red light, and he turns the stereo on, Loki grinning at the sound of Queen.

"It's 12:00 at night."

"Just… give me time."

That? That he can give.

Thor parks in front of the apartment they looked at and circles around the car, pulling Loki from the car by the arm.

"Can you give me time in return?" Loki shouts as he tries to gain his footing, which he does, and he runs after Thor.

They take the stairs though that's no surprise with Thor's excitement, and after four flights of stairs, Thor slams open the door and gestures Loki through with a quick waving of his hands.

Loki looks up and down the hallway, and his arm is yet again seized—it's prone to fall off at any moment—and he's pulled after Thor.

Thor somehow manages to keep ahold of the keys he produces as he unlocks the door to the unit they looked at.

Wait, he has the keys?

"Come!"

Loki steps through the door with the expectation of seeing the unit as bare as it was, but instead furnished in shades of blue, gray, red, and… green.

He goes to stand in the archway of the living room to take in the décor. He approves.

"Go look," Thor says in his ear, his anxiety evident.

But Loki does go to look at the extent of Thor's initiative, and he gets more than he bargained for.

During their visit to the furniture store, he may have not—or have—fallen in love with an olive couch with golden throw pillows and the perfect amount of space for Loki to lean back and stretch his legs.

The couch Loki is looking at happens to be that couch.

He actually—

No, Oxford?

Princeton?

Loki goes to the closed curtains, the red light filling the room becoming orange as the New York skyline comes into view. The view from here is even more amazing than he remembers.

"I assume you enjoy it?"

He doesn't turn in Thor's grasp or attempt to move away. "Yes." He allows himself to smile in disbelief. "It's almost perfect."

"I think I may have what will cement your opinion."

At a jingle of metal, Loki looks down to see Thor's hands open to reveal a set of keys, a green cat on the keychain as well.

"These are the second and only other set of keys to the apartment, which I have recently purchased," he says, and he sets them in Loki's palm. "They are your keys."

A smile slowly works its way to his face as he stares down at the silver keys, his keys to Thor's apartment, the apartment he has to stay in because-

He turns around and cradles his face in his hands, staring into still anxious eyes. "Thor, that's…"

He pulls him down into another kiss, thankfully not the last kiss he can give him. Even with that knowledge, he presses himself into Thor and relishes every emotion he gets from the boy, sealing it into a vault of his mind for a time when maybe he will not have this chance again.

Thor maneuvers them onto the couch which rivals Thor's blanket in softness—Loki doesn't tell Thor this; he doesn't want him to somehow get jealous—and stares down at him with a smile playing on his lips.

"Thor, I am in love with you as I was six months ago," Loki says. "I love you, Thor. I—I'm sorry, so, so fucking sorry. Please, just, know that nothing has changed." He pulls the rings from his pocket. "And I mean nothing. I'm 16, Thor. I can't make this kind of commitment now."

He takes the rings from Loki and sets them on the coffee table with a sigh. "I… understand, and I apologize for pressuring you. That was never my intent. I really wanted you to know how much you meant to me, and this is—was the way I knew to do it. Now, this is the way I will show you."

Thor runs his hand over the back of Loki's face. "Loki, you are my future, and I wanted you to know how serious I am about spending my life with you. You always were my future." He holds him by the shoulders, staring him straight in the eye. "Know that I do not care who you've been with, but that anyone who touches you with or without your permission is liable to harm. You are mine, Loki. You need to accept that."

He guffaws. "Thor, it's my job to be the jester."

"Kings do not joke," he replies, and Loki sees something in his eyes that he starts to ask about, but his words are cut off by Thor's lips upon his.

Loki pulls Thor away. "We only have"—he glances at the wall clock of planets and moons; cheesy but endearing—"45 minutes until my flight leaves."

Thor shrugs. "Then we have 44."

44 minutes and 30 seconds which do not go unused.

The couch is far better than the bed.

* * *

**A/N: Caution, lot's of violence because Thor is actually kind of insane: s/9312685/1/SHIELD-Academy-Two-Bleed-It-Out**


	26. Epilogue: Paris

**A/N: Last thingy McThing!**

* * *

Epilogue: Paris

Nal's insanity is starting to show, has been on the road to decline since he decided to channel Laufey, and no, Loki has not forgotten nor forgiven him for using his hands instead of his lips. Nal was supposed to be the sane of the two, but sanity does not exist in his paternal family though his grandmother is the most sensible of the three.

He walks in on his uncle literally rolling on the floor laughing five nights in a row after their landing in Marseille, Nal howling as if he is wolf as he occasionally says between guffaws "absolutely hilarious" and "utterly comical."

On the sixth night, his uncle is no longer laughing but sitting at his table with his laptop in front of him, the local French newspaper in hand, and his phone at his ear.

"You are awfully persistent," Nal says with a sigh, "but the answer is as it was the past five times: no."

His uncle slips his phone into his blazer and resumes reading the paper, asking Loki if he needs anything to which Loki shakes his head before retracing his steps and going off to see what argument his grandparents have gotten into today.

Only on the 14th day after Loki has gone around Saint-Etienne and taken a look at the street art and even bought a painting with Natasha in mind does he finally ask his uncle who has kept calling him at exactly 1:00 pm in French time.

Nal sets his newspaper aside and steeples his fingers. "Take a seat."

Oh no, this cannot end with Loki learning anything good. He scans his mind for possible things that Nal could tell him-Odin's death? Wait, that's not completely bad... Oh but Thor… Loki can comfort him-but comes up short of any concrete guess as he takes the seat across from his uncle which he does with wise caution.

What has he done this time?

Perhaps it was wrong to buy the last ice cream while that little boy was waiting eagerly, only to have his dreams crushed as Loki walked away and the shopkeeper put up the "out of ice cream" sign, but it is hot.

Loki hates the heat.

He cringes as he shifts in his seat, the back of his shirt sticking to him. Perhaps they should go to Sweden next? That counts as Europe.

"Your-Thor keeps calling me," Nal says, and he sighs. "He has kept making an unreasonable request of me. He wishes for me to... sign over my parental rights... to him."

Loki cocks an eyebrow. "What?"

"Yes, you see why I keep telling him no. That would be an utterly terrible decision to make."

Well, not entirely since without authority over him, his mother and uncle will no longer be able to try to control him and get him to do as he pleases. He is going to go to live with his uncle for the next school year without a doubt as Loki cannot bring himself to stay in that house with only Odin and his mother for the times when he is not at school. Perhaps he will visit to keep Odin on his toes as Odin is not his father, not quite above waiting and biding his time before striking. His mother may need to learn to keep her hands to herself again, but that does not give Odin the permission to take on the role Laufey vacated, including the "duties." He can remain "second husband."

And Nal can remain nothing but his uncle. He also should learn to keep his hands to himself, and though he hasn't done anything as overt as striking Loki since the rooftop, he hasn't hesitated to grab Loki and drag him away by a hard grip on the arm. Loki may have shoved him away once which almost ended in a fight that his grandfather stopped by grasping Loki on the shoulder and gesturing to a wine shop he wished to show him. Now that day, his uncle was furious, almost Laufey furious.

If they were to live together...

Loki's childhood was filled with enough of _that_.

"Oh," is all he says, and Nal gives him a sharp look.

"I told him no," he says, "as I will continue to do so until we are back in New York City and you are solely my responsibility again."

Loki doesn't ask about the calls anymore but yearns for his own confiscated phone-his grandmother took it to prevent him from "contacting _that_ boy"-each time he sees his uncle after 12:00, Nal growing increasingly irritated after each call. He wants to know if Thor is serious.

He wants to know how Thor is doing-"I'm doing relatively fine"-, how his time in England is-"France is beautiful"-, how he is sleeping-"I lie awake half of the night"-, how he is managing the lack of sex-"I'm chafing, Thor."

A boy with a lopsided grin and black hair shaved on one side stops him on the street and bluntly asks him, "Would you like a blow job?" in some of the sexiest French Loki has heard.

He blinks a few times and stares at him to calibrate his seriousness. "_Pardon_?"

The boy winks and goes on to elaborate on his cock sucking abilities, rattling off about the amount of suction he can apply, how he moves his hands, swirling his tongue.

Loki swallows and offers him an apologetic smile. "I'm with someone," he replies, and a hand touches his shoulder, squeezing once.

"Wow, you two look quite alike," the boy says. "Goodbye, my English angel."

Nal drops his hand. "He thought you were English," he replies. "How appealing." His phone begins to vibrate, and he lets out a curse in Swedish, the first time Loki has heard his uncle use such language save for when mocking John. "Excuse me."

"Wait-" He wilts at the warning look his uncle gives him and lets him cross the street to take his call alone. He strains his ear just to hear one snippet of his voice, but all he gets are the machine-gun words of a marketer selling flowers.

The rage he feels at his uncle goes to the place where he keeps the rest of it, right next to the steadily rising pile of grudges.

His grandmother introduces him to a blond boy with a shy smile during a shopping trip, calling him over and acting as if she has known the boy for years though they have only been in Saint-Etienne for three days, and Loki entertains her by playing nice, carrying on with an inane conversation for a few moments before he excuses himself.

He almost throws up his lunch on the street.

"Happy Fourth of July!"

Four women dressed in Star-spangled bikinis stand around his grandfather with party favors, singing songs about America in French and English.

With their reminder, Loki goes to his grandfather and requests his phone with a short explanation of "Steve's birthday" which serves as enough because his grandfather is already distracted by the bouncing breasts and bright smiles.

He types in Steve's number and finds shade under an umbrella table, watching his uncle speak to a woman in a shop across the street, his back turned to Loki.

"Hello?"

"Steve, _Joyeux anniversaire_."

"... Oh, Loki! Hey, how are you? Thanks. It means a lot you went through all of this trouble to call me. Tony says your phone has been shut off."

Loki sighs. "Yes, it is rather unfortunate."

A few seconds of silence.

"Loki, if you want me to get Thor..."

His uncle exits the shop, eyes on where Loki's grandfather is now cupping one of the girl's breasts at her loud insistence.

"Please do," he whispers, ducking his head.

"Hey, Thor, it's Loki. He wants to talk to you-"

On the other end, the phone is handed off with a few murmurs.

"Lok-"

The phone is ripped from his grip and smashed in Nal's hand like the feta cheese Loki tried last week: crumbled.

He stares up at his uncle without fear, uncaring if he tries to strike him or not.

He got to hear _his_ voice.

"I am sure Steven heard his happy birthday clearly, Loki," he says with a blank stare. "There is no need to look so dejected."

He clenches his fist and goes to punch his uncle where Loki's eye line is: his crotch.

His grandmother joins them with a sigh. "Your father and grandfather is insufferable."

He instead grips his uncle's arm and uses it to pull himself up to stand.

He and his uncle exchange a tight smile.

Paris is where Loki is completely sure that Nal has gone off the deep end.

He lifts his camera and takes a picture of the Louvre pyramid, frowning at the slight fuzziness before he lets the camera fall back around his neck. He will just have to find a better place to shoot even if that means he has to go outside. It's not like the exterior is any less beautiful than the interior, however lacking in rare art it is.

"Oui, mademoiselle, nous-"

"Non, elle est un madame," his grandfather says, glaring down at the guide. "Elle est la Mrs. Thrudgelmirson."

His grandmother ignores his remark and puts her hand on the guide's shoulder. "Continuez-vous, s'il vous plait."

He stops beside her. "I am going to go and take pictures outside. If you need me, that's where I will be."

His grandmother glances away from the painting. "Understood."

Loki finds himself taking pictures throughout the journey to the Napoleon Courtyard, uncaring to the fact that he is getting looks from other tourists who he happens to step in front of. He appreciates the art more than they do, for more than the opportunity to say to others, "I have seen _Liberty Leading the People_—yes, the _Viva la Vida_ cover—in real life."

He frowns down at the 50% full battery in the left corner of the screen. Just this morning he charged it. He will just have to ask his grandfather to get him a newer, better one, or if he's feeling adventurous, he will open the Stark Tech camera Tony slipped to him. He's unsure if the flash will be bright cyan and not entirely willing to take the risk of drawing that much attention to himself though that has been hard with his grandfather's antics.

He steps onto the railing of the fountain and raises his camera. It's a much better view.

After getting adequate photographs, he steps down from the fountain and turns to take more pictures of the courtyard, the atmosphere of old France and modern tourism clashing and forming something Loki feels in himself sometimes, the nagging in his bones to revert to the old ways while the new ways demand his attention with the same force.

When the sun begins to set, he sets off to rejoin his family inside the museum, straying from exhibit to exhibit until he ends up in the Apollo Gallery where he sees someone hilariously familiar pressing a boy who looks like another familiar someone against the wall, their voices a low murmur of French.

He pulls out his camera and zooms in on his uncle and the John look alike. Millicent would probably love to get a postcard and a picture from him on her assignment in Italy.

The capture is silent, but Nal somehow notices him.

He gives Loki a haughty look before his eyes find the camera and narrow. "You little-"

His legs move him around the corner before he registers what's happening, a broad grin splitting across his face as he weaves around fellow tourists to get away from his uncle. A glance back reveals that he has stopped running in favor of stalking Loki like a lion, stride wide and smile absolutely threatening.

The four inches of height difference between them means that Loki doesn't have the luxury of settling for a brisk walk. He continues sprinting, ignoring the "Arrêtez!" he receives from the employees.

And Loki is quite sure of his escape until he collides with someone who rounds the corner just as he does albeit at a much slower speed though their chest of steel means that Loki nearly ends up on the ground.

He catches himself by bending his back as far as it will go, wind milling his arms until he has the moment to straighten out.

Of course this doesn't solve the problem of his belongings being scattered on the ground, bag knocked from his grasp during the collision.

"Pardon-moi," he murmurs as he bends and gathers the books he brought along with him from America at the reminder of his uncle—"You were supposed to read them though your attention was occupied by something else _foreign_"—as well as the packs of gum he has taken to chewing instead of the cigarettes he's been permanently barred from.

The other person happens to reach for the sole book that is not a lesson on "Italian Courtesy" or "German Street Behavior," _The Shield_.

"Do you mind if I sign?"

That—that voice.

_His _voice.

He pushes the loose curtain of hair—it's thankfully growing back fast—from his eyesight and looks up to see Thor giving him a very amused look.

Thor.

His Thor.

"I—sure."

Thor picks up one of the stray pens and flips open the book to a green page, making a sound in the back of his throat before he touches the pen to the page and begins to write.

Thor is here with him.

He turns the page and starts to write rapidly, something that Loki cannot see from his vantage point.

Thor, the boy he is in love with and hasn't seen in an eternity of strife and madness and frustration mostly all consideration of his uncle.

After forever, is he handed back the yearbook which he snatches, glaring at Thor for making him wait and getting an "I sense from frustration" from a smirking chuckles that Thor has written on Remy's page instead of his own.

'_Remy may be a comrade, but I am unwilling to ruin your face with my pen marks. Also, he's a senior. He has two pages._

_This school year has been the best school year of my life, and whether you believe it or not, it is because of you, Loki. To quote an artist you will never truly appreciate as you are pretentious—yes, Loki, you are J—"We found love in a hopeless place.'_

He rolls his eyes at Thor who pretends to be occupied with staring at a sign in French warning of flash photography. Well, Loki didn't use a flash.

'_To our children: your father was an absolute dork in school. His 'ugly duckling' phase was in full effect. J'_ An arrow is drawn to the picture of Loki. '_You father may be the jester, but I am the one and only _Joker_! (See the last few pages.'_

"Kings do not jest, Thor, hm?" He closes the book and stands along with Thor who grins like a maniac, so proud of his "joking."

This boy is driving him mad.

He hooks his legs around Thor's waist when he is lifted from his feet.

His lips are as Loki remembers from three-weeks-too-long ago, a perfect composition of pout and fullness that would make a renaissance painter curse the gods for creating such perfection. Lips that belong to a painting of a god hung in the halls of the museum around them. His kiss is still skilled to the point where Loki feels as though kissing is a competition but still passionate enough to make him want to submit to Thor here and now.

Those lips trail down his jaw as Loki nuzzles the side of Thor's neck and takes in the smell of fresh ocean and _him_. All of the scents in French perfumeries cannot compare. If Loki could bottle this he would, and he would wear it in a vial around his neck like some obsessive fan girl. Well, he is a "fan boy" for Thor.

He rests his head on the firm expanse of his chest, inhaling _Thor_.

"I have missed you so much."

"What are you doing here?" he asks, resting his head on Thor's shoulder where it belongs like the hands on his hips.

"I recall a date of importance approaching soon, so I took a flight to Paris," Thor says. "Our friends send their regards though I suspect that even though you are lacking a phone, you may receive their contact tomorrow."

Just when his life was getting calm.

Thor starts to stroke his hair, and Loki thinks of French public indecency laws. "Just—Loki, I fucking missed you."

Wow, since when does Thor use such strong language outside of the bedroom?

"Of course you did," he replies, and he kisses the corner of Thor's jaw. "You are turning my life into a cliché."

"I would not go so far as to say that." Thor sets him down on the ground and adjusts his bowtie which Loki is sure was straight. "I would call our love something more… godly. An epic, perhaps. _The Tale of Two Gods._"

"And just how does this 'epic' end? With a kiss?" He will use any reason to kiss Thor, but he really doesn't need a reason at all when he gets to kiss _him_, the one he has been yearning for since the moment they were forced to peel themselves away from each other when Nal showed up at the apartment 30 seconds after their 44 minutes to "retrieve his nephew."

He cradles his hands around Thor's face where they feel as though they fit perfectly. Under his touch, he feels something different among the familiarity of Thor's facial hair and skin, barely there under his eye, but still foreign to fingers that have touched his face more times than he can count.

Something new.

"What happened?" he whispers against his lips, tracing the slightly raised line with his thumb.

"Someone punched me."

"Who was able to harm Thor Odinson?"

He kisses him once. "Someone you no longer have to worry about."

In Thor's eyes lurks a darkness, but Loki pushes that for a time of later pondering. Now is a time to make up for the moments of not touching, land and sea separating them for far too long.

The look in Thor's eyes amplifies when they are found in an embrace by his grandfather who guffaws before warning the two of them that they should leave before his uncle or grandmother make an appearance, and his advice is listened to, Loki hurriedly pulling Thor from the museum and to a nearby restaurant.

"How did your uncle turn out the way he did? Your grandfather is far more amiable. He is a… BAMF," Thor says as he rubs circles on the back of Loki's hand. He turns to the waitress and orders them food in perfect French, Loki's mouth falling open as he stares at him in disbelief. "I had some training in foreign languages as a child. It is no big deal."

He clenches his thighs and tries to contain a moan. "Everything isn't a big deal to you," he replies, and Thor pulls his chair around the table with a smirk, Loki snapping at him to behave himself.

Loki is quite content with sitting beside Thor, his arm a comfortable warmth behind his back, and eating some of the best food he has tasted in his 16 years of life, or he thinks he is until his three relatives enter and make themselves comfortable as well, his grandmother giving a look that could freeze to Thor.

"You cannot be serious," Nal says halfway through dessert, and he looks at Thor. "You are not serious. You simply aren't."

Thor leans forward, far too cocky. "I have already taken the initiative to father the necessary paperwork needed for the transference. I am very, very serious."

How could Loki forget about that?

His grandfather chuckles. "I never took the Odinson to be a jester."

"You are correct," he replies, "for I am not."

His grandmother stands and leaves without another word.

Does he want to spend his next year with _him_, one of the most negatively eccentric people he has met?

Does he want to make Thor give up another facet of his life to prove Loki how much he loves him?

No to both.

"Wait, I—Thor, you really, really don't have to do this," Loki says. "It is only one year until I am an adult."

"A lot has happened in a year," he replies, and Loki can see he has the purist of intentions though he isn't seeing that this is not as happy and good as he predicts it will be.

"You are right, Thor. A lot has happened."

His eyes widen when he sees that Nal has managed to acquire the memory stick from his camera, Nal slipping it into his pocket. Curse the gods.

"Fine," Nal says, and he knows exactly what he's doing. "Thor Odinson, you are going to regret ever asking this, and I am you going to have the best laugh I have had since Laufey informed me of his marriage and siring. You see that he breaks off an engagement, but you wish to play house? You are truly of your blood, Odinson.

"Loki must achieve the top of his class and maintain the position of number one throughout the first session of the school year. Then on December... 21st, the anniversary of your 'fling,' I will sign them, and then Loki will be your charge." He simpers, the mark of the decline of Loki's life. "Thor wishes to prove that he is truly in love with Loki, and Loki wants to state his independence. Father, you receive the heir you desire to have."

Loki never directly said he wanted the independence thing though he really does. He doesn't _need_ anyone.

This is almost too convenient to be completely easy to accomplish, as if his uncle foresees a currently overlooked aspect of their deal.

"Your performance is adequate though it could be improved upon," his grandfather says. "If this boy is the proper incentive needed, I am more than willing to have him serve as the guardian of my grandson. It is not as if he is a helpless child. I am sure he can defend himself if needed."

Thor tenses, and Loki groans inwardly. "I would not dare lie a finger upon, Loki," he says.

"Hm, that is what everyone thinks until they spend some time with him."

Yes, his uncle has gone insane.

"What are you saying?" Thor stands. "What are you-?"

"Thor, calm down," Loki says. Thor has made enough of a mess. "You're making a deal out of nothing."

One last look of hatred is sent to Nal before Thor takes his seat.

"Violence is not a good trait in a guardian, Thor, though I think you may actually be able to control Loki," Nal says. "We will see if my nephew is as brilliant as everyone seems to think he is though I have met Reed Richards, and he is truly a marvel. Also, that Gwen Stacy has great initiative. Those two will have quite the rivalry for valedictorian already."

Loki tenses.

A cake with seventeen candles is placed on the table.

His uncle beams for the first time since Loki has known him. "It is July 10th in your beloved New York," he says. "Happy birthday, Loki!"

A few townies gather around the table to shout the same in their accented English and clap and yell for him to blow out the candles, too many of them too close for his comfort.

He absolutely loathes people, and no, it isn't a generalization.

It is a fact.

* * *

**A/N: Happy Birthday, Loki ("prelated" of course)**

Also, want to thank everyone. So... yep.

If you notice, there are a few unresolved plot points.

*shrugs shoulders*

Nope, totally didn't do that on purpose.

Also, also, I'm thinking of having a mini-fic following Loki around during the Summer because we all know how drama and trouble follow him. "Calm" only lasts so long.


	27. Loki Hates People Sequel

Update: Sequel!

There is no "new" chapter, but a new story, a sequel actually.

_SHIELD Academy: Loki Despises People _which you can find right here: s/9439736/1/SHIELD-Academy-Loki-Despises-People

**Summary**: Loki didn't ask for change, to go to SHIELD, one of the best schools in the world, for the "friends" he somehow tolerates, to be pushed to his academic limits, and especially for his boyfriend to be his step brother who is Thor, the Norse god he's named for, in every way—not that he didn't 'wish' for that. But he has it all, and there's one problem: Loki can lose it all.


End file.
